1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: What's up, guys. Chris Harry with you on the Chargers 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: podcast network. And this is the Backstage Chargers podcast presented 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,039 Speaker 1: by your Southern California Toya to Dealers. Another episode of 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: Mike and Ike. This week kicker Michael Badgeley and defensive 5 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: end Isaac Rochelle. They sat down with running back Austin Eckler. 6 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: Now Austin went from undrafted free agent to offensive weapon 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: for the Chargers. He details his football journey, which started 8 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: in a small town of five thousand in Colorado. So 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: let's get right to it. Here's Mike and Ike with Austin. 10 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Mike and Ike Show. And no 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: not the candy. It's a show with Michael Badgeley and 12 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: Isaac Rochow where we bring players on and we get 13 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: their perspective of their story. You can find us at 14 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: the Mike and Ike Show on YouTube. You can check 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: out our podcast, Mike and Ike Show. And today we 16 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: have the Austin Ekeler. Okay, I glad me introduces this guy. Yes, sir, 17 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: he has become a Los Angeles legend. He was an 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: absolute hidden gem. He wears number thirty for the Los 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: Angeles Chargers. Plays running back from Eaton Colorado went to 20 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: Western Colorado University. Austin Eckler, guys, welcome, welcome to the show. Yeah. 21 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: I like the intro, man, I appreciate it, No doubt. 22 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: The intro is the biggest thing. And just for the 23 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: listeners and the people that are watching, we really stretched 24 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: the budget for eg we bought a new tour o machine. 25 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: Yeah what I mean, we're at like what one hundred 26 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: and fifty grand for the show something like that. Sure. Yeah, 27 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: shout out to the grounds crew shotting this up. No doubt. Absolutely, 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: he's behind the camera. Appreciate you, man, but it really 29 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: is a pleasure to have you. Eck. You're somebody that 30 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: Badge and I both were anticipating having on because I 31 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: feel like you just have an unreal mindset. You have 32 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: a cool story, and I want you to take us 33 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: back to eaton Colorado when you first started. Who was 34 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: eck at ten years old? Man, ten years ten years ago. 35 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: First of all, just want to say I appreciate the setup. 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: You know, something unique, you know, get outside a little bit. Well, 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: you stretched a budget for special Yeah, I like, you know, 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: sitting on the big rig. Listen. But before you get 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: into two before you get into the ten year old EC. 40 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: I'm an East Coast guy. I have no clue where 41 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: Eating Colorado is, right, So Colorado, that's kind of where 42 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: I grew up. It's north of Denver. My town Eating 43 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: Colorado about an hour and a half. Town about like 44 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: five thousand, five thousand people. Yeah, no town. Yeah, so 45 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: you own Eating Colorado not necessarily. But shoot, when you're 46 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: in a small town like that, you know a lot 47 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,679 Speaker 1: of people. So the community is pretty tight, you know, 48 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: around especially around their high school team. And it's all 49 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: about the high school team because we're playing other small towns. 50 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: So it's like the our click gift versus your click. 51 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: You know. Yeah, that's actually crazy that it had five 52 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: thousand people. I grew up in a city with twenty 53 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: thousand that I felt like was small. So five thousand 54 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: super small. Um So, ten year old EC, do you 55 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: know it? This ten year old X? No, everybody in 56 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: the town or you just not that not in chage 57 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: out at that age, you know, when you're in a 58 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: small town like that. I just remember me when I 59 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: was younger, I would have my friends and we all 60 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 1: grew up from kindergarten to we graduated high school. Is 61 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: it all the same one school K through twelve? Yep, 62 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: not the same. It's not the same building. We got 63 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: three different buildings. But uh, you know, we were all together, 64 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: so like I knew their families, they knew my families. 65 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,239 Speaker 1: We got along grade and we were just killed everyone 66 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: in any sport. It's I'm still stuck on this. Five 67 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: thousand people think we interviewed Zub and didn't Zub say 68 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: his high school had four thousand people? Yeah, I think 69 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: hims from out here man, so Murfini had something large 70 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: like that. It's like a small farm town like our towns, 71 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: literally surrounding cornfields. So this is h Yeah, I said, 72 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: that's what you know. Yeah, because Isaac, Isaac's a farmer 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: to me, because it seems like it's a reoccurring topic 74 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: from the middle of nowhere in Georgia, and then we 75 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: got you from the middle of no We actually I 76 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: actually lived on eighty acres. You know, we lived on 77 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: eighty We had eighty acres. Yeah, you know it would 78 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: be did you have we had five, but we had 79 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: like twenty behind the crib. Okay that we still had 80 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: animals on Did you guys do anything with eighty acres. Yeah, 81 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: you know, we had a field. We know, we'd grow 82 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: silage it's like a form of corn, and we had 83 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: we and then we have some horses and some cows 84 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: every once in a while. So I mean I had 85 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: no clue about y. Yeah, that's my past, man, That's 86 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: how I learned to work hard for sure, back back 87 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: in the day. This is tend so small town, same friends, 88 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: all going growing up. Yeah, when did football become a thing? 89 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 1: And were there any other sports? Oh? Yeah, I kind 90 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: of played everything growing up, but h more so morphed 91 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: into football, baseball, basketball, and then track in high school. 92 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: And so, like I said, all of our friends, all 93 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: of my friends, we all did the same groups like 94 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: sports together. We just could hot from season to season 95 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: and you know, yeah, like I said, we just destroyed 96 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: everybody just because with the chemistry. And you know, we 97 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: had some pretty good athletes. Like one of my other 98 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: best friends along snapper for the Raiders. You know, he 99 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: was our tight end back in high school. He any good. Yeah, 100 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: it was good. No, I thought you always gonna go 101 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: play tight end. Went to CSU uh, Colorado State University, 102 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 1: and yeah, he ended up going into as long snapper 103 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: but well, what is that supposed to mean? Hey, you know, 104 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: it's just you know, he decided not to go to 105 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: athletic athlete route. You know about to say athletes on 106 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: the field, the long snapper probably is the most unathletic. 