1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: I think he has a way of making everyone feel 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: like they're important because he makes you challenge your thoughts. 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: You know, he asked you to why. So he's been 4 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: great with us. Kevin has done a really good job 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: sitting down with us with the position coaches and kind 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: of talking through what they're looking for in players. And 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: I think that is the most important first conversation we 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: can have. This is the last Minnesota Vikings podcast in 9 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: the month of February in twenty twenty two. That sounds 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: absolutely crazy to say, because I feel like with March 11 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 1: around the Quarner, February was just a blink because of 12 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: all the things that I've been happening within the Minnesota 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 1: Vikings organization. Thanks for listening to the podcast. I'm your host, 14 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: Tatum Everett. Gabe Henderson's enjoying a little R and R. 15 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,319 Speaker 1: But we do have our producer Jay Nelson here with 16 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: me in the TCO radio room. And Jay, it is 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: really hard to believe that it's already March. People talk 18 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: about warp speed over the last couple of years, it 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: just feels like it's continuing at this point. I know 20 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: that's definitely something when you get older, it happens even more. 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: But I would think, you know, you saw the memes 22 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: at the end of the year saying welcome to twenty 23 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: twenty two, and everyone's like, what happened to twenty twenty 24 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: Like just we're at the point again where hey, guess what, 25 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: the NFL season's over and reset button and we're just 26 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: kind of often sprinting at the shore. And when you 27 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: have such a turnover in staff like we've had this 28 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: off season, I think it almost makes it more amplified. 29 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: It was a lot of hurry up and wait, hurry 30 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: up and wait. And really, you know, new GM quasi 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: A Dopamenza has only been on the job for twenty 32 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: thirty days now almost I think he's got to his 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: thirty day mark. Yeah, I mean, it's just insane. Well, 34 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: but it's funny you think about that and you say, yeah, 35 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: it's thirty days. Where have those thirty days gone? I mean, 36 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: the hurry up and weight factor was kind of as 37 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: an organization, once they made the decision to move on, 38 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: you're kind of anticipating and waiting and you know who's 39 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: going to be in, different people coming in, and then 40 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: they finally make the decision, they bring in Quacy and 41 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: it's like, Okay, hit the ground running because we got 42 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: a bunch of stuff to do. But then we were 43 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: still waiting for head coach and then we're like, are 44 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: we gonna make the decision now? Or we ended up 45 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: waiting because he was in the Super Bowl winning a ring. 46 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: So because of all of that stuff, like you said, 47 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: hurry up and wait anticipation and then pull back, and 48 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: then we finally, you know, make the decision with the 49 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: head coach. It's been a really weird offseason and that 50 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, here we are a couple days 51 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: away from the combine starting and the twenty twenty two 52 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: league year basically resetting right away. Of course, because March 53 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: does mean that the NFL combine is here. I keep 54 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: going back to a guy like Bill Belichick because he 55 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: always had the thing that you would always just kind 56 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: of roll your eyes and say, why do you feel 57 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: that way? But you get it. They get done winning 58 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: a super Bowl and they'd say, you know, how do 59 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: you feel about winning the Super Bowl? And he's like, 60 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: we're six weeks behind our draft prep at this point. 61 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: You're just like, can you not just enjoy the fact 62 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: you won another Super Bowl? Or in one. Now you 63 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: kind of get a little bit of a taste of 64 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: what that's like. Where other people have already been planning 65 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: for the last month and a half. You gotta imagine 66 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of a little bit what Kevin fields right 67 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: right now is that he's like the high of winning. 68 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: He is in the Super Bowl parade on a Wednesday, 69 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: and the introduces a head coach of a new organization 70 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: on Thursday morning, and you've got to assemble your staff 71 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: and as you said, get ready for the combine. I mean, 72 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: he's going to be a head coach for a week 73 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: and a half before going to the Combine. It's just crazy. 74 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: It's just crazy. But I mean as crazy as it's 75 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: also very exciting to see this new coaching staff embark 76 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: on assembling the best roster absolutely possible. But you know, 77 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: there are several people behind the scenes that have been 78 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: hard at work in the scouting process while the team 79 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: was hiring, and we were lucky enough Jay to talk 80 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: to two of those guys, and they'll be our guests 81 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: in this week's podcast. Vikings co directors of player Personnel 82 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: Ryan Munnins and Jamal Stevenson, two guys that have been 83 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: around for a very long time, been a part of 84 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: this organization at different levels. But to a t you 85 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: start asking people have been around for a while and 86 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: know who these guys are. They are consummate professionals and 87 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: it's really great to be able to talk to them today. Yeah, 88 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: speaking with Quacy earlier this week, he says he feels 89 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: very lucky to have those guys on his side. And 90 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: you know, when you're the GM, I think everyone is 91 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: always a little worried about turnover and what their vision 92 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: is going to be. But it just feels like he 93 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: meshes very well with the player personnel staff that the 94 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: Vikings have. But I think that's also a testament to 95 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: what that department has created over the years. They've always 96 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: been a group that's been willing to kind of be 97 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: innovative and try to do whatever they can to find 98 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: the information they need to make a good decision. So 99 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: it feels like when they came in there, it was 100 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: just something where they have this established feeling where everyone 101 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: kind of understands what their roles are, they know what 102 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: they're supposed to do. They've definitely shown over the years 103 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: that they've found a lot of really good talent that 104 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: have come on to this team. So the fact that 105 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: they both kind of come from different backgrounds yet are 106 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: seen as the main two people to help lead this 107 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: group that is so critical right now. Again, it's just 108 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: great to have them on the show to kind of 109 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: pick their brains a little bit about what really happens 110 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: behind the scenes. Dare I say a word that we've 111 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: heard a lot of lately. Do they collaborate really well? 112 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: Very well? And I just I really do feel like 113 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: the fact that the very tongue in cheek obviously, but 114 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: that's the thing is, you can say a tongue in cheek, 115 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: but it really is a big deal, especially for those guys, 116 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: because they have to understand kind of where each other's 117 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: coming from. They have to be able to throw out 118 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: ideas and kind of have almost a shorthand, especially with 119 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: a brand new group coming in right. The adaptability piece 120 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: of all of that is something that you know, there 121 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: have been several coaches changes while these guys were here, 122 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: yet they are still around doing the Lord's work for 123 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: the Vikings. You know, you're dealing with not only the 124 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: coaching turnover that is kind of a normal thing annually. 125 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: There's always some additions and subtractions. But not only are 126 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: you doing almost an entire coaching staff change, but the 127 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: GM change too. And I think for those guys, they're 128 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how to read the tea leaves 129 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: of you know, what does each group want, and just 130 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,559 Speaker 1: to kind of figure out, like, how do we thread 131 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: the needle of finding the kind of players that not 132 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: only the GM is kind of looking for, but all 133 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: of the coaches as well, and taking all that input 134 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: on top of having to evaluate hundreds and hundreds of 135 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: players that are potential candidates to be on this roster. 