WEBVTT - Mustipher previews Rams matchup | All Access 0:00:00.600 --> 0:00:04.359 The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:04.480 --> 0:00:08.039 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Down Tho, the Chicago Bears 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:11.160 official app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:11.240 --> 0:00:16.319 day and now, Welcome to Bears All Access, your all 0:00:16.440 --> 0:00:21.160 access pass into Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:25.320 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Connie's Pizza, 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:32.240 Athletico Physical Therapy, and CDW. Welcome into Bears All Access, 0:00:32.280 --> 0:00:35.040 brought to you by IGS Energy. Wishing a pleasant good 0:00:35.040 --> 0:00:37.680 evening with my broadcast partner from news radio seven eighty 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:40.840 and one oh five nine w BBM, Chicago Bears Super 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:43.880 Bowl winner Tom Fair. I'm Jeff joni ac regular season 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:46.560 opener in La coming up here on Sunday night. We'll 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:49.720 have the pregame at four, kickoff at seven twenty and Tom, 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:53.680 I know you are akin for some Bears football. Yeah, man, 0:00:53.360 --> 0:00:56.440 there's there's a lot of thought. There's thirty years of 0:00:56.480 --> 0:00:59.920 me thinking about opening weekends and how much they mean 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:02.480 do a team. We gotta thank our producers, dam Breally, 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:05.520 Jordan trud Up, Katie Tuber and the folks at the score. Inglewood, 0:01:05.520 --> 0:01:08.080 California will be the spot will be at at brand 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.200 new Soapy Stadium. We didn't get to see it last year. 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:11.760 We're gonna see it for the first time. We're here. 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:15.119 It's fantastic. Players love it, coaches love it. Everybody who's 0:01:15.160 --> 0:01:17.800 been there loves it. And Tom, I'm sure there'll be 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:20.520 plenty of Bears fans cranking it up. Tom. Now, let's 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:22.720 talk about the injury news. It's Eddie Goldman. He's on 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:25.759 that injury report, doubtful, did not practice since Monday when 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:27.720 he tweaked his knee. You know, well, we'll see how 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:30.640 it goes tomorrow. I'll see where he's at. But if 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:34.560 if if he gets better tomorrow or on Sunday and 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:37.119 or all that whole whole deal, then that'll be good 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:38.440 for him and we'll get him out there. And if 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:40.800 he's not, then it'll give an opportunity for other guys 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:42.440 below him to, you know, to play a little bit. 0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:45.600 So that's where we're at with him and Tom. That's 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:48.480 a knee that happened on Monday. Unfortunate given what we 0:01:48.520 --> 0:01:51.520 saw on ten snaps in the preseason finale from Eddie. Yeah, 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:53.680 you know, listen, Matt, I'm all for Eddie Goldman. I 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:55.600 think he's a heck of a football player. If he 0:01:55.680 --> 0:01:58.440 wants to be well, now, I gotta start thinking about 0:01:58.480 --> 0:02:00.760 the guys who are gonna be there in his place. 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.760 And uh, you know that's the thing about a team 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:07.440 sport moving forward. If you're in the locker room, hey man, 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:09.720 this guy is still your buddy, still your friend. You 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:11.600 want the best for him, You want him to get 0:02:11.680 --> 0:02:14.400 healthy to healthy along. But look who do I need 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:19.000 their Sunday night. I need Angelo Blackson, I need Kiris Tonga, 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:21.919 I need Bloo Nichols. I need every one of these 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:24.280 guys to step up to the plate and fill the 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.560 void that Eddie Goldman's gonna leave. And one of those guys, 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:31.240 if Eddie is not able to play, will be Kiris Tonga, 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.679 the rookie out of byu Man. Naggie's very high on 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:36.440 what he's been able to do so far. If that 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:38.560 is the case, after we get through the next two 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:42.000 days with Eddie, Tonga would have a bigger role. So 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.440 that'll be a good opportunity for him. But I do 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.760 believe too, like that's a probably of all the positions 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:50.000 on our team. That's something that we got a lot 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:51.760 of depth at right now, which is good so when 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:55.840 this stuff happens. So we'll see the next two days. 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:57.919 But I feel I feel good with what Coach Trump 0:02:58.000 --> 0:02:59.440 has done with those guys, and then the other guys 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:01.040 are gonna have to above it if that's the case, 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:03.320 and that includes below Nichols, Tommy because he played some 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:06.040 of that last year. Yeah, but you know, Jeff, these 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.200 guys are going to be put in a position to succeed. 