107 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: What do you mean I would say back athletic. Well, 108 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: I've listened, I know that, but I'm not gun the 109 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: one of the three musicians that I hang out with 110 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: the movie, there's nothing against them. It's just as far 111 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: as you know, the nature of the football athletes, you know, 112 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: there's not that tier of you know, fast, you know, tackling, 113 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: Like how many long snappers make tackles in the NFL? Like, 114 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: I know a couple probably won't. We will you know, 115 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: we won't get into it. I can bet you count 116 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: on two hands entire year out of all the league, 117 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: out of all thirty two teams long snappers, you can 118 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: right count all their tackles on two hands. Well you 119 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: know what, Okay, he's your bloody, he's your buddy. If 120 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: you don't think he's an athletics, I mean he's smart. 121 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: She's an engineer, so something going for him. There be 122 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: good for him. For the record, they're not athletes, so eating, 123 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: eating Colorado. I'm I take it that sports were kind 124 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: of a big deal. Yeah. I feel like it was 125 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: kind of a thing that you guys were like, all right, 126 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: we're here, what how much to do? We got cornfields, 127 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: let's grind. So yeah, yeah, during like school season and uh, 128 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: that's one of the sports, was like that'd been my 129 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: biggest focus. And then obviously after after school would end, 130 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: I'd go and work for my mom's ex husband. We'd 131 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: be building fence and he had like had his own 132 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: fencing company, and he get like these big jobs, Like 133 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: I remember his biggest job where it's like twenty six 134 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 1: miles for the railroad, and so we were up on 135 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: steam We were up in Steamboat, Colorado, pound post pounding 136 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: post right alongside this railroad for as far as we 137 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: can even see. And so I said, that's why I 138 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: learned to work hard. Man. I want to point out, 139 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,559 Speaker 1: you badge up just hanging out. He doesn't know about 140 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: the grind life. I grew up putting up I'm trying 141 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: to don't try to be like I know about putting 142 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: up fences. I know about hitting the tea poles doing 143 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: all that. Oh yeah, you're grinding when you're putting up fences. 144 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: Don't bring me into this because you both are farmers. 145 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: It's just a different lifestyle, man, different life. I get that. 146 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: I never came at any of you, and I know 147 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that every just gunning me. Don't feel 148 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: like you had to feel bad. This man does not 149 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: know about the grind life. Um, but so you're grinding. 150 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,239 Speaker 1: I mean I had no clue you were a farmer. 151 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: What was the high school football scene? Like you said, 152 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: you know, you had a lot of pride because you're 153 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: from eating Colorado. You're going to eat in high school. 154 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: The fighting reads, fighting reds, and what was the high 155 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: school football scene like there? I mean, we're pretty solid. 156 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: Uh you know we had we've sent I think I'm 157 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: like the third that's been in the NFL just from 158 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: my little school and five thousand. Yeah, I don't know 159 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: if you know Mitch un Ryan he played for like 160 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: nine years the defensive liney who's on the Bears Broncos. 161 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: And we had a quarterback that was jump around practice 162 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: squad than me and Trent Now so I guess four 163 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: of us. But uh yeah, that shoot Friday night Lights 164 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: was the biggest deal because, like I said, the town's 165 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: pretty small, so you know, people could just walk to 166 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: the stadium, and so we'd fill up our little stadium 167 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: though we had over that. Yeah, well, I gotta ask 168 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: you about this. There is one person in particular from Eaton, 169 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: Colorado that I got to ask you about, and that 170 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: is Coach Mont. Oh a root, give me a yeah. 171 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: Shout out to Bill Mott. If you ever see this, 172 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: what's up, coach, You're gonna tell who Bill Monte is 173 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: and then just tell us about Bill Mont. Bill Mont 174 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: was my high school football head coach. Uh this man 175 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: was seventy six, seventy six my senior year, and for 176 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: a seventy six year old, he was still running around yelling, 177 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: making sure everyone's up up to what they're supposed to 178 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,839 Speaker 1: be doing. And you know, he ran the field out there. 179 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: It's seventy six years old. We were always just as like, 180 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: what this man is this always he's literally been running 181 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: out there and he's seventy six. I'm like, oh my goodness, 182 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: and I hope I'm not gonna shape when I fight 183 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: I get to that old. But uh, shoot, he would 184 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: always you know, he's old the old school for sure too. 185 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: And so you know he wouldn't hold back on, you know, 186 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: things that were going on. Like I remember one time 187 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: we had a bunch of a bunch of people in choir, 188 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: and so they had to leave practice early for choir 189 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: and they go to their concerts like I don't I know, 190 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: I just remember the gonna go sing it Like whoa 191 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: coach like Jill to take it easy? But uh no, 192 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 1: good old Bill. You know, I'm actually family family friends 193 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: with his family, so we were pretty close growing up. 194 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: He's a beast. He's a beast. Based on what you're saying, 195 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,199 Speaker 1: how much did he have to do with your development 196 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: both on the field and then in your journey, your 197 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: recruitment and uh at the end of it going to 198 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: Western Colorado. Uh, you know, I actually didn't start like 199 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: getting like varsity reps to like my sophomore year, like 200 00:09:58,360 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: and I was getting just a few here and there, 201 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: and you know they were struggling before I, like my 202 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 1: I got to that level, I guess, and then they're like, hey, 203 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: well let's bring this guy up and see what he's got. 204 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: You know, I was on JV. I remember my friends, 205 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: like we're all freshman year. We played JV and C team, 206 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: so we get two games that we can just wreck everybody. 