136 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: So they're both incredibly good at what they do, and 137 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: all of the support staff they have behind them are 138 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: also very very good at their jobs, and so you know, 139 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: we're in good hands. It's just nice that it feels 140 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: like there's a bit of a mesh going on there 141 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: between kind of the old school and the new school 142 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: of people coming in the door. Yeah, I think that's 143 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 1: a lot of questions fans have, you know, how is 144 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: this relationship going to coexist and work for the success 145 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: of this team moving forward? And I think you're definitely 146 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: want to continue listening because I think they gave a 147 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: very good perspective and behind the scenes look as to 148 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: what they do on a day to day basis, but 149 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: as well as like how they are getting along with 150 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: the new staff and how they plan on collaborating moving 151 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 1: forward in this scouting process. But first, before we get 152 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: to that interview, you know new head coach Kevin O'Connell. 153 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: We got to hear from him again this week as 154 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: he introduced his three new coordinators yesterday, and well, I 155 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: just thought, Jay, that we just go and break it 156 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: down name by name instead of saying them all at 157 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: one time. So we'll go in the order of the 158 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: press conferences. So we started out with defensive coordinator Ed Dontel, 159 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: who is a Super Bowl winner in and of himself. 160 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: He had two rings with the Broncos. He's been a 161 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: defensive coordinator for three other teams. He comes in with 162 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: this wealth of experience that's kind of his resume in 163 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: like very fast form. So, Jay, what was your impressions 164 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: of him after hearing from him as one of those 165 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: guys watching his press conference. I kind of just the 166 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: vibe that was coming off him was, oh, yeah, this 167 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: is what definitely one of those defensive coaches, kind of 168 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: the excitable guy who loves just loves and eats and 169 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: sleeps and breathes football. You know, it's funny. I joked 170 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: yesterday and I said, this guy is somebody who was 171 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: going to be a football coach, yes, whether he wanted 172 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: to or not, because that is the personality he was 173 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: going to be coaching something something, some sort of motivational speaker, coach, whatever. 174 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: It was. Just Ed's kind of got that that flavor 175 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: it and it feels like from all of the reviews 176 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: after all the years of being in football, you know, 177 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: that's kind of the m o of what people talk 178 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: about is infectious energy and kind of a motivating guy 179 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: that can get the best out of his players. So 180 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: watching the press conference, what was really interesting to me 181 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 1: was he was just as we just described, excited to 182 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: join it. And part of the thing that he cited 183 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: was when he was meeting with Kevin and Quasi's just 184 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: to try to get the job in the first place. 185 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: The vision, the goals of what they talked about, and 186 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: kind of this whole idea of looking for somebody who's 187 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,839 Speaker 1: willing to participate, to listen, to motivate, and Ed was 188 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: very very cognizant of the fact that he's like that's 189 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: what I want to do. That is my goal. That 190 00:08:57,760 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: is what I try to do as a coach. And 191 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, the thing that jumped out of me. He 192 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: was basically saying, nobody's going to have more fun than us. Yeah. 193 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: I like that. That was the thing when when he 194 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: was again, that's that positive, infectious energy. And you know, 195 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: he got a lot of questions because he's worked in 196 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: a lot of three four systems, a lot of people 197 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: were asking him, well, we're going to run four three 198 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: three four, and he kind of said yes, well, he 199 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: said yeah, above all of the above. Yeah, And you 200 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: know I asked him that same question and the impression 201 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: that I got from him because we're going to release 202 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: some more interviews next week with him, so you get 203 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: to know more of what he says through the Viking's 204 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: Entertainment network. But I think it's important to note that 205 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: he has been around for a very long time thirty 206 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: one years in the coaching industry, and so you don't 207 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:42,719 Speaker 1: like and he said this in his press conference, but 208 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: I've always kind of believed this as well. You don't 209 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 1: stick around in this coaching industry if you can't adapt 210 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 1: and move with the times. And that's exactly what he 211 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: harped on. So I think it's very important to ask 212 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: the question, what scheme are you planning on running? But 213 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: I also think that at this point time, Ed is 214 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: just showing that he is fluid. Like he's worked in 215 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: the three four for the last eleven years, but before 216 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: that when even he was with the Packers and with 217 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: Atlanta he ran a four three. He's not unfamiliar with 218 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: these concepts. So if we're going off of what they're saying, 219 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: impressors what Kevin O'Connell has been saying, it sounds like 220 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: they are willing to run the best scheme for the 221 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: players they have, whether or not it's what they essentially 222 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: want to Yeah, and he cited the fact that it's 223 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: something that's talked about in all circles across the NFL 224 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: at this point, the fact that most teams end up 225 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: having to run Nickel a ton and so he's just 226 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: looking at saying, yeah, we can run Nickel out of 227 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: four three. You're going to run Nickel out of three four. 228 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: And he was basically saying the league will help dictate 229 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: and the offense we play against will help dictate what 230 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: we're going to do. And I think for a guy 231 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: like ed his goal on his side with his coaches 232 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: is to identify what players are going to fit best 233 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: for that flexibility. So it was just something that he 234 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: also talked about the fact that he won to see 235 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: people grow as players and people. There was a very 236 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 1: conscientious feeling on his side of saying, my goal is 237 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: to connect with these players as best as possible, to 238 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: figure out what motivates them and to get the best 239 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: out of him. And on top of that, when he 240 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: was asked about you know, what's it going to be 241 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: like in practice, etc. He cited saying, playing against West 242 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: Phillips offense will battle test us. That is something that 243 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: I think getting the new school offense going against the 244 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: new school defense and seeing how he adapts to that, 245 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: that's going to be something that's going to be a 246 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: lot of fun to watch here this preseason and all 247 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: of the offseason on the trend install everything. Yeah, you 248 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: mentioned the next guy we should talk about, offensive coordinator 249 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: Wes Phillips, grandson of Bombs, son of Wade, and I 250 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: loved it when I sat down with him earlier this week, 251 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: he said he's the black sheep of the family because 252 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: he's so offensive minded. But one thing that struck me 253 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: as in speaking with him is just he is a 254 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: very calm, even keeled kind of guy. Never got too high, 255 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: I never got too low. And he was very oh, 256 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: what's the word. He was very intentional, which again is 257 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: something I know we've heard from all of these guys 258 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: so far, but it's a great word to describe how 259 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: he answered questions. He