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:10.760 They're not going to ask to do things that are 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:14.639 unrealistic to their abilities, and blown Nichols is the guy 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:17.760 that shows he has the ability, the athleticism, the strengthen, 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.320 the speed to play up and down the line of scrimmage. 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:22.760 When Kyrs is in the game, it's going to about 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:27.040 him holding up multiple bodies to allow those linebackers to 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:29.320 be free. They're not going to put him in an 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:32.280 unrealistic position to try to do something that he's not 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:35.640 capable of doing. But man, when he gets his snaps, 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:38.560 he's got to bring it like he's never brought up before, 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.240 because this is not a college game. This is the 0:03:41.280 --> 0:03:44.320 start of his NFL life. And when the Bears deal 0:03:44.320 --> 0:03:47.280 with Matthew Stafford and a Rams uniform, it's gonna look 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:51.280 possibly a little different with that head coach. We'll get 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:53.600 into all that coming up throughout the course of the show. 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:56.400 Coming up in our next segment Bear Center Sam Mustafer, 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:58.520 and then we'll be joined later in the program by 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:01.480 La Rams analyst de Marco far on the radio side 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:05.200 of things. For the La Rams, Tom Maestro's defense this 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:07.120 year is Sean de Sy. He'll be in charge of 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:10.800 stopping Matthew Stafford and that offense Sunday Night earlier today. 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:12.960 Coach get a lot of good things to say so 0:04:13.080 --> 0:04:16.680 on the headset during the game, extremely calm, which I love, 0:04:16.839 --> 0:04:19.360 you know, just the players feel that when he's calling 0:04:19.520 --> 0:04:22.560 a play in to to whoever that is, it's a 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.919 time during a game, regular season, preseason, they feel that 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:28.880 they understand that. I liked that about him because he 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:31.640 believes in what he's saying. And sometimes, you know, there's 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.400 times where there's a couple of plays where in a 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:37.039 row you're getting gashed and there's no panic. You know. 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:38.839 I think that's where you feel the most is there's 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:41.720 no panic. It's just nice and calm. But then if 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.120 he needs to get on him a little bit, I've 0:04:43.120 --> 0:04:45.400 seen that dark side too. You got to have that 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:48.839 dark side, and he has that, so I appreciate it 0:04:49.000 --> 0:04:52.080 about him during the season, or excuse me, during the week, 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:54.880 what I see is somebody he'll come into my office 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:56.560 and he'll give me a sheet of paper that is 0:04:56.600 --> 0:05:00.080 extremely detailed with how the day's gonna go right or 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.440 what his coaches are doing. He's coaching his coaches too. 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:04.719 You know, we all coach our players, but he's coaching 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:07.279 his coaches. So I just for a first year guy 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:09.760 doing it. This isn't something that he's been thrown into 0:05:09.760 --> 0:05:11.840 the fire. He's been prepping for this, and that's why 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:13.480 he did such a great job in his interview, and 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:15.960 that's why we believe in him and Tom. That's exactly 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.400 the case. Sean decided super prepared, so nothing that he's 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:22.039 doing is surprising anybody, but will be interested to see 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.080 what it looks like. Yeah, you know, and I think 0:05:24.080 --> 0:05:26.919 he likes all the faces of Sean Decide. He talks 0:05:26.960 --> 0:05:29.000 about how prepared and how he can have a calm 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:32.080 demeanor even if there's a big play going on by 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:35.520 the opponent, how he keeps a really level headed performance 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:38.520 in terms of what he's thinking, how he's got a 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:41.919 good relationship and understands how to talk football with his players. 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:44.040 But you know, in the press conference to how I'm 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:47.800 glad he talked about having the dark side, because that's 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:51.039 a football dark side that's not outside the building. That 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:55.120 just means when he has to bring a serious expression 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:59.840 or serious conversation to some of these more experienced football players, 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:02.800 that he has the ability and the willingness to do that. 