207 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: Team V team Baby, Yeah, we go C team. We 208 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: say that's the that's the easy game. Then we go JV. 209 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 1: Is like, okay, that's a little harder now, you know, 210 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: but what is it like ninth grade ball? Yeah? Basically 211 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: that basically the ninth grade team. Yeah, you guys didn't 212 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: have a C team we had we didn't have a 213 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: C team. That sounds like something Nick Dzubnar play. No, No, 214 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,599 Speaker 1: we had a freshman team too. We got C C 215 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: team JV University. My high school had four hundred people, 216 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: so total, four hundred total. I graduated with sixty seven people. 217 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: Shout out to Elka, why's the thing? So yeah, there 218 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: was a bunch of high schools okay, and it was 219 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 1: the private school, so it was a smaller school. Yeah. Um, 220 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: so the C team thing, I have no clue what 221 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: that is. Good, but yeah, but it wasn't until my 222 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: second year I really started playing varsity and then I started, 223 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: you know, showing that, oh this guy can actually play, 224 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: and then you know, just kept developing. Junior year, I 225 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: split carries with another one of our backs, and then 226 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: senior just went off had like forty three touchdowns, and 227 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: like your senior year, you had forty three touchdowns. I 228 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: had forty three touchdowns in one year. You have twelve 229 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: games and I like eleven. I's going like I was 230 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: like four or five six touchdowns a game. You know, 231 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: I was averaging like two hundred and forty yards and 232 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: I just rushing. Did you guys win any state championships? Oh? Man? 233 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: Always lost in the second round. Always no. My senior year, 234 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: my senior year sidetrack we went to. You know, we'd 235 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: come out and do the pre game and everything, and 236 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: you know, it's fine. It's it's the end of the 237 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: year in COLORADOSO. It's getting it's like wintertime. It's some 238 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: cloudy snow clouds coming in, Like okay, yeah, it's like yeah, 239 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: just pictures snow clouds, heavy gray. You're like, oh man, 240 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: it might snow. So we go in right before the 241 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: game and then we come out and all of a sudden, 242 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 1: there's three inches. That's Colorado had a nowhere three inches 243 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: of snow. You can't even see from goal posts to 244 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: go post. Everyone's out there trying to shovel snow and 245 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: stuff like the grind off five. You don't even know 246 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: the sideline is but oh in that game, like like 247 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: literally we try to postpone the game, but the other 248 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: coach they denied it and it was good for them 249 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: because I fumbled like five times in that game. It's crazy. Yeah, yeah, 250 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: we can cut that. But no, So that was my 251 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: senior year. That's how it ended. But uh, you know 252 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: what kind of sucks. But anyway, where were we going back? 253 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: So yeah we were. I mean I just asked, you 254 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: want to stay title, and clearly that just brought up 255 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: some always lost in the second. I mean, I want, 256 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: I want a state championship and at least one of 257 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: my three sports. So I just say that's good. You know, 258 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't that fortunate. So you rip off forty three 259 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: touchdowns your senior year, When did you kind of I 260 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 1: think I could go play football at the next level 261 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: because you know you went to Western Colorado it's a 262 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: Division two. How did the recruiting process go? Did you 263 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: ever think, I know, maybe I don't want to play 264 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: football or what was that whole rosters for you? So 265 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: I knew I wanted to go play football after high school, 266 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: but I wasn't really heavily recruited. UM Trent the guy 267 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: who's a long snipper for the reader. He would always 268 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: have bigger D one schools coming to talk to him, 269 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: and they would never talk to me. And I was 270 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: just like and forty three touchdowns? Yeah, what do we 271 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: need to do? Like like really, like what else do 272 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: I need to? Like like get it? The competition is 273 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: not great, but I still like dominated, Like I did 274 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: as much as I could have done. Right, what was 275 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: your size at that point? I was like one eighty 276 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 1: six five eight one same height, one eighty six, So 277 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: it's not like you're super small. Yeah, you just say 278 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: you're five eight five eight one eighty six. Wow, we'll 279 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 1: go change that on wiki. Yeah, we'll take it. Take it. 280 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: I'm a little bit more compact than that. It's all good. 281 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: I think the rosters at five times they're trying to 282 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: make me a little taller. But uh so you're you're 283 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: You're like, what do I need to do? Yeah? So 284 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: I'm kind of confused. You know, I'm going to my 285 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: coach and my offensive coordinator. His twin brother was a 286 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: receiver's coach at the D one double A in my area, 287 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: UNC University of Northern Colorado, And I still I wasn't 288 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: getting any really any love from them either. So I 289 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: was like like, IM like yeah, like what do what 290 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: I mean? He's like, hey, man, my offensive coordinat is 291 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: like look, shoot, I would I would take you when 292 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: you were a junior, you know, And it just didn't 293 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: end up happening. And so I had a bunch of 294 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: Division two schools coming to me, and uh, most of 295 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: them would say, hey, like, we'll take you as an athlete. 296 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: See where you can fit in a couple. Hey, maybe 297 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: you can come play corner Like I don't. I don't 298 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: know if it was my side that people didn't like 299 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: or my speed because I wasn't as fast then and 300 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: I was still young. I'm still seventeen, so I was 301 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: still developing. And Western State finally came to me and 302 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: they're like, look, our senior running back is about to graduate. 