doesn't he's not quick to talk. 260 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: You can tell that he's very not calculated, but he 261 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: thinks about what he says. Intentional, cerebral. Yeah, yeah, it's 262 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 1: one of those things with him. One thing I learned 263 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: really early, even back in high school playing football, was 264 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: my defensive coordinator played college football, but he was a 265 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: record setting running back in college, comes to high school 266 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: football and starts coaching defense and is just a beast 267 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: at defensive coordinator. It was the first time it really 268 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: opened my eyes to the fact that a guy like 269 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 1: Wes Phillips, coming from a defensive minded football family, knows 270 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: exactly what they're trying to do and then flips it 271 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: on its head and says, how do we attack that 272 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 1: and exploit it in a manner that can actually beat 273 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: everything I've learned my entire life so looking at a 274 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,839 Speaker 1: guy like Wes, he's cerebral, he's intentional, he's very calculated 275 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: in the way that he'll answer stuff. And I really 276 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: am excited to see kind of what is his style 277 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: of offense going to be? Given how much the league 278 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: has changed over the last two years, let alone five years. 279 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: What is the role of the offensive coordinator If Kevin 280 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: O'Connell's calling the plays, but you got to think they're 281 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: four seconds, five seconds, six seconds to decide what's next. 282 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: If Kevin's doing something else, I mean, you know, like 283 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 1: he's got to focus on certain things. Wes is probably 284 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: assisting him to the best visibility. That's that's his number 285 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: one job. Wes is essentially doing the job that Kevin 286 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: just has. That's the thing. So like he knows what 287 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: he's signing up for. And I think that's also big 288 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: because if you have a guy that comes in who's 289 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: not on board with that, yes, that could cause friction. Yeah, 290 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: And that's the thing as I think, you know, if 291 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: Kevin bringing Wes from the Rams, having been in that 292 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: kind of system, understood and worked with him when he 293 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: was you know, working with tight ends in LA and 294 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: now he's coming in as essentially offensive coordinator and kind 295 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: of the right hand man for Kevin to lean on 296 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: when it comes to game prep and breaking down film 297 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: and figuring out, you know, what exploits are we going 298 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: to use this week? What kind of stuff can we 299 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: add to the playbook this week that can exploit something 300 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: that we see defensively on film. A guy like Wes 301 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: Phillips is going to be critical because Kevin can't necessarily 302 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: do all those things he did before. He's got head 303 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: coaching duties now, so he trusts Wes Phillips implicitly to 304 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: make sure that the game tone and the playbook and 305 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: everything is the table is set working with the players 306 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: so that Kevin on game day can make the best 307 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: calls possible given what Wess helps at the table with. 308 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: And I think that's part of this, like media culture 309 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: of asking about play calling duties gets a little too 310 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: hokey pokey, Like there are so many other things an 311 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator does that doesn't involve play calling. And like 312 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: you said, Kevin is not going to be able to 313 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: do everything he's gonna he used to do, and he 314 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: has to find the best person possible that he trusts 315 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: to relay that message. Just like you said, one of 316 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: the things that he was even asked press conference is 317 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: talking about, you know, how important is the running game 318 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: in your offense kind of a thing, and his quote was, 319 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: the running game is important, but winning the game is 320 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: the most important. Again, going back to what we were 321 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: just talking about with Ed, the tone has been set 322 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: with we're going to be flexible to whatever needs to 323 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: happen to win the game. That is something that I 324 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: think is fun to hear because you understand that the 325 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: idea of getting married to one scheme, one set, one 326 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: ideal in order to win a game. Everyone that it 327 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: feels like we're bringing in at this point are kind 328 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: of saying, no, we're going to be adaptable because that's 329 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: what the league demands at this point. No shade on 330 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: what's happened in the past, but as we've already talked 331 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: about in this podcast, this league evolves and changes so fast. 332 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: Adaptability is the only way to survive. I can tell you, 333 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: as a guy who has drafted numerous Fantasy Football Patriots 334 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: running backs week to week, they do not care because 335 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: they look at whatever a defense is going to give them. 336 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: So the idea that you can come in with an 337 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: idea and a goal of how you think you're going 338 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: to win. If you do not adapt, if you do 339 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: not change, you do not make halftime adjustments, in game adjustments, 340 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: or at least have a plan to do that, then 341 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: that's where teams can get in trouble. And I just 342 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: feel like all of these different people have basically been 343 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: citing over and over again just in a short amount 344 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: of time, how adaptable this team is going to be 345 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: in order to win games well. Rounding out this new 346 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: coordinator staff is Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels. He is 347 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: a thirty two year old coming to us from Dallas, 348 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: Texas most recently, I think I think it's important to 349 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: note that he's been coaching in the NFL since twenty eighteen. 350 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: I asked him a question the other day why I 351 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: spoke to him a couple of times this week, and honestly, 352 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: his energy is contagious and I love that because obviously, 353 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: when you have a special Teams group, energy is number 354 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: one probably the most important thing to have as a 355 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: special teams because sure that yeah, for sure, yeah, Special 356 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: teams coaches have always been kind of your high energy 357 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: people because yeah, if you think about it, they're having 358 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: to pull an amalgam of players from offense and defensive 359 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: side to motivate and motivate them because not only are 360 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: you running down the field to possibly be a gunner 361 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 1: or make a tackle, then you have to turn around 362 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 1: and run back out on that field and play wide 363 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: receiver or something along those lines. So as a special 364 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: teams coordinator, you need high energy people that can get 365 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: people to pay attention for very specific amounts of time 366 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: to do their job and then get back to the 367 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 1: rest of their duties on the field. So it felt 368 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: like Matt Daniel's first press conference, you could feel just 369 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: he's another high energy guy, very high energy, and you 370 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: know he's a former player. He played in the NFL, 371 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: he played in college. Special teams was definitely his bread 372 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: butter when he was in the league, and I think 373 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: that's huge to the relatability to players. To be able 374 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: to go up to guys and like understand where they're 375 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: coming from is so big nowadays and Matt's got that. 376 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 1: But not only that, you know he is also a 377 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: fast riser, much like the rest of the coaching staff. 378 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: After he finished playing, he was a GA at Colorado 379 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: University and then after that Sean McVay plucked him out 380 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 1: and he was an assistant special teams coach for four seasons, 381 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: I think, But he also attached himself to his special 382 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: teams coordinator with the Rams and traveled with him. So 383 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: he's learned under a guy that's been a special teams 384 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: coordinator for an extremely long time as well. So I 385 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: think he's really excited about this opportunity, and he even 386 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: mentioned the fact that he's excited to build on the 387 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: turnaround from this last season from twenty twenties from what 388 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: Ryan Ficken did. His whole idea, he said, was a 389 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 1: simple approach with an aggressive mindset. I think with him 390 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: being able to come in look at this roster, having 391 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: the established people yet figuring out what the new crop 392 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:45,880 Speaker 1: of players are that are going to be coming in 393 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: not only through free agency but also through the draft. 