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:06.240 And every coach that I've ever played for has that 0:06:06.360 --> 0:06:09.520 side to him. Right. He's fiery, and that defense wants 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:13.080 to play exactly like that. The personality will evolve, and 0:06:13.240 --> 0:06:15.839 it could start right away or it evolved throughout the 0:06:15.839 --> 0:06:19.120 game against the Rams. Certainly this is the case about 0:06:19.160 --> 0:06:21.400 this team. They want to take the ball away and 0:06:21.480 --> 0:06:24.360 they want to be aggressive. I think you're gonna probably 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:26.599 see guys fly out of the football in a little 0:06:26.640 --> 0:06:29.440 different manner and maybe playing a little more tight coverage, 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:33.360 don't you. I do, because I think Sean's been around 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:35.960 for a while. He understands what this team has made of. 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:39.320 He understands that he has experienced from the line of 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:42.159 scrimmage all the way to the defense and backfield, how 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:45.960 to put those guys in the best position. Defensively speaking, 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:49.120 according to what he's seeing across the line of scrimmage 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:53.760 or new personnel coming in. So I think Sean has 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:57.080 a good coaching staff and he's got a really good 0:06:57.600 --> 0:07:02.040 work ethic that he's been able to build his own 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:04.640 ability from. All Right, Coming up next, they're gonna be 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:07.919 joined by Sam Mustaf, the Bears Starting Center. We'll talk 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:10.080 with him for a couple of segments and a reminder 0:07:10.120 --> 0:07:12.200 that you can kick off the twenty twenty one season 0:07:12.240 --> 0:07:15.480 this Sunday night at our Miller Light Headquarters bar outdoor 0:07:15.480 --> 0:07:18.720 watch party in Logan Square starting at five thirty pm. 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:22.960 Visit Chicago Bears dot com, Slash Fanzone Slash watch Parties 0:07:23.320 --> 0:07:26.880 for more information. With Tom There, I'm Jeff Joniak and 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:30.280 this is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome 0:07:30.280 --> 0:07:33.040 back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy. 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:35.600 Choose clean energy for your home at IGS dot com 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:37.880 because every good choice adds up to a better world. 0:07:37.920 --> 0:07:40.640 With Tom There, Jeff Joniac here on Bears All Access 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:43.800 on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome me in, 0:07:44.280 --> 0:07:48.120 Starting Center, Sam Mustaf, the Notre Dame grad Nice win 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:50.840 by the Irish. The other day, my friend, Oh, that 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:54.520 was close, close call against Florida State. Do you watch it? Yes, yeah, 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:56.720 I watched all of them, very close, but good to 0:07:56.720 --> 0:07:59.720 see the Irish in the top ten. Sam, you're gearing 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.400 up for a game against the Rams and start the season, 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:04.239 and it's an important one for you as well, because 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.440 you begin the season as the starting center in the 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:09.520 National Football League. And I read this quote from your 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:11.840 teammate on the other side of the ball, to Sean Gibson. 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:14.280 He wrote a journal years ago, and this is what 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:17.559 he said. Once you come out of the tunnel, there's 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:19.840 just something I feel from the crown of my head 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:22.360 to the soles of my feet. Once you go back 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:24.200 in after that warm up and come back in for 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:27.000 that four minutes right before kickoff, you just hear that atmosphere, 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:29.720 whether home or away, the vibration of that stadium is 0:08:29.760 --> 0:08:32.600 something that you never ever ever be able to get 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:36.160 anywhere else in America. Is that a proper way that 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:38.960 most NFL players feel or do you have a different 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:42.440 slant on it than this undrafted free agent like yourself 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:44.720 out of Wyoming who's made a heck of a career 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:48.360 for himself. Yeah, No, I believe that highlights, you know, 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:51.319 the most important part of the game. I mean, it's 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:53.640 a blessing to be out there and you know, you're 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:56.960 grateful for every opportunity and you know to take in 0:08:57.000 --> 0:08:59.480 that moment and relish it and understand be where your 0:08:59.480 --> 0:09:02.880 feet are and that's crucial. And every time you get 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:06.080 to go out there and play on Sunday, it's it's 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:09.960 unlike any other experience. You know, Sam, we you know, 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:11.760 because we went to Notre Dame, we got to play 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:14.840 in something pretty unique atmospheres because we're not in a conference. 