303 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: There's a spot. And I was like, yes, let's go. 304 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: Like someone finally came to me. Someone finally came to 305 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: me and wanted to me to play the position that 306 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to play, and so that's what I wanted 307 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: to do and I went with it. It's crazy because 308 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: it seems like it's a reoccurring thing. I'm theme on 309 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: this show that we have people that come on that 310 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: it's like, what more do I need to do? Right? 311 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: Forty three touchdowns? Yeah? Jay Justin Jackson came on. He's like, 312 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: I had sixty five hundred yards or fifty five hundred 313 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: yards in college, and I mean, like, what else doing there? Yeah? Yeah, 314 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: So you end up you're going You're You're like, I'm 315 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: going to Western Colorado. What does it look like when 316 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: you first get to Western Colorado? And where were you 317 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: at mentally when you're finally like, all right, bet, I'm 318 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: going to Western Colorado. Well, actually I had two of 319 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: my other high school buddies that were older than me 320 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: going there at the time then, so they were hyping 321 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: me up to come and come up there, and so 322 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: obviously on my visit, I was hanging out with them 323 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: and so like the best time, Everett. It was snowing though, 324 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: it's in it's in the mountains, it's at eight thousand feet. 325 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: It's the highest college in the United States. Wow wow Yeah, 326 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: fat cross country team is unbelievable cross for real, and 327 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: our track team pretty good about your kicker, I mean 328 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: was absolutely I always trying to rapid and I like 329 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: it because clearly your quarterback wasn't throwing the ball because 330 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: as a freshman you started nine games and you led 331 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: the team with eleven hundred rushing yards uh and seven 332 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: rushing touchdowns and the year real freshman Yeah, I mean shoot, 333 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: when we got up there, it was it was rough. 334 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: I think we won two games. We had like four 335 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: seniors who yeah, so it was there was no real 336 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: uh senior leadership, I guess you could say, with four 337 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: of them. And then you know, we finally got a group, 338 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: the group in front of me because I didn't red shirt, 339 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: so I was kind of with the older guys, not older, 340 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: but the year in front of me, the guys that 341 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: did red shirt. We kind of stuck together and you know, 342 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: made it through. And by the end of end of 343 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: it my senior year, we had twenty five of us 344 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: that graduated. So we just got a squad together, all 345 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: stuck together and just went through it all. So you 346 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: were kind of like, wow, is it's just like high school? Yeah? 347 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: Basically it was. It really was, you know. And so 348 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: you're moving along your college career, you're setting school records. 349 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: It says, yeah, yeah, your sophomore year, Yeah, sophomore year, 350 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: sixteen hundred yards two thousand plus all purpose yards at 351 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: the school record junior year nineteen rushing touchdowns, you're leading 352 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: Division two and all purpose yards. I mean, were you like, 353 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: all right now, you're kind of having the same thought 354 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: process you had in high school, Like I'm out here eating. 355 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: At what point were you like, I might mess around 356 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: and make this run in the league. Yeah. So my 357 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 1: head coach actually was Danny Woodheads special teams coordinator when 358 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: he was at Shadrin, which Shadrins also in our division 359 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 1: as well to RMAC. And so about my junior year, well, 360 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: let me go back my freshman year. After the freshman year, 361 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 1: my head coach like, hey, right down your goals. And 362 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: I wrote down like a bunch of like individual goals 363 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: and team goals, and at the end, I just put 364 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 1: the NFL logo. I didn't put any words. I just 365 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: put the NFL logo because I was just in the 366 00:17:55,520 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: back of my mind, no I just copy face, no, no, no, no. 367 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: So I just put that on there because it was 368 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: in the back of my mind. It was you know, 369 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: it wasn't something that I was like looking at right away. 370 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: But then so after my junior year, uh, you know, 371 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: teams are starting to call and like actually show some 372 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: interests and uh, coach Baines is that's our head coach. 373 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 1: It's like, hey, man, like you remind me a lot 374 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: of Danny, you know. And so after a senior year 375 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: or during senior year, I had almost every single NFL 376 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: team come up to Gunnison and watch a practice. So 377 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: that was like, yeah, Gunnison called it out and at 378 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: that point I was like, well, this is actually like, 379 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: this is a real thing I'm going for. It was 380 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: just because there has been no one up there that 381 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 1: had you know, scouts coming to watch him for my 382 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 1: entire career there, and so I was like the first 383 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: one there. And there's only been one other person from 384 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: Western to go to the NFL. And so yeah, it 385 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: was do you know the guy's name Sammy Seal. Yeah, 386 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,199 Speaker 1: he's a scout for the Green Bay Packers. Sammy Seal. 387 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: Shout out to Sammy Seal. We usually always shout out 388 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: some mere um. So at this point you're like, all right, 389 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: let's see what happens. Because we got all thirty two teams, 390 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: they should be up here, like not many people have 391 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: been scouted like this, but they came to see big eck. 392 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: What did the process look like when you finally finish 393 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: your senior year and you're getting more into like the 394 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: weeds of it. Right, So after my senior year, I'm 395 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,919 Speaker 1: going over like we go to the go to the 396 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: break after semester and I'm down in Denver, Colorado and 397 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 1: one of my better friends that's a year older than me, 398 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: Travis Haney, he's like he was running track and he's like, look, 399 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: i'd work out at this place. Laurened out our land 400 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: out performance. Seems like they got a pro day group, 401 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: and you know, I was just thinking about I was like, man, like, 402 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: maybe I should go train