394 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: Those are when the special teams coordinator is looking at 395 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: those so incredibly close going what can I do with 396 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: that linebacker, What can I do with that defensive end, 397 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: What can I do with that wide receiver that's coming in? 398 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 1: You know everyone always sites it, but a guy like 399 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 1: Adam Feeling coming in the door saying I will do 400 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: whatever it takes to make this team, and I know 401 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: that my biggest opportunity is through special teams before I 402 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: can prove everything else. I think a guy like Matt 403 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 1: Daniels is going to take whatever he can and just 404 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: start making diamonds out of those pulled gems out of 405 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: the out of the cut. And I just feel like 406 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: Matt Daniels the motivating side, the former players side, and 407 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: then kind of the creative mindset of being aggressive. Um. 408 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: He cited the fact they had black four punts and 409 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: scored a touchdown last year in Dallas. He's coming from 410 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: a team that had that same aggressive mindset. And I 411 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: feel like if if the Vikings then can have a 412 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: similar feeling as they did with Ficken and how much 413 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: players loved being with them. I'm really curious to see 414 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: what mac Daniels is going to get out of these guys. 415 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: And boy did his eyes light up when I mentioned 416 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 1: the name Kenai Wongu. Yeah, he is ecstatic to be 417 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,239 Speaker 1: able to coach him. When when when I spoke to him, 418 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: he kind of he had said like, um, I gotta 419 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: cook story free. You know in Dallas when we were 420 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: about to play you guys, is when he was healthy again, 421 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: we were like, now, we're not going to really game 422 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: plan for him, like we're not really sure what he 423 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: can do. We're just not you know, we're not we 424 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: don't know yet what this kid is capable of. And 425 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: they saw glimpses of it in that game, he said. 426 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: But he said it's a good thing they got lucky 427 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: because the next game against Baltimore was the ninety nine 428 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,440 Speaker 1: yard to the house. I mean, yeah, so he knows 429 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: what this kid is capable of. He said. He watched 430 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: a lot of tape on him when they were preparing 431 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: or you know, thinking about preparing for him when he 432 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: was on the Cowboy staff. But he is excited about 433 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: that kid. Caney was the guy that on draft night, 434 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: there are a couple of people that were messaging me saying, 435 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: you know, what are we doing picking a running back? 436 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: We don't need a running back? And I immediately screenshot 437 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: and just special teams like that is this guy. He's 438 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: running a you know, four two four forty or whatever 439 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: it is, and you're just looking at him saying, this 440 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: guy is a potential difference maker like Cordarrell used to 441 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: be when he used to see Devin Hester there too. 442 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: He has the speed and he showed us this past 443 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: season he has the ability to house a kick. And 444 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: if you just think about as razor thin as all 445 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: of these games are that we played last year, a 446 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: kick return, a punt return, whatever it is, a punt block. 447 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: If you can score on special teams and you get 448 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: that third phase of an NFL team to contribute that way, 449 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: it can make all the difference in the world. And so, yeah, 450 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: Matt had to bring that up, didn't you. That's the 451 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 1: thing is, he's got to be drooling thinking about here's 452 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: some of the weapons I get to play with and 453 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: how to shape that. And I'm excited to see what 454 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 1: Matt can do with those guys for sure. I mean, 455 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 1: there's a template for consistency right there, you know. I mean. 456 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: And he definitely thanked Ryan Ficken. He gave him a 457 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: lot of credit for turning what was a weakness in 458 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty to a strength in twenty twenty one. And 459 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,679 Speaker 1: you know, I think this is an exciting parts He, 460 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: much like Wes Phillips, believes the cupboard is not empty. Yes, 461 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: all right, Well, this new coaching staff will be joined 462 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 1: by the player personnel department when the NFL combine kicks 463 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: off next week, we had the opportunity to sit down 464 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: with co directors of player Personnel Ryan Munnins and Jamal Stevenson, 465 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: which was their first time here on the Minnesota Vikings podcast. 466 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: So let's listen it. Thank you guys so much for coming. 467 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: I know you guys are so busy with your schedules 468 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: getting ready for this offseason. We have Ryan Munnins and 469 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: Jamal Stevenson, the co directors of player personnel here for 470 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings. Here's your first time on the podcast. 471 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 1: First time. How are the nerves, I'm just kidding. So far, 472 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: so good. Yeah, I mean, look, I already messed up 473 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: once before we did this, so that was probably a 474 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: little tension out of the room. Right there we go. 475 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: I know you guys, fans may not know your face 476 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: is necessarily, but they've seen your work over the several years. 477 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 1: How many years have you guys each been with the team. Well, 478 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: we've in scouting. We've both been here the exact same time. 479 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: We both started in two thousand and two. I started 480 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety eight as an intern, but moved into 481 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 1: scouting in two thousand and two, So you know, we 482 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: we kind of came up through different paths. I came 483 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: up through the pro side. Mall came up through the 484 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 1: college side, and he could speak to that. But you know, 485 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: but over the last year here, we've kind of merged 486 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: our roles kind of into into one. Has the ability 487 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 1: to come in at the same time and knowing each 488 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: other for so long, has that helped this relationship kind 489 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: of grow over the years for sure? You know, Like 490 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: like Ryan said, I mean we both well, I started 491 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: here and I was hired in May of two thousand 492 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: and two from the Houston, Texans at where I came 493 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: from prior to here, but I was on the college side, 494 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: like Ryan said, So you know, obviously a lot of 495 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,239 Speaker 1: my time was spent on the road, and uh, you know, 496 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: a lot of his time doing the pro work has 497 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: been in the building. But when I've come here for meetings, 498 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: obviously we've gotten to know each other over the years, 499 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: and this year has just been fantastic to be able 500 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: to work with Ryan and have that familiarity already already 501 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: formed twenty years in the business. Tons of stuff has 502 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: changed over that time frame, between technology being on site, 503 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: being remote, everything even just let's happened in the last 504 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: two seasons. What is the biggest change that you each 505 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: have seen over the last twenty seasons trying to get 506 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: ready for something like the NFL Draft. Yeah, for me, 507 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: it's probably just the technology. Right. So when I first started, 508 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: you know, I remember I had an old beta player 509 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,199 Speaker 1: and I would literally take an old mailbox and go 510 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: down to the storage room and grab a bunch of 511 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: beta tapes and come back up to my office and 512 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: I'd have, you know, one hundred beta tapes stacked up, 513 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: and I would just go one film through the next. 514 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: And now the technologists so different. Now I can I 515 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: can just click on a button and I can watch 516 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: every guy's you know, every run play, every pass play, 517 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: every pressure, every every sack, every you know, every explosive play. 518 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: I can sort them, you know, by the click of 519 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: a button. And just from an ability to isolate plays 520 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: and isolate situations, the technology has come so far just 521 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: on the film side of it. And I think that's 522 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: the most drastic change. Yeah, I would, I would have 523 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: to agree. It have to be the technology side. I 524 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: mean when I started on the road, I mean, you 525 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: had to be at the school to physically be able 526 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: to watch their film. And uh so I didn't know 527 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: much about any of the players. Say I was going 528 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 1: to Florida that day, there there was no way to 529 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: watch their tape, you know, until I got to the school. 