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:17.960 We play all over the country. My sophomore year we 0:09:18.040 --> 0:09:21.240 played down at Alabama and I've never walked out to 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:25.840 a Louder boo in my entire career. So I mean, seriously, 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:28.439 do you feel the same about this away game atmosphere 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:31.760 that to Sean talks about that you know uniquely enough, 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:35.040 Soldier Field is always sold out, but here you're going 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:38.240 into a hostile environment and but you've been through that 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:42.240 your whole college career. Yeah, I think it is different. 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:46.319 You know, it's unique because we're coming off of you know, COVID, 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:48.560 this is the this is their coming out party, and 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:51.280 then stadium it's a beautiful stadium, had the opportunity to 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.560 play there last year. But you know, it's indoors. I 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:58.079 mean there's a few little airways where sound could get out, 0:09:58.120 --> 0:09:59.839 but I mean, I'm sure the fans are going to 0:09:59.880 --> 0:10:04.600 be punts. It's actually an opportunity and it's gonna be great. 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.280 It's definitely going to be loud. You know, like you 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:09.920 said Notre Dame. You experience and things, but I'm not 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:13.320 sure that you know the passion for, you know, getting 0:10:13.320 --> 0:10:15.439 out and finally being and able to go do things 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:18.200 and support the support. The team will be matched like 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:20.640 it will be this weekend. Tom Brady's been bringing it 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:23.840 up all offseason and it does pertain to you. You 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:26.880 and Brady have a lot in common. So I'm talking. 0:10:26.960 --> 0:10:30.680 I'm talking about the numbers changed for jerseys as to 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:33.240 where they're lined up. You know, so Sam, you go 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:36.120 to the line of scrimmage, you identify the linebacker and 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:40.520 the responsibility when you guys are in every situation. So 0:10:40.600 --> 0:10:43.720 now because the numbers are different, Brady talks about being 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:47.720 confused as to who's coming and who's not. Single digit numbers, 0:10:47.720 --> 0:10:50.800 blah blah blah. Have you taken that into account? Have 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:53.680 you had to have a little bit of conversation with 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:56.600 the responsible blockers on the line of scrimmage or the 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:59.640 running backs to make sure everybody is aware of these 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:04.400 numbers for changes. Yeah, you know it comes through film study. 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:06.800 But like you said that, this is unique that we have, 0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:09.400 you know, no film these guys with single digit numbers. 0:11:09.440 --> 0:11:12.200 I mean, Danny just switched to number six today. So 0:11:12.640 --> 0:11:15.640 having a linebacker wearing a single digit number versus you know, 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:19.320 anybody else, or having now Dbs coming into the box, 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:22.760 Nichols coming into the box wearing single digit numbers. But 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:26.040 you know, throughout my time playing Center, I've always tried 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:29.719 to id based on numbers. So I try to help 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:32.360 the guys as much as I possibly can. Sam must 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:34.880 of Her our guest here on bears All Access. It 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:38.560 is brought to you by IGS Energy. You know, forgive me, 0:11:38.600 --> 0:11:40.920 but the only number I care about right now is 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:47.360 ninety nine. It's Jersey. I mean, what's what's it been 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:50.719 like breaking that tape down of Aaron Donald. Um, he's 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:54.520 a game wrecker, He's a monster, you know it been. 0:11:55.040 --> 0:11:57.559 He's worked hard, he's ear in that respect that you 0:11:57.640 --> 0:11:59.520 have to account for wherever he is on the field 0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:02.120 as a Oh, it's a very talented defense with a 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.360 complex scheme and the ability to have a player like 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:08.400 that at once in a lifetime. Generational tight talent definitely 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:10.960 elevates that defense, you can see, elevates all the guys, 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.560 and that's what great players do. Um, So yeah, I 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:17.200 mean you see stuff on film and you're like, you know, 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:20.080 not many people can do that to get through two 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.880 and three guys on a consistent basis as well, Um, 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.800 that's the key part. He's his ability to wreck a 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:30.520 game and change the outcome of a game is definitely critical, 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:33.280 and so too is Jalen Ramsey, but in a different way. 