WEBVTT - Steve Wilks Talks Defensive Depth Heading into 2023 Season | Press Pass

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<v Speaker 1>S part to UH training camp the first two days.

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<v Speaker 1>UH A lot of.

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<v Speaker 2>Energy and the way the guys are flying around, and

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's definitely a great start for us defensively,

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<v Speaker 2>UH pretty much trying to pick up what we left

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<v Speaker 2>off in the spring.

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<v Speaker 1>UH.

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<v Speaker 2>Communication is always the key early on and really trying

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<v Speaker 2>to avoid uh the mishaps right here for its miscommunication.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the guys are doing the outsetting job number

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<v Speaker 2>one of communicating to one another and as you can

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<v Speaker 2>see being out there, UH flying around and getting to

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<v Speaker 2>the football.

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<v Speaker 1>So UH with that, I'll take you questions. H.

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<v Speaker 2>How's the acclimation process going for you?

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<v Speaker 1>Uh?

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<v Speaker 3>Coming in here with UH basically a holdover staff UH

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<v Speaker 3>and just learning things as you go to UH.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's the key thing that you just said,

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<v Speaker 2>is UH having an open mind to learn. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>been around quite a bit, I've done a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>different things, but UH it's not my way as the

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<v Speaker 2>forty nine ers way. So easy transition from the spring

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<v Speaker 2>to now and just trying to continue to build onto

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<v Speaker 2>the things that we've uh stopped was in the spring.

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<v Speaker 1>I sure like that here sooner than later.

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<v Speaker 4>But in the meantimes, is it helpful to get a chance.

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<v Speaker 3>To get a better look at some of those other

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<v Speaker 3>guys who are kind of chocking position around him or

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<v Speaker 3>beside him.

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<v Speaker 2>I I it's a long season, and uh, you're always

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<v Speaker 2>gonna have guys step up and have to play. I

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<v Speaker 2>go back, and I look at the spring with the

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<v Speaker 2>opportunity that uh those other other corners had with Money

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<v Speaker 2>not being here. Uh, he had opportunity right now for

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<v Speaker 2>uh Amory to get better. He saw Demo progressing, getting better.

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<v Speaker 2>So I agree totally. You know, it's a change for

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Drake to step up along with Austin Bryant

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<v Speaker 2>and uh a lot of other guys.

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<v Speaker 3>See, I I get the sense that Kim Law's got

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<v Speaker 3>some momentum going.

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<v Speaker 1>What are you seeing from him?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, y, you know from day one, I've I've been

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<v Speaker 2>talking about, you know, Ken Law and his progression.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh. He stayed here all summer.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, dedicated himself for us, trying to continue to get

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<v Speaker 2>his body right. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh.

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<v Speaker 2>Mentally he's in a great spot and just a love

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<v Speaker 2>the way he's playing, violent hands up front, getting off

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<v Speaker 2>the ball, and the way he's turning and running and

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<v Speaker 2>getting to the football is amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>I know. Uh, Kyle showed one of the players in the.

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<v Speaker 2>Team meeting this morning with him just coming out of

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<v Speaker 2>the stack as we call it, and I'm just excited

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<v Speaker 2>right now and just uh looking for him to have

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<v Speaker 2>a great year.

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<v Speaker 1>You our great appear to have a sack at one point.

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<v Speaker 1>What makes him so difficult to block, particularly on passways?

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, pad level, very explosive, a low center and gravity

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<v Speaker 2>to the ground. He has a great quick first step

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<v Speaker 2>coming off the ball, and he's very powerful defense.

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<v Speaker 4>But yeah, pretty back pick your y defense picks 'em

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<v Speaker 4>all r right away?

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<v Speaker 1>Is there had energy when when party's bad? What what

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<v Speaker 1>does the defense pick up against?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Uh, I think it's it's great energy. Uh across

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<v Speaker 2>the board. We we know what he can do. We

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<v Speaker 2>know what he was able to establish last year. So uh,

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<v Speaker 2>guy's feet off him. You know, just my perspective. I

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<v Speaker 2>I've seen all those guys progressing get better trades. One

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<v Speaker 2>a tremendous job back in the spring as well. But

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<v Speaker 2>perty does bring U a level of excitement.

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<v Speaker 3>Yesterday who fung up made a play And Kyle said

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<v Speaker 3>he'd have to go back and watch the film on

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<v Speaker 3>the pass break up on the depault figure.