or do something like that. 403 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: And you know, I called my mom and I called 404 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: my head coach and I was like, look, thinking about 405 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: not going back to school and just training at Lauren 406 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 1: Landau and going all in on trying to make it 407 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: to the league. And my head coach goes, look, if 408 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: you do that, I'll hold your scholarship for when you 409 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: come back. You can have it felt last semester so 410 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: you can finis. That's nice. She'll just in case I 411 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: didn't make it, you know, I could come back. So 412 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: at that point, it was just a no brainer. It's 413 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: like why would I not, you know, just put school aside, 414 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,199 Speaker 1: you know, because I can come back to that and 415 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: go all in for a dream that I've had, you 416 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: know since growing up exactly exactly. And you know my 417 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: mom she supported either decision. And then so that was 418 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: that I didn't go back to school. I was working 419 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: out a landout performance. Uh. You know, Christian was there too, McCaffrey, 420 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: and so you know, working out besides him. You know, 421 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 1: I'm just always I was always sizing myself up because 422 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, he was the first rounder for a second 423 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: rounder end up going eighth overall, and so you know, 424 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: working out next to him, like okay, man, you know, 425 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: maybe I got a shot because I'm working out with 426 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: D two guys all the time. So it's like, oh, 427 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: these guys are bigger and fashion strong, all the D 428 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: one and the hype on the competition, and I'm I'm 429 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: sizing up against these guys. You know, I'm still You're 430 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: still pushing weight, right, Yeah, Like in the weight room, 431 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: these guys are like, oh my god, like you guys 432 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 1: seeing this dude, you know, And that's what I just 433 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: take pride, you know, the weight room stuff, that's just 434 00:20:58,040 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: my peace of mind, which By the way, I know 435 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: you got I see him in pageant and helmet all 436 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: the time, but this guy's absolutely shredded. I think he's 437 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: got like two percent body fat maybe. Last, not to mention, 438 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: we call him PfP pound for pound because he's by 439 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: far the strongest dude on the team pound for pound. 440 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: And one more fun fact, when you ask anybody on 441 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: the team who would win on America Ninja Warrior, unanimous 442 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: decision and tell us to network for that reason, not 443 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: even close. Yeah. All right, guys, a quick break to 444 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: remind you to subscribe to the all new Chargers podcast network. 445 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 1: Wherever you listen to podcasts. You're one stop for all 446 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: things Chargers, directly from the team, in depth conversations and 447 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: analysis with players, coaches, executives, national reporters and broadcasters, and 448 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: much more. Chargers Podcast Network now on SoundCloud and Spotify. 449 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. All right, here's part 450 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: two of Mike and Ike with Austin Eckler. You're listening 451 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: to the Backstage Chargers podcast, presented by your Southern California 452 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: Toyota dealers. So you're sizing these dudes up, and look, 453 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: I know I can do it all right, what is 454 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: useful to the bone? Well, where'd you do? Where'd you do? 455 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: Pro day? So I did my pro day as he 456 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: checked him out in the locker room. Wait a second, 457 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, I appreciate it, appreciate. But now Lauren, 458 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: Lauren land out. The guy who owns the gym. He 459 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: had a pretty good connection with CEU's head coach, and 460 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: so they let me into there because like the after 461 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: CEUs players went then they had like the Adams at 462 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: the end, and so we went through over there and 463 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: there was a bunch of us at first, and then 464 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: then after the forty they cut us down to two 465 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: of us, and then two of us just went on 466 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: to do drills. What savage is there? Yeah? People here 467 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: right going first day coach right now, Man, it was savage. 468 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: You know, people were pissed off, you know because it 469 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: she'd been training just as hard as I was. You know, 470 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: back to that and it's like whoa, what what what? 471 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: That's actually crazy they're cutting people down at that point. 472 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: But I mean had a great showing up my pro 473 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: day and then I was just waiting game from them 474 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 1: from them, and so you're you're talking to teams I'm 475 00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 1: assuming before draft day, right, they're calling you there asking 476 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 1: you these random questions that you are like, you don't 477 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: really need to know this. Look at my film I 478 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: balled out at West Colorado. Um, what did what was 479 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 1: draft day like for you? Because you went undrafted? Yeah? 480 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: Were you? Were you going into it? Thank you first, 481 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: you're the first guest. Here we go again. He feels 482 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: so like we have a bond. That's right. The undrafted 483 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: for US eighth rounders, US eighth rounders, they're they're good 484 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: the third days. Yes, what was the thought process going 485 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: into it? I mean, were you expecting to get drafted? 486 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: Were you like, I'm gonna have to grind and climb 487 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: my way up? Well, I had an agent and then, 488 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: you know, going into it, the biggest concern that people 489 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: would talk to, our scouts will talk to him about 490 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: was yo, Okay, the size and the competition level is 491 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: gonna get out there and he's just gonna be, you know, 492 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: run around, not knowing what to do, playing slow, you know, 493 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: not being able to be in his element. And so 494 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: like I was like, well, probably not gonna get drafted 495 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: at this point because it's just a teams feel like 496 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: they can if a team feels like they can pick 497 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: you up as a you know, a free agent, then 498 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: they're not gonna draft you, right, And so that was 499 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: kind of the thought process going in. So for me, 500 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: I think it even just worked out in my favor 501 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: just because I at that point I did have teams interested, 502 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: so I was able to choose where I was able 503 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: to go, and actually had Green Bay as