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:35.440 He's just he's all over the place, so you have 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:38.400 to identify him as well. Yeah. Absolutely, And but like 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:41.000 we talked about before, you know, with the number switch 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:43.760 the number five, it's different. You know, he's not number 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:47.440 twenty now. So yeah, you, like I said, that's a 0:12:47.480 --> 0:12:51.559 complex defense with the talented guys, and they definitely play 0:12:51.600 --> 0:12:54.280 their roles very well. You know, Sam, your offensive line 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:57.720 looks different with Jason Peters in there, but all along 0:12:57.760 --> 0:12:59.640 the front, you guys have a chance to be one 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:02.600 of them. More are powerful offensive lines in the league, 0:13:02.880 --> 0:13:06.320 and so yeah, I listen, you have to respect Aaron 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:09.120 Donald because he's put on you know, in the NFL 0:13:09.280 --> 0:13:11.280 what he's been able to do. However, you've got to 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:13.400 have a lot of confidence that you're breaking the huddle 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:15.680 with the guys you're breaking the huddle with and going 0:13:15.679 --> 0:13:18.080 to the line of scrimmage when you talk about Cody 0:13:18.080 --> 0:13:22.280 and James and Jason and Jermain Effetti, yeah, absolutely, I 0:13:22.320 --> 0:13:25.520 mean to be honest, like, I've played football since I 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:29.400 was five years old, so you know, these opportunities, these moments, 0:13:29.640 --> 0:13:31.880 and you know, I can't speak for everybody on our 0:13:31.920 --> 0:13:34.040 offensive line, but I know those guys they relish the 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:36.800 opportunities to go against the grades that should you train 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:39.440 all off season for you know, most offensive line. We 0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:41.040 can't take a lot of time off is you know, 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:43.560 there's a critical time to build strength, to build you know, 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:46.400 skilled speed, whatever development you want to build during the 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:49.679 off season. So you know, playing against the greatest players 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:51.560 and arguably one of the greatest players of all the time, 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:54.319 these are the opportunities that you transport. So it's definitely 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:56.880 exciting and to be able to go to battle with 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.320 those guys and you know, know and how they operate 0:13:59.400 --> 0:14:03.240 and we're it is definitely exciting. You know, the different 0:14:03.280 --> 0:14:06.400 combinations of the offensive line you played with last year, 0:14:06.520 --> 0:14:10.040 plus the different combinations of the offensive line you played 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:13.240 with throughout training camp. That's how to be beneficial to you. 0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:17.480 Also because with the fragile COVID times, you know, some 0:14:17.600 --> 0:14:19.360 days you don't know who's going to be lining up 0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:22.359 to the right or to the left of you. Yeah. Absolutely, 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:25.320 offensive line, as you know, it is all about communications. 0:14:25.440 --> 0:14:27.480 So you know, if we can get guys in there 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:29.520 and you know we're not missing a beat, that's that's 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:33.480 crucial for offensive lines development. And you know, I think 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:36.360 having the opportunity to work with different guys throughout camp. 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:38.840 You know, what's coach cass Steele and coach role to 0:14:38.880 --> 0:14:41.280 do with us is you know it we're able to 0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:43.320 come in and it's kind of a next man up mentality. 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:45.640 So I do agree with you on that. All right, 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:50.160 You've you've added some muscle and strength to your body diligently. 0:14:50.200 --> 0:14:52.960 We've talked about it at length, but now you've had 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:55.880 plenty of time to see how that feels on the field. 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:58.520 What did you think your preseason, your training camp and 0:14:58.560 --> 0:15:01.040 how do you feel right now. You know, I thought, 0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:03.480 I thought it was good. You know, there's always things 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:06.120 you can work on, things you can improve on, but 0:15:06.280 --> 0:15:09.360 you know, Trending Camp went through it, and you know, 0:15:09.600 --> 0:15:13.120 I was able to work against very talented guys, talented defense. 