530 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: So you spend a large amount of time during the 531 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: day actually watching tape from the Florida kids. But now 532 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,199 Speaker 1: that film is available instantaneously, and you know, after the 533 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: game is played the next couple of days, I may 534 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: have that on my computer and I'm able to watch 535 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: it get ahead start, so i know what I'm going 536 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: to look at when I when I'm there at Florida. 537 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: So then a lot of my time is spent getting 538 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: to know the player as opposed to sitting there in 539 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: a film room watching tape. So the technology has been great. Yeah, 540 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: And just just to piggyback off that, you know, just 541 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: just the technology in general, the access to information, to 542 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: you have player information at the click of a button. 543 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: You know, all of the information that we've gathered, reports, 544 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: physical features, timing testing, all of that, you know, is 545 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: in a very accessible database and it's information that we 546 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: can grab, like I said, at the click of a button. 547 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: And that's really what's changed so much versus you know, 548 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 1: when I first started, it was going back to hold 549 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: catalogs and looking up players. And I know that makes 550 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 1: me sound like a like a dinosaur, but but it's 551 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: amazing just how how quickly the technology changes from year 552 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: to year, and it gets better and better every year. 553 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: And I assume for both of you that just helps 554 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 1: with the efficiency of being able to arrive where you're going, 555 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: get your business done, but then be able to move 556 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: on to the next or even handle more people and 557 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: see more people than you might have done before. Where 558 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: you were kind of keyed in on maybe a couple 559 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: of people out of school, you can look at a 560 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: larger group of people while you're there. That's absolutely right. 561 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: I mean, they're you know, before the technology exists, it, 562 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: you know, you could only really factor in, uh, you know, 563 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: maybe three to four schools a day. I mean, because 564 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: sometimes you have a school that has ten or fifteen prospects, 565 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: so you're sitting there, you're really grinding through a ton 566 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 1: of tape at the school and you really can't move 567 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: on until you get that done. So sometimes if you 568 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 1: had that many prospects, like at a Florida State or 569 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: an Alabama, you'd spend two days there, you know, just 570 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: getting the getting the tape done. And now there's so 571 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: much more access to tape. You can you can get 572 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: that tape done, you know, before you go to any 573 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: of the schools, you know, on the weekend, and now 574 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: you can get maybe five or six schools you can 575 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: do you can do two schools in a day because 576 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 1: you've already gotten the tape work done. And so your 577 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: main goal at the school is to watch practice and 578 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 1: then get the background information on these players you know 579 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: as worth sitting in draft meetings. Now it gives us 580 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: the ability to take a certain position, and if we 581 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:58,119 Speaker 1: have you know, a handful of players that are stacked 582 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: pretty equally, you know, we can we can easily pick 583 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: out the critical factors that are most important to us, 584 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: they are most important to our coaching staff. So if 585 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:07,880 Speaker 1: we take an fugh receiver, we're able to watch all 586 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: third down plays and just watch them back to back 587 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: to back. Or we can take all the x's and 588 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 1: we can watch all the explosive plays and watch them 589 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: back to back to back and just make sure that 590 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 1: we get our stack right and we feel really good 591 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: about the group. Just you know, the the ability to 592 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: save time and to feel really thorough about the process, 593 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: I think is a big one for us. Does it 594 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: help you find maybe that diamond in the rough a 595 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: little bit easier now? With the there's just so many 596 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: names out there, so much tape. It's almost an embarrassment 597 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: of riches at times because you do have the ability 598 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: to see Eddie and all college players out there. Is 599 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: there a time where you sit back and you're like, oh, 600 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: like this kid, maybe you know, twenty years ago, may 601 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,239 Speaker 1: not have been discovered. Yeah, I mean it definitely, Like 602 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier, it makes you more efficient. It 603 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: puts more tape at your disposal more quickly, more rapidly, 604 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: without you know, saying having to live from here to 605 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: you know, a small small city in Alabama to to 606 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: watch a player. I mean you can pull up that 607 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: tape you know, right here and be able to do 608 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: that without getting on a flight and you know, spending 609 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: the resources to do that. So yeah, I mean it 610 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: definitely makes it easier. The technology makes it easier to 611 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: identify players for sure. And I also think with as 612 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: many bowl games as there are now, you know, you've 613 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: got the Hula in the East West, and the NFLPA 614 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: and the Senior Bowl. I mean, so many of these 615 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: kids are invited to these games, and a lot of 616 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,959 Speaker 1: small school kids get exposure to these games, and so 617 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: you're able to watch kind of apples to Apple's competition. 618 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: And I think it's really important that less of these 619 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: kids are are getting buried or left behind because there 620 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: is so much exposure and there's so you know, so 621 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: much accessibility to these Bowl games. I assume even I mean, 622 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: you can go back if you really want to and 623 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: find all the high school tape and everything else. Given 624 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,239 Speaker 1: today's social media age where everyone's posting everything and all 625 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: the services that are available. You know, you kind of 626 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: touched on a little bit too of just trying to 627 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: figure out, then how do you discern between um kind 628 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: of weeding through all of that in order to kind 629 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: of come to a decision on how you grade that player. 