one of 504 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: my tops, and the Chargers green Bay every running backs 505 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: trying to go there because I had zero on the roster, 506 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: but then they ended up drafting three, so I was like, Okay. 507 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:31,159 Speaker 1: My agent called me after the draft is like, you're 508 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: not going there. You're not going there, right, And so 509 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: it was like, hey, well, you know, the Chargers were 510 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: pretty hype on me. I remember Tom McConaughey, who was 511 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: my scout. He's also scouted Danny back when he was playing, 512 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: and he was just so excited to see me. He's like, man, 513 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: you remind me so much of Danny. And I just 514 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: remember our confroentrate, our confrontation and our discussion up and 515 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: Gunnison and just got me excited to come over here. 516 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: And you know, the Chargers had a lot of young 517 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: running backs on the roster. So I was like, look, 518 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 1: and a new coaching staf, which was big. So the 519 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: politics and maybe that aspect to make the team went on, 520 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: right because now everyone's on ground zero, So there's a 521 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 1: lot of different factors they had to look into when 522 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 1: you're deciding a team, and it just ended up just 523 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: piling up perfect. It's like, Okay, this is where I 524 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 1: think I have the best chance to make the team. Yeah, 525 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: and so I mean I wasn't here in twenty seventeen, 526 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: but from what it sounds like and how you really 527 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 1: got to get reps at running back other than being 528 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: a stud during the preseason all but you really were 529 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: a special teams freak. You were making plays up and 530 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: down special teams and they were like this guy, this 531 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: guy's got to make the team, right. I mean that's 532 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: how it all kind of started. Yeah, I mean I 533 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: came out and literally I looked at myself in the mirror. 534 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: I was like, look, this is a once in a 535 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: lifetime opportunity. I'm going full try hard mode. Yeah, I 536 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: don't care about anything else. I told my family, Look, 537 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: don't call me and ask me how the days are going, Like, 538 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be studying and I'm going full try hard 539 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: on the field and I don't even care. I'm just 540 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: putting everything out there. So when I'm done, I'm done 541 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: with this experience, I can say that was it, and 542 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. And 543 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: I love that concept and it's a I think it's 544 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: like an idea and ideology that anybody can have. It's 545 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: like when you're at our age, you know, Gary V 546 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 1: says it. He says, any anything you do under thirty, 547 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: there's no mistakes, and you're like, I don't really care. 548 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 1: I'll come back and get my degree. We'll be all right, 549 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: And I am full sent right. And I think if 550 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,439 Speaker 1: you watch the Chargers, it's like obvious that you're that 551 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: type of player too, because you don't come down on 552 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: the first tackle beast all right. I remember it was 553 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: a special team scout team, and Coach Lynn came into 554 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: the meeting and I was the personal protector, and I 555 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,719 Speaker 1: just remember on that rep or all the full speed reps, 556 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: we hiked the ball, I check protection and I'd just 557 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: be running as far as I could, as fast as 558 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: I could. I would not let anyone block me. Like 559 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: I was just running as fast as I could down 560 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: the middle of the field. And the one time Coach 561 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 1: Lynn comes in, it's like, coach too, who's that number three? 562 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 1: Who's umber three? He's like he's he that's awesome, Eckler. 563 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: He's been doing it all day. We can't blow. And 564 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, girl, you know it's like standing out. 565 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: You know, because I'm on scout team. You know, it's 566 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: getting the Scout team reps right. So I got a 567 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: long shot. I got everything to prove, so any little 568 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:11,679 Speaker 1: bit of film I can get out that I was 569 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: literally going all out. I want, I really want to 570 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: ask you about this because I remember being in the 571 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: hotel in San Diego and we would all be like, oh, 572 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: we're done with stuff, let's go get food like a 573 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 1: Pacific beach. And I just always remember leaving the hotel 574 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: and looking over and seeing you in the room, like 575 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: the little conference room, studying right, and we didn't know 576 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 1: who you were. I was telling them I put you 577 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: on my phone as Austin Muscle because I knew you 578 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: were strong, your name. Didn't know who you were, what 579 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: was your what was your mindset when you were sitting 580 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: in the conference room by yourself, studying place. I think 581 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: it was probably, yeah, I'm not gonna go out with 582 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: Isaac Rochelle, probably a lot better time at those guys 583 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 1: looking body. I'm two percent body, and I don't want 584 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,199 Speaker 1: to go eat nat. But what were you thinking? I 585 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: just remember, like my first play, I just so nervous, 586 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: like literally so nervous that I was throwing up, Like 587 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: I threw up in the huddle. I had to pull 588 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: myself out my first play ever in practice, yes, in practice, 589 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: during OTAs, during OTA, I was thrown out because I 590 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: was just so nervous because I was just I was 591 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: like unsure of like what I was doing. I wasn't 592 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,359 Speaker 1: able to play fast. And so that's literally why I 593 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,199 Speaker 1: was in that. I was in this little room. I remember, 594 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,120 Speaker 1: you know when during rookie minicamp, had the other running backs, 595 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,439 Speaker 1: but I was the only undrafted or only running back 596 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: we brought in. So it was just me and they're studying. 