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<v Speaker 1>Out how we got over there. What happened? What did

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<v Speaker 1>you see on that plant? Uh? Great read, good anticipation.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we always teach those guys it's not so

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<v Speaker 2>much where the quarterback is looking when he's dropping back,

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<v Speaker 2>cause when he get to the top of his drop

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<v Speaker 2>and he did a tr he he did a tremendous

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<v Speaker 2>job really reading the quarterback's eyes anticipated had a great

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<v Speaker 2>break and also understanding the formation. So we always say

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<v Speaker 2>the formation is talking to you. Gotta listen with your eyes.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's certain things that he saw pre snap right

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<v Speaker 2>that gave him a jump on the ball.

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<v Speaker 1>You talk about wanting to yuh cut down the explosive.

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<v Speaker 3>Uh in the secondary all if you went up trying

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<v Speaker 3>to go over the top of those times today?

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<v Speaker 1>Uh, how was that working? How was it all tied together? Uh?

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<v Speaker 1>It's time together.

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<v Speaker 2>Just everybody understanding that I'm gonna make my play when

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<v Speaker 2>the opportunity comes that. Uh, if they catch something inside

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<v Speaker 2>and in front of us, it's not gonna beat us.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we gotta line up and play again. But

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<v Speaker 2>we can't give up the big play. And you know

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<v Speaker 2>we talked about that day one when we came back.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the Miami game was something that I talked about,

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<v Speaker 2>uh and showed clips from last year. In the first

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<v Speaker 2>play the game seventy five yards, So, uh, we weathered

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<v Speaker 2>the storm there, but we wanna make sure we're not

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<v Speaker 2>giving those up.

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<v Speaker 4>So, uh, shall your brown get a a first team rep?

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<v Speaker 4>And then he immediately came off the field.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh are y are you.

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<v Speaker 4>Doing that to give him specific looks against you know?

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<v Speaker 1>Uh?

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<v Speaker 3>Is it thick alignment?

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<v Speaker 2>Not not so much that you know, h we just

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<v Speaker 2>got him in the rotation and and really uh long term,

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<v Speaker 2>also trying to take some pressure off you know Gibson,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, who's a seasoned veteran, and uh, we're looking

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<v Speaker 2>at the long haul and and making sure that he's

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<v Speaker 2>he's there at the end of the season, but also

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<v Speaker 2>opportunity for those young guys to progress because again, at

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<v Speaker 2>some point in time, we're gonna need him.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, I was just having a a veteran like Ibsen

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<v Speaker 4>and not CD's help that.

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<v Speaker 2>Group just develop us.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh. It's great.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we had some veterans that that left us,

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<v Speaker 2>uh that were great players for us. But and uh,

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<v Speaker 2>with Gibson being there, Uh, it's been a tremendous boost

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<v Speaker 2>for us. You know, uh, God that's been around quite

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<v Speaker 2>a bit can really be that vocal piece extension of

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<v Speaker 2>the coach in that meeting room as well as the

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<v Speaker 2>locker room. You know, you know Huff third year, but

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<v Speaker 2>he's progressing and he's starting to learn and come along

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<v Speaker 2>as well. Uh So I like his leadership in the

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<v Speaker 2>way he communicates out there as an goal for you

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<v Speaker 2>as or uh I he does because number one, he

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<v Speaker 2>controls a lot based off formations and the communication that

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<v Speaker 2>the nickel has to talk to the linebackers, particularly when

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<v Speaker 2>we start getting motion and things that that are changing.

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<v Speaker 2>So uh, we emphasize that the other day that you know,

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<v Speaker 2>he has to be vocal, he has to take control,

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<v Speaker 2>and he's done a tremendous job of that thus far.

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<v Speaker 1>Well has has played outside so recently did you.

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<v Speaker 4>See him blames and all sizes.

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<v Speaker 1>He gives us that flexibility.

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<v Speaker 2>I I think, you know, uh, the rotation that we

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<v Speaker 2>have outside right now I think.

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<v Speaker 1>Is pretty good, pretty deep.