630 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 1: Is it using past knowledge, is it something where there's 631 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: there's newer technology that you really kind of you know, 632 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: throw it in and kind of kick out a number, 633 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: like for you specifically within the room, working with all 634 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: the coaches and everybody, how do you process that information 635 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: then to not get lost in the weeds. Yeah, I 636 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: mean it's a it's a pretty thorough process and we've 637 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: we've done it here for a long time. You know, 638 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: all of our scouts have access to the same technology, 639 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: the same video. Um, So on any one given player, 640 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: we may have three or four different reports and opinions 641 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: on that player from our scouts, and then once we 642 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: combine our our coaches and add them to the process, 643 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: then you're you're getting the full picture of what you 644 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,479 Speaker 1: think that player may be. You know, some of us 645 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: do go back. I can watch some YouTube videos of 646 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: a kid in the high school or u you know, um, 647 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: if he played basketball, you know, you can watch him 648 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: do a three sixty dunk. Or you know, we had 649 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: a player here, Fred Evans wants to jumped out of 650 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: a pool, uh, you know, at three hundred pounds and 651 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: landed on his feet. So, I mean there's the technology 652 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: clues you into all of that and uh, and it's 653 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 1: available for all of us. So, but our process is 654 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 1: pretty inclusive, you know, with our scouts, our coaches, and 655 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: once all that information is put together, we meet on 656 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: it and we come up with a final grade. Every 657 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: year we ask ourselves, how can we get better, how 658 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: can we improve our process? What haven't we done in 659 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: the past, Like, you know, how have we missed m 660 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: and why have we missed? And I think those are 661 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 1: really the critical factors. And I even think now, you know, 662 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: I think that's a you know, one thing Kuzy has 663 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: has done immediately he's done, come in and done a 664 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: good job and just say like, how can we improve this? 665 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: You know, what your thoughts, what are your ideas? And 666 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: I think every year we're trying to do that and 667 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: I think every year we get better too. But to 668 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: Jamal's point, you know, it's a combination of a lot 669 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: of different things. It's scouts, it's analytics, it's coaches, and 670 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: when that all comes together, hopefully you're you're making the 671 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: right decision. And it's got to be the right fit 672 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: for your team, because one player for one team may 673 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: not be a player for another team. Some of us 674 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, when we see all of you guys 675 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: in the building showing up doing the work and all 676 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: the meetings for hours and hours on end, fans a 677 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 1: lot of times don't start paying attention until the scene's over. 678 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 1: And when it comes to your crew and your group. 679 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: This is something that starts long before the season's done, 680 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: and then you're like, oh, the combines coming up, we 681 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: should pay attention how long like for you in your process, 682 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: when does this really start? And the culmination is the 683 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: actual draft day and then after that signing for agents 684 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 1: and everything. But what is that timeline typically like for 685 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: your group? Yeah, so our scouts start watching tape in 686 00:32:56,400 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 1: the summer, you know, prior to college football season starting. 687 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 1: And typically or sometimes it's you know, we have two 688 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 1: three years worth of of looks on a player because 689 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, with COVID and everything, um, and guys returning 690 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,959 Speaker 1: for an extra year, you've already watched that player, um 691 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: when he was a senior and now he's a super senior. 692 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: So there's there's there. You know, sometimes two three years 693 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: looks on on on a player, and we really start 694 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: that process in depth in the summer. Um. Like I said, 695 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 1: all the tape is available to each scout and they 696 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: can do that from the comforts of their own home. Uh. 697 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,240 Speaker 1: So that process starts in and then uh, in the fall, 698 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: we're able to go out and um, you know, go 699 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:44,800 Speaker 1: visit these schools and and just kind of follow up 700 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: on that initial summer summer tape work. Uh. And then 701 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: as that process goes through the fall, we're going to 702 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: bowl games. So our scouts are out and um, you 703 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: know they're going to bowl games, They're going to all 704 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: Star games. So we're watching all the seniors, the Top 705 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 1: Sea in your Prospects, at the East West Game, at 706 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: the Senior Bowl, the Hula Bowl, so many, uh, you know, 707 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: now all star games that are are in play, and 708 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: we're kind of just in the process now where we're 709 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: starting to talk about those players. These are our initial 710 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: draft meetings with our scouts, so the coaches have not 711 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: really gotten involved to this point yet. That comes in April, 712 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: right before the drafts and they've had time to watch 713 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 1: players and interview them at the combine. So it's a 714 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:33,160 Speaker 1: pretty thorough process that starts in the summer, and you 715 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 1: know it goes year round almost and I just think 716 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: you really have to find that balance, you know, we, 717 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 1: like Jamal said, we start that process in the summer, 718 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,000 Speaker 1: and I think that's really crucial because when you go 719 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:47,400 Speaker 1: in in the fall, it's it's you don't have as 720 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: much time to watch film at the school, right because 721 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 1: you're going in and you want to find out the 722 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 1: football character and you want to find out, you know, 723 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: the off field character these players, and and so you 724 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: really don't have as much time to sit down and 725 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: just grind tape when you're at the school call. So 726 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 1: that's why it's it's so important to build a foundation 727 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: of summer tape. Obviously as we go through the season, right, 728 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 1: you have to find the right combination of balancing your 729 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:15,240 Speaker 1: workload between the college side, the pro side, adding players 730 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,319 Speaker 1: to your own team, and managing your own roster, which 731 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 1: has become much more difficult over the last couple of 732 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 1: years because of COVID and the number of code replacements 733 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 1: on any given day. And that's and that's really the 734 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:27,520 Speaker 1: day to day roster management is a big chunk of 735 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,760 Speaker 1: what you're doing during the season. And then also balancing 736 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,840 Speaker 1: out you know, the pro side as we do advanced 737 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:36,240 Speaker 1: out and reports for the coaches and we're watching games 738 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: and and you know, communicating on a day to day 739 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: basis what the coaches with the coaches or what they're 740 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:43,799 Speaker 1: looking for and how we can help them on a 741 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,359 Speaker 1: game to game basis. Right. You mentioned a little while 742 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: ago new Vikings general manager Quasi at Dopamenza and what 743 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: he's done so far on the job. I mean it's 744 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 1: been I think the other day when I spoke to me, 745 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,359 Speaker 1: he's been there about a month, So I actually want 746 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 1: to ask huge, mal though, what are your first like 747 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: initial impression of quis very chill vibe, but a pleasant personality. 748 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 1: I think he has a way of making everyone feel 749 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:13,399 Speaker 1: like they're important and their opinions are valued. Um, you know. 750 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 1: And and the one thing that he's done for me, 751 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:20,280 Speaker 1: um that I really necessarily didn't do in the past, 752 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,319 Speaker 1: was he makes you challenge your thoughts. Um. You know. 753 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,919 Speaker 1: He asked you the why, and he wants to see 754 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: proof of the why and why you see what you see. 755 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 1: And you know, that's something that I'm really not used 756 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 1: to because in the past I would just put it 757 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:36,799 Speaker 1: in my report. Here it is, it is what it is. 758 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: And uh, he makes you think about why, why you're 759 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: why you're saying a certain player can't do this or 760 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: why can a player do this? And so you have 761 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 1: to go back and and really examine, you know, and 762 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,360 Speaker 1: you have to be mindful when you're writing that player. Okay, 763 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: I better put in Okay, this is play number thirty six. 764 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 1: This is what I'm saying. This is an example of 765 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: what I'm saying here. So it's it's more like fact checking, really, 766 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: and I think it's good for us, you know, as 767 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,720 Speaker 1: older scouts, but it's also good for the younger scouts 768 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: to be able to see what an example of why 769 00:37:10,239 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: we're seeing what we're saying. So he's been great, Um, 770 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: you know, he's he's been in our process and and 771 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:19,520 Speaker 1: h but he's he's kind of just letting us run 772 00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: with it. And you know, which I think is smart 773 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: because we our process is where it is at this 774 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 1: point already and we're getting close to the draft now. 775 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 1: He's he's provided input, um and kind of guidance along 776 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: the way, but the structure of our meetings has remained 777 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 1: virtually the same. So he's been great with us. Yeah, 778 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,800 Speaker 1: And I would say, you know, don't discount just walking 779 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 1: around the building and feeling some chemistry and some positivity. 