597 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: I'd be walking through the steps because you know, coach Lynn, 598 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: he was the old running back coach too, so he'd 599 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: always be over and on drills and just drilling me like, hey, 600 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: you need to be on this aiming point. That's not 601 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: the right steps and so my mind just like, oh 602 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: what am I doing? You know? So I was in 603 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: that room just grinded, making sure I was getting all 604 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: my you know, points down. Wow. I mean, that's that's 605 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: just such like an intense memory in my mind because 606 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: it's like sobering for me when I'm like, what am 607 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: I doing? Which, by the way, have you have you 608 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: ever thrown up from being nervous no before a game 609 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: or anything? That was the first time that would happened 610 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: to me too. Really, Yeah, I just I just felt 611 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: sick and just I've had a couple of games before 612 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: the big, big games in college. I hadn't done it 613 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: in the pros yet, but in college I remember I 614 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: would throw up. But right after i'd be done throwing up, 615 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: I'd like look at myself in the mirror and be like, 616 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: We're gonna have a good game. Oh yeah, what I'm 617 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: getting out out I'll get nervous, but I'm not. Oh. 618 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 1: But either way, I think that has a lot to 619 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: do with just your like full send mode, Like you're 620 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 1: so committed to it that it's almost to a point 621 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: where you become nervous and anxious about it. I love 622 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: it though, right, I gonna ask you about this too, 623 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:36,239 Speaker 1: so you end up making the team you're grinding. I 624 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: mean I saw an interview of you when you first 625 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: found out you made the fifty three man roster. You 626 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 1: reduced up so Eckler's first game, he what was the 627 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: biggest crowd you would ever played in front of? In uh, 628 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: at Western Colorado and high school, maybe like like fifteen 629 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: hundred I think just going through preseason and actually even 630 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: our training camp had more people than we're at my game. 631 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 1: So that kind of hili I kind of help me mask, 632 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: you know, my if as far as being in front 633 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: of the crowd, just because we practice in front of 634 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: every day kind of helped me get through that when 635 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: it got to the actual games. But the opening game 636 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: at Denver it was pretty surreal for me just because 637 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: it was and it was at Denver football. Yeah, Monday 638 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 1: night football places packed. I remember even going at was crazy. 639 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: When we played Denver last year. I remember looking up 640 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: at that Broncos sign. I mean there wasn't a lot 641 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: of Broncos fans there, but I remember looking up like, 642 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: this place is packed. No, it was a jam packed. 643 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: It was the first game of season and you're back home, Yeah, 644 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: back in Colorado. So I got a squad there. I'm 645 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: sure that they all find their own tickets or shoot, 646 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: that was my rookie year. Heck yeah, first game. I mean, 647 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: looking at you now, do you? And I always ask 648 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: people this, he can play. Guess what I'm about to ask? 649 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: Do you feel like now you are a different Austin 650 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 1: Eckler than you were when you first came into the league? Mentally? 651 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: How so mentally just because now I'm in a spot 652 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: where I know that the coach just trust me on 653 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 1: the field, and so I'm not really out to prove 654 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: myself to them now. I'm out to prove myself to 655 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: myself that I can do more. How far can I 656 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: push myself to go? Not just to make the team anymore? 657 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: Now it's okay, what else can I do? Can I 658 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: get that starting rule? You know, Mail's back, he's starting out, 659 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: So I got a little taste of it, and it's 660 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 1: just like, just keep moving the bar forward for me, 661 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: and I feel like that's for everyone in their personal goals. 662 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: How far can I push myself to move my bar 663 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: and just set set that that standard so when I'm done, 664 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: I can look back and say that was everything I 665 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: had and I'm looking back, I'm saying, wow, that was 666 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: a great run. Wow, I just love it coming from 667 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: Eckler and all people. It's like I can appreciate it 668 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 1: from Eckler because we said the same thing with Justin. 669 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I just the point I took from there 670 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: and I loved was that you're you're not out to 671 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: prove to the coaches or anyone else. It's to prove 672 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: to yourself exactly exactly. That's why people ask me, like, like, 673 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: who do you compare yourself? I don't really compare myself 674 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: to other people, Like I'll see it on the stats, 675 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: like that's great, But for me, like, you can't really 676 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 1: compare yourself to anyone else besides yourself in the past, 677 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:05,239 Speaker 1: and so it's just I don't know, it's like, uh, 678 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: just a mental thing for me, like I want to 679 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: be the best that I can be, which I feel 680 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: like that's you know, everyone wants to do that. But 681 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: that's how I just see myself as comparing. Okay, I'm 682 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: comparing myself to what I did here, and let's learn 683 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: from that instead of you know, I'm comparing myself to 684 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: another running back or things like that. That's great, but 685 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: I think it comes back to yourself because that's really 686 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 1: where you can learn, no doubt. And one of my 687 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: favorite things that happens is when you score a touchdown 688 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: the classic you hit the absolute hardest rock right right 689 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,959 Speaker 1: I've ever seen, and you you might even do it wrong. 690 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: You few times, a few times I've done it this way, 691 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: but I've corrected myself. I'm going down up to down now. 692 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: I'm sure we're not the first people to get Yeah, 693 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: it's all good, no, but when I'm playing them, I'm 694 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 1: breaking the strange, breaking them off. Yeah. I mean you 695 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: could even continue at one time and just strum it 696 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: and then take it and then slam it on the ground. 697 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: You know, you might see that. You might see that, 698 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: you know I'm putting it on might look a little sling. Yeah, 699 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: it's funny because you scored your first touchdown ever was 700 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: the Philly game, right, Yeah, that's my first regular season 701 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: carry too, first carry. It was the first car, first sudown, 702 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: and he was touchdown. He broke up the celebration. Not 703 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 1: that time, when did you do it? Because I was 704 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: first Denver. It was like the next game, I think, 705 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: and we're all kind of confused and everyone's like excited. 