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<v Speaker 2>But uh, you know, you never wanna get to the

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<v Speaker 2>situation where injuries come up. It happens, but he gives

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<v Speaker 2>you opportunity to be able to go outside and play

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<v Speaker 2>right now inside man, I mean I probably probably never

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<v Speaker 2>been around a a a group like this on defense,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly up front. The talent level that we have. Uh, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>see he plays three you know at times right there

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<v Speaker 2>we can put him at you know, the the two

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<v Speaker 2>ey and the nose as well.

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<v Speaker 1>But uh, he's pretty effective. We just have the three technique.

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<v Speaker 3>Armstead was saying yesterday that he's not really a real

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<v Speaker 3>overly vocal R guy.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Nick pos is pretty low key and dead man.

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<v Speaker 3>John Hargrave is a really amble, hardworking guy.

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<v Speaker 1>Is there like a a s a presence in there

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<v Speaker 1>that this kind of guy.

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<v Speaker 3>That serves things up or I think they said it's

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<v Speaker 3>up as the.

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<v Speaker 1>Way we play. You know what, what do you see

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<v Speaker 1>about that front seven? The sites? That's what I was

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<v Speaker 1>a great echo.

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<v Speaker 2>I I think, you know, the way they play speaks

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<v Speaker 2>speaks volumes. You know, our vocal guys, Fred he's gonna

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<v Speaker 2>get everybody going from the front and the back.

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<v Speaker 1>So, uh, the the.

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<v Speaker 2>Way those guys play up front, uh speaks speaks loud,

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<v Speaker 2>you know. So Uh, I want them to continue to

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<v Speaker 2>play hard, get off the ball, and do the things

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<v Speaker 2>that we're asking them to do.

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<v Speaker 4>What's been your impression of just seeing Fred and that

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<v Speaker 4>energy you know in the first two days of camp

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<v Speaker 4>when that things are maybe a little.

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<v Speaker 2>Slow, and you know he's beating that vocal Uh again,

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<v Speaker 2>he just brings the juice. I think it it It

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<v Speaker 2>excites the uh the defense.

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<v Speaker 1>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>I I I go back and I think about a

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<v Speaker 2>guy like, uh Thomas Davis in Carolina.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh, you know that Fred's.

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<v Speaker 2>That guy, you know, Uh, very vocal, but also his

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<v Speaker 2>play is phenomenal.

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<v Speaker 3>But if you've m you mentioned that the the guys

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<v Speaker 3>at the front are unique in terms of how they played.

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<v Speaker 3>They have really been around a group like that. You

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<v Speaker 3>look at your path and other different stots. Is there

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<v Speaker 3>anybody that they mind you of in terms of the group?

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<v Speaker 1>Right? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I I mean I don't like to compare, you know. Uh,

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<v Speaker 2>that's the that's the thing with me. I think these

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<v Speaker 2>guys are unique.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh. And when I say it, n haven't been around

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<v Speaker 1>a group like this. That's what I mean. A group.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, we got we have depth, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's not when one guy comes out that you

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<v Speaker 2>feel like, Okay, we're gonna drop off.

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<v Speaker 1>No, not at all.

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<v Speaker 2>So Uh, the depth that we have across the board

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<v Speaker 2>inside and out. Man that that's what I'm talking about.

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<v Speaker 2>IVE never been around anything like this, so, uh, we've

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<v Speaker 2>done a tremendous job starting with you know, with John

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<v Speaker 2>and Kyle, you know, building this roster and and getting

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<v Speaker 2>us the guys that we need to.

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<v Speaker 1>To to uh play and succeed with. So I'm excited

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<v Speaker 1>about that, right.

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<v Speaker 4>I apologize, uh in advance for my questions, but.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh you never had a side. Shall say that again,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry, Well.

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<v Speaker 4>You know, apologize for my question in advanced who you

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<v Speaker 4>adurs and your stories we have to write so here

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<v Speaker 4>it comes. Are you or any family members members and

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<v Speaker 4>the coaching staff that you know pretty jacked up?

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<v Speaker 2>Or Taylor swith Well, I would say this, Uh My

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<v Speaker 2>wife was pretty upset, uh cause she's back in North

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<v Speaker 2>Carolina right now, so she was pretty upset the matter

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<v Speaker 2>of fact that she wasn't gonna be able to go

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<v Speaker 2>to the concert, so she thought about flying out here

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<v Speaker 2>and yeah, so I'm not a real big fan, but

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<v Speaker 2>she was definitely upset about it.

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<v Speaker 1>Alright, appreciate you guys, take care. Thank you.