780 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: And I think that's really important whether it's at the 781 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:50,279 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings or Best Buy or General Mills. I just 782 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 1: think to be around really positive people and people that 783 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 1: will encourage you to push you in a really positive way. Um. 784 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,480 Speaker 1: I think that's really really important when it comes to 785 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 1: not only Quacy, but even all the new coaches that 786 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,280 Speaker 1: are now in the building and some of them essentially 787 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 1: being kind of finalized last week when it comes to 788 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:12,439 Speaker 1: that point though, with you and how closely you work 789 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:14,799 Speaker 1: with them, how quickly do you have to get up 790 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: to speed of what they're looking for. It's trial by fire, right, 791 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: So you go from no coaches in the building to 792 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 1: also you have a full staff in the building, and 793 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 1: it is It takes energy, and it takes really a 794 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 1: lot of time to establish relationships, and you have to 795 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: be smart enough to know that that's just not going 796 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: to come overnight. Chemistry just doesn't happen overnight. So it's 797 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: going to be a process. But you really have to 798 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,359 Speaker 1: make an effort to get to know these coaches and 799 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 1: want to be in their office and talk about their 800 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: position and talk about, you know, what they're looking for 801 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 1: and players. And I'll say this, Kevin's done a really 802 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: good job here in the first week as we're sitting 803 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 1: through draft meetings, sending you know, sitting down with us 804 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:58,799 Speaker 1: with the position coaches and kind of talking through what 805 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:01,360 Speaker 1: they're looking for and play. And I think from the 806 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:05,719 Speaker 1: scouting perspective that that is the most important first conversation 807 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,560 Speaker 1: we can have before before we can do anything on 808 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: the scouting side, is to figure out what type of 809 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,839 Speaker 1: player they want, what type of player they're looking for, 810 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: whether it's measurables or characteristics or football character. I think 811 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 1: all of those things really really mattered. And until we 812 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:26,239 Speaker 1: absorb that as scouts and we have clear communication with 813 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 1: the scouting staff and the coaching staff, that's that's the 814 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,319 Speaker 1: only way we can really move forward. But like I said, 815 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 1: you know, to establish these true relationship with coaches, it's 816 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,399 Speaker 1: going to take walking into their office and sitting down 817 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: and having a cup of coffee and asking about their 818 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: family and really just getting to know these coaches on 819 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:47,360 Speaker 1: a personal basis and trying to earn some trust. And 820 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: I don't think Jamal and I are naive enough to 821 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:53,319 Speaker 1: think that that happens overnight, because but but it's a 822 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:56,840 Speaker 1: process that I really enjoy doing and I know Jamal 823 00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 1: does too. It's it's love being around people, being around 824 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 1: new people, being around coaching talking football, and so it's 825 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,160 Speaker 1: it's been positive a plus across the board. Yeah, I mean, 826 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: I spoke to Queasy earlier this week. He I asked 827 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,360 Speaker 1: him about, you know, the personnel, how is it around 828 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: guys who have been established in this league for so 829 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 1: long and kind of coming in being the new guy, 830 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:18,440 Speaker 1: And he was like, I mean they're pros. Like there's 831 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 1: future general managers all over this personnel department right now 832 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:24,440 Speaker 1: because they know how to do their business around here. 833 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 1: And he kind of like lit up a little bit, 834 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,920 Speaker 1: like he was really excited about you guys in particular. 835 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: And so as you head to the NFL combine, what 836 00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 1: are your feelings with this new coaching staff, new germ manager, 837 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:37,319 Speaker 1: knowing what you need to find next week or what 838 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: you're looking for, but then also actually having the combine, 839 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 1: you guys are like back in your element. Absolutely. Yeah, 840 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 1: it's great to be going back to Indy. You know, 841 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 1: we took last year off because of COVID and basically 842 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: it was a medical only combine, so we didn't partake 843 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:58,919 Speaker 1: in that as you know, as a scouting group. But uh, yeah, 844 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:03,280 Speaker 1: it's great to go back. The combine is just another 845 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,280 Speaker 1: part of the process, but it's an important one because 846 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 1: not only do we get all the top players in 847 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:15,600 Speaker 1: one area, we get their medical information, which is critically important. 848 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,040 Speaker 1: We get to watch them work out, which is also great. 849 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,440 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, sometimes if you're sitting there watching tape, 850 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 1: you're not able to maybe distinguish how stronger quarterbacks arm is. 851 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,400 Speaker 1: If you don't watch go watch a game live, or 852 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:32,520 Speaker 1: you know, you may miss out on a kid's athletic 853 00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:35,600 Speaker 1: ability on tape, but then you see it live at 854 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:39,839 Speaker 1: the combine running a forty or a shuttle and you said, wow, 855 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 1: that guy's not as stiff as maybe I thought he 856 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 1: looked on tape. So being able to see that live 857 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: is critically important. But I would say the most important 858 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:51,520 Speaker 1: thing is getting in front of all these you know, 859 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:54,400 Speaker 1: the players that we're interested in and sitting down and 860 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:56,719 Speaker 1: you know, doing a you know, it's not a very 861 00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:59,719 Speaker 1: long interview, eighteen minutes or so, but it gives you 862 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: just kind of a window into who that player is 863 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:07,240 Speaker 1: as a person. Oftentimes during the year, these these players 864 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: are you know, um shield it from your you know, 865 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: being able to actually talk to you you're there on campus, 866 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: but you're there to watch film. You're there to talk 867 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,960 Speaker 1: to coaches and strength coaches and trainers, and you don't 868 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,440 Speaker 1: get to face up with a with a player or prospects. 869 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:24,200 Speaker 1: So to be able to see them, look them in 870 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:27,680 Speaker 1: the eye, and hear them speak and talk about what's 871 00:42:27,719 --> 00:42:31,600 Speaker 1: important to them that that's a big part of the combat. Yeah, 872 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 1: it's probably the one thing I'm probably most excited about 873 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:38,600 Speaker 1: is Listen, We've we've had the opportunity to sit down 874 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:42,200 Speaker 1: with these kids one on one, you know, scout to player. 875 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:44,840 Speaker 1: But now it's our turn to to kind of sitting 876 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 1: back of the room and watch, you know, whether it's 877 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:49,760 Speaker 1: the head coach or the coordinator or the position coach 878 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:52,960 Speaker 1: um talk to these kids and talk football and talk 879 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:55,239 Speaker 1: through plays and look, you know, ask them what they're 880 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:57,839 Speaker 1: looking for in particular situations. And it's a really good 881 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 1: learning environment for us to see our coach is And 882 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 1: it'll be especially important this year to get in front 883 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,399 Speaker 1: of these kids with our coaches because it's the first 884 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:11,040 Speaker 1: time we've been with our coaches, and so you know, 885 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 1: it's it's it'll be important to see exactly how they coach, 886 00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:16,600 Speaker 1: how they teach, and kind of what they're looking for 887 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:19,280 Speaker 1: out of these players too. The combine is always usually 888 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:22,840 Speaker 1: the kind of unofficial official kickoff to the next season. 