706 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: We don't right, why the guitar? Yeah, everyone's like yeah, 707 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: six celebration. Everyone else says that people are on the 708 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: fingers either like I like it or like no, you 709 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: gotta change it up. You know, I'm a huge fan 710 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: of it. To the to the random fan, they probably 711 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: are a little confused. Yeah, that's all good. But now 712 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: it's a brand, like it's who you are, right, It's 713 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 1: just a part of me, you know, it's like my staple, 714 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: my signature. You know. Everyone's like hey, like yeah, yeah, exactly. 715 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: Everyone does a bunch of dance. People like, oh, these 716 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: guys can dance from now like something like staple to 717 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: my name, Like, oh, guitar guy, guy, everybody. I mean 718 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 1: when we went when we went to that Santa Monica 719 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 1: Pier draft party, you hit that guitar hard and you 720 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 1: jumped into a stage time. Yeah, I was actually terrified. 721 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,479 Speaker 1: I was if you watch, if you watch the actual video, 722 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: I did not jump. I'm like slowly, like, don't drop me, 723 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:24,879 Speaker 1: Like I'm like five feet in the air. Don't drop me. 724 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: Or is the air guitar inspired by your weird fascination 725 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 1: with slip knot? Oh hey, yeah, seeing a little bit. Yeah, 726 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: I'm just not disturbed, you know, I just listened. I 727 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:39,959 Speaker 1: love listening to a hard rock, especially when I'm working out. 728 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: And I don't know, I think it's just from being 729 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,560 Speaker 1: in Gunnis and there's only a few stations, so we 730 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: didn't like music come out music. Music would get up 731 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 1: together and I'd be like, day, this is a good song. 732 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 1: People like, oh, yeah, it's been out for a while. 733 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: I was just I was like, what, I'm listening to 734 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: rock in a country station, classic rock and heavy men 735 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: and you're just like, yeah, I've never even turned the 736 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 1: heavy metal heavy metal station. I mean it's not really 737 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:09,560 Speaker 1: heavy metal. It's like rock rock. I think I think 738 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: we can agree that slipknot if that's even how you 739 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:14,719 Speaker 1: say it is heavy man's heavy metal? Is it heavy though? 740 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: Like if that's not heavy, what is? Yeah, you listen 741 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 1: to some heavy metal, then you'll be like, okay, that's different. 742 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 1: I mean, like, can you can you slip not disturb? 743 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: See they actually still sing heavy metal. I feel like 744 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: you're really like, you know, like a nice little is 745 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 1: that not disturbed? You heard? Yes, I've heard this song. 746 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: I mean they have yelling, they have yelling, but I 747 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: don't know, there's more lyrics in it, so I don't know. 748 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,760 Speaker 1: I'm not an expert. I just like the music whatever. 749 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 1: We love. We love the guitar. Do you know do 750 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 1: you know who Disturbed is? Yeah? Oh I don't that 751 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: song right? Yeah? I know that was good too. Yeah 752 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 1: it's Disturbed. There. See you got a fan. Yeah, I 753 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: mean I don't know who they are though, but either way, 754 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 1: give us a little shout out to to your YouTube 755 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: channel because I've been watching. Oh yeah listening, go watch 756 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:02,880 Speaker 1: Tna right out saying, Hey, my girlfriend and I it's 757 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: like our little hobby that we do. Were just you know, 758 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 1: have fun and just do some challenges. Some vlogs probably 759 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: get some workouts in the offseason. Uh, Like I started 760 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 1: my own channel back when I was in Australia working 761 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: out and you know, I'm bad, Yeah, I was just 762 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: there was just straight workouts and I loved it. I 763 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,720 Speaker 1: you know, filmed my workouts since I was back in college. 764 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: You can check out my Instagram. I have my college 765 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 1: workouts on there. And so I met Taylor like a 766 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: year and a half ago, and shout out to Taylor Frick. Uh. Yeah, 767 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 1: she was a vlogger back in her day, and she 768 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: like when she was young, when twelve years old when 769 00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 1: she first started vlogging, and so we met up and 770 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: it was just like perfect, let's make a YouTube channel. 771 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:44,360 Speaker 1: Wow match made in Heaven. You should definitely go watch 772 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: the video where he disguises himself and goes to her work. Yes, 773 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 1: so a little shout out to the channel. Yeah, I 774 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 1: went to Taylor's work. I gonna give you the details. 775 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: You gotta go watch the video. But I went to 776 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,399 Speaker 1: Taylor's work in a disguise and I wanted to see 777 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 1: if she'd recognize me or not. And that's all I'm 778 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,759 Speaker 1: gonna say. It's hilarious. You gotta go watch it. Well, 779 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: it's funny because the disguise is not. Then yeah, I'm 780 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 1: not gonna tell you. Go check it out. Go check 781 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: it out, Tana. Wow, I love it. What I really 782 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,319 Speaker 1: appreciate it. I could sit here and talk to you 783 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 1: for hours on hours. It's probably been a long time. 784 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 1: I feel like we're just you know, chatting up. It's 785 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:23,680 Speaker 1: flowing nice. I can give you the exact time. It's 786 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: been thirty six minutes, but in forty two seconds, yeah, 787 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: forty three. But this is this has been a great interview. 788 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 1: I was looking forward to this one. I was waiting 789 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 1: to get you on here. I appreciate you guys getting 790 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: a nice set up. You know, it's changing it up 791 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 1: a little bit. The Mic and Ike podcast. You know, 792 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,160 Speaker 1: I didn't even know that you were such a farmer. 793 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 1: I knew Ike was a farmer, So this kind of 794 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: works out perfect. It's crazy. All right, appreciate you acts. Yeah, absolutely, 795 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: all right, brother, all right, all right, guys, that's gonna 796 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,280 Speaker 1: do it for us. On the Backstage Chargers Podcast presented 797 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 1: by your Southern California Toyota dealers. Remember be sure to 798 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: download and subscribe to the Chargers podcast network. We got 799 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,280 Speaker 1: Playmakers on Wednesday, with Halio Wood, Charges Weekly on Thursday, 800 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: and of course the Final Drive presented by Mercury Insurance 801 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 1: after Sunday's game against the Steelers. Have a great week 802 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: and until next time, I'm Chris Harry