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.680 And then we got the joint practices with Miami, Then 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:17.960 we played Buffalo, then we had Tennessee, so we got 0:15:17.960 --> 0:15:19.880 a mixture of defensive fronts that we were able to 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:22.480 go against, a mixture of different types of body types 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:24.320 that are going to line up as your your nose, 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:28.120 your three techniques, different styles linebacker play, and then you know, 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.160 some not exotic blitzes, but some different blitzes that we 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:33.120 were seeing in games. So you know, it was cool 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:35.240 to get out there and you know, feel my body 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:37.920 had a new way and then just adjust accordingly during 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:40.240 the season. You know, when when I was at Notre Dame, 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:42.760 we used to get dressed in the acc walk out 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.440 through the back parking lot, we're onto the practice field. 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:48.640 So to this I feel like kind of a college 0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:53.280 atmosphere this year, when you're dressing your home locker for practice, 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.680 you walk out on the practice field and you're ready 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:59.800 to go to work. So wasn't a different in the 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:03.200 transition of training camp at Hallishall than it's been when 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:05.120 you go to Olive Bet or some of the other 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:07.680 you know times that you've gone through training camp in 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.480 your career so far, for sure. I mean, you know, 0:16:10.640 --> 0:16:13.000 the organization has done a great job of putting together 0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:16.440 a state of the our facilities. So now we have 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:18.480 a lot of resources at our disposal to get warmed 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:20.680 up in the proper manner, to stretching the proper manner 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:23.200 so that we can get out onto the practice field quickly. 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:27.000 I mean it's definitely different. Transitions are faster, so I 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:29.480 mean there's more time for you to do things that 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:31.120 are helped you going to be a better football player, 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:35.760 whether that be nutrition, recovery, warming up, stretching afterwards over four. 0:16:35.920 --> 0:16:38.200 So yeah, it was definitely a different this year, Sam 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:40.200 must have for our guests, We're gonna step away another 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:42.880 segment with a Bear starting center coming up, number sixty seven, 0:16:42.880 --> 0:16:45.480 Getting Ready for the Rams with Tom Thayer. I'm Jeff 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:48.520 Joni Akeen. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:51.440 Radio six seventy to score. This segment of Bears All 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:54.120 Access is brought to you by athletical physical therapy. Visit 0:16:54.160 --> 0:16:56.600 Athletico dot com to request an appointment in clinic or 0:16:56.680 --> 0:17:00.000 virtually and start feeling better tomorrow. That's a good segment 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.720 way with our guests, Sam Mustaferham Bears All Access with 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:04.719 Tom there, I' Jeff Joniak were brought to you by 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:09.280 igs energy feeling better. You know, what would you say 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.240 to the fan base or those analysts out there that 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:15.360 do question where the Bears are at on the offensive 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:19.560 line from the simple word of continuity because these five 0:17:19.560 --> 0:17:22.919 guys haven't played together much in this preseason. How do 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:26.160 you guys feel about it as an offensive line? Oh, 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.159 you know, in just building working every day. You know, 0:17:29.440 --> 0:17:32.800 I always live by a quote that you know, it 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:35.080 was really introduced to me during college. You either get 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:37.480 better you get worse. So every day we're looking to 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:39.600 get better. And whether that be one percent, five percent, 0:17:39.680 --> 0:17:41.720 at ten percent, every guy out there is just trying 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:43.639 to get better and we're trying to build that continuity. 0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:47.199 And that comes with communication, It comes with film study, 0:17:47.200 --> 0:17:49.040 it comes with you know, trusting where each other is 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:50.960 going to be at. So it's been good to work 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:53.399 with those guys and you know, just being surrounded by 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:56.400 guys who have a lot of NFL experience. Game time 0:17:56.440 --> 0:17:59.359 experience has definitely been helpful for me as a young center. 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.240 Saman You know, you guys probably got the perfect compliment 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:06.280 of running backs for your offensive line. When you look 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:10.439 at Dave Montgomery, Damon Williams and Khalil Herbert and stuff. 0:18:10.800 --> 0:18:14.360 When you talk about being powerful upfront and powerful from 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:16.920 the backfield, it's got to be a good good just 0:18:18.240 --> 0:18:22.520 a combination of running backs. Oh yeah, I ultimate respect 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:26.200 for those guys. Their communication and their ability to see 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:29.080 holes and hit it and go downhill is awesome