889 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 1: Get to see your colleagues, get to see people that 890 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:28,480 Speaker 1: used to work with before when it comes to the combine. 891 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:32,080 Speaker 1: Besides just getting to the players, what else does it 892 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:34,799 Speaker 1: mean for your group now from this point of the 893 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:38,200 Speaker 1: combine moving forward to draft day, kind of that official 894 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:42,040 Speaker 1: launch into the next season for not only the Vikings 895 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:45,640 Speaker 1: but for the NFL. It's a great opportunity for our 896 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:49,760 Speaker 1: entire organization. Everybody that goes down there to kind of bond. 897 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:53,960 Speaker 1: I mean that there is time to bond, whether it's 898 00:43:53,960 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 1: with the scouts or the coaches, or the trainers or 899 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:01,560 Speaker 1: the cap people, and you know, just basically our entire 900 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: organization is down there, and it is a really good 901 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:07,080 Speaker 1: bonding experience. You know, we were down to man Cato 902 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 1: for so many years at training camp, and now that 903 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:12,680 Speaker 1: that we're here, you know, that man Cato time was 904 00:44:12,760 --> 00:44:14,319 Speaker 1: kind of our time to get away and kind of 905 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,480 Speaker 1: bond and set the stage. And so not only for 906 00:44:17,560 --> 00:44:19,680 Speaker 1: our own team, but just just to see people around 907 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:21,919 Speaker 1: the league and talk to you know, other scouts around 908 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:23,759 Speaker 1: the league and other coaches around the league, or other 909 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:26,759 Speaker 1: coaches that you've been with or that we're here with 910 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:28,600 Speaker 1: the Vikings for an extended period of time and to 911 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:32,439 Speaker 1: see those guys again. So I think that's a big 912 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 1: part of it too, aside from from the workouts and 913 00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:38,040 Speaker 1: the testing in the interviews, just to be able to 914 00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:43,280 Speaker 1: see people and kind of establish or reestablish relationships again. Well, 915 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:45,759 Speaker 1: we wish you the best of luck, and obviously the 916 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:47,760 Speaker 1: time that you spend in the combine is so valuable, 917 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:50,240 Speaker 1: not only as you just said, to this coaching staff 918 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: and establishing these relationships, but also for constructing the twenty 919 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 1: twenty two Vikings roster for this season, which is just 920 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,600 Speaker 1: so exciting. We thank you so much, though, guys, for 921 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:03,879 Speaker 1: giving us a nice behind the seeds inside peak at 922 00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 1: what you guys do every day and heading into the 923 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:09,680 Speaker 1: combine what you're looking for and how that's handled, because 924 00:45:09,719 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 1: I think that's something that maybe fans think they know 925 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:14,759 Speaker 1: more about, but I hope that they took away a 926 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:16,880 Speaker 1: lot learning from you guys today. So thank you so 927 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:19,800 Speaker 1: much to Ryan Munnins and Jamal Stevenson, co directors of 928 00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:22,319 Speaker 1: player personnel for the Minnesota Vikings, for being here on 929 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:27,279 Speaker 1: our podcast. Thanks thanks for having us. A huge thank 930 00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,120 Speaker 1: you to Ryan Munnins and Jamal Stevenson for being our 931 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:32,959 Speaker 1: guests in the podcast. I know I keep repeating how 932 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 1: thankful we are, but when you've got guys that are 933 00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:38,279 Speaker 1: this busy, that can only really talk in their lunch 934 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:41,200 Speaker 1: hour to us, which is so nice. Really, it really 935 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:43,920 Speaker 1: is a feeling of thankfulness because you know, I like 936 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 1: that they were willing to speak with fans and let 937 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,759 Speaker 1: them kind of inside a day in their life. Those 938 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:52,480 Speaker 1: two guys are some of the nicest guys that we 939 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:55,399 Speaker 1: have here in the organization, and I know they don't 940 00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:57,839 Speaker 1: get promoted a ton. I know that when Rick was here, 941 00:45:57,880 --> 00:45:59,920 Speaker 1: he would always talk about how much work Jamal did 942 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: behind the scenes. Same thing with Ryan. As they said, 943 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:05,359 Speaker 1: they've been working on a bunch of this stuff since 944 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,080 Speaker 1: the summer, so this really is kind of their super 945 00:46:08,080 --> 00:46:09,840 Speaker 1: Bowl time coming up in the next month or so, 946 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,759 Speaker 1: a prep and like you said, for them to take 947 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 1: twenty to thirty minutes out of their time during their 948 00:46:15,239 --> 00:46:17,799 Speaker 1: lunch hour in between meetings was a huge deal. So 949 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:20,520 Speaker 1: very grateful to have those guys in the show this week. Yes, 950 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:23,200 Speaker 1: the behind the scenes look is always interesting to me. 951 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:24,799 Speaker 1: You know, to be a fly on the wall of 952 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,880 Speaker 1: one of those prospect interview rooms would just be epic. 953 00:46:28,680 --> 00:46:30,719 Speaker 1: And that's the thing is, you know, that group is 954 00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 1: kind of an insular group and they pull people from 955 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:36,960 Speaker 1: all different departments and you talk to them at this 956 00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:39,399 Speaker 1: time of year and they're like, you know, justifiably, so 957 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:42,320 Speaker 1: they can't say much because they don't want things getting 958 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,680 Speaker 1: out that they're discussing, and you completely understand that it's 959 00:46:45,719 --> 00:46:48,560 Speaker 1: always interesting after the fact that times you'll get some 960 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:50,640 Speaker 1: information as who you know, here's why we picked this 961 00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:54,239 Speaker 1: player after we picked them, etc. Etc. But for that group, 962 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:57,480 Speaker 1: you know, I think fans would absolutely love the ability 963 00:46:57,520 --> 00:46:59,080 Speaker 1: to be able to hear and see what they do. 964 00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:03,600 Speaker 1: I'm just hoping that those guys are able during this 965 00:47:03,719 --> 00:47:05,319 Speaker 1: time to catch up and get what they need, not 966 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:07,480 Speaker 1: only coaching wise, but in all these meetings and then 967 00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:10,920 Speaker 1: between the combine, the pro days, all the prep, the 968 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:15,000 Speaker 1: subterfuge that always tends to happen, free agency, everything, that 969 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:17,359 Speaker 1: they're able to really be able to focus and find 970 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:19,800 Speaker 1: some great players to help this team for sure. I mean, 971 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:22,600 Speaker 1: it all gets going next week when the NFL Combine 972 00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:25,400 Speaker 1: kicks off, which is obviously so great to see it 973 00:47:25,480 --> 00:47:28,000 Speaker 1: returned to at least some sense of normalcy. I mean, 974 00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:29,920 Speaker 1: we have it. I don't know how, you know. I 975 00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: know that the players actually were very or the prospects 976 00:47:33,719 --> 00:47:36,319 Speaker 1: rather integral and making sure that they can make these 977 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:38,920 Speaker 1: meetings and things like that, so it should be an 978 00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:41,239 Speaker 1: exciting time. I think that we've got a lot of 979 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:43,640 Speaker 1: people here at the Vikings Entertainment Network that are headed 980 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:46,919 Speaker 1: down there next week to provide coverage and analysis. We'll 981 00:47:46,920 --> 00:47:50,920 Speaker 1: talk to experts and we'll also talk with We'll have 982 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:54,080 Speaker 1: a couple of interviews dropping with Quacy and a few 983 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:55,799 Speaker 1: of the coordinators. So it's going to be a really 984 00:47:55,840 --> 00:47:59,160 Speaker 1: exciting week to be a part of Vikings dot Com, 985 00:47:59,320 --> 00:48:01,759 Speaker 1: the YouTube page or the app wherever you get your 986 00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:05,799 Speaker 1: Vikings information. It's going to be a very very hectic week. 987 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:09,480 Speaker 1: We'll also wrap it all up with an MVP episode 988 00:48:09,520 --> 00:48:12,440 Speaker 1: next week as well. So I mean, it's just going 989 00:48:12,520 --> 00:48:14,880 Speaker 1: to be a lot of info. I hope you're prepared 990 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:17,120 Speaker 1: to get to know everyone really well. Be ready for 991 00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:20,359 Speaker 1: your feeds to just explode over the next five six 992 00:48:20,440 --> 00:48:23,360 Speaker 1: days next week. And like you said, this is always 993 00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:25,279 Speaker 1: the exciting time of year because you're finally starting to 994 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,120 Speaker 1: get a little bit of a taste of who the 995 00:48:27,120 --> 00:48:29,200 Speaker 1: new crop is and what your possibilities might be for 996 00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:32,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. Exactly. It's just a lot of fresh 997 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:36,080 Speaker 1: newness around here. It's a very bright and exciting time 998 00:48:36,520 --> 00:48:40,080 Speaker 1: here at TCOPC. We're not taking a break anytime soon. 999 00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,280 Speaker 1: The break was like a one week vacation. I think 1000 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:44,480 Speaker 1: it was kind of a sad break. Yeah, that month 1001 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:48,000 Speaker 1: kind of got eating up real quick, real quick. But no, 1002 00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 1: we're excited to keep giving you and providing you content 1003 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:53,719 Speaker 1: behind the scenes looks at what's going on here because 1004 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:56,520 Speaker 1: we know you guys are all interested in what's next 1005 00:48:56,560 --> 00:48:59,040 Speaker 1: for the Minnesota Vikings. So for Jay Nelson, I'm Tatum 1006 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:02,080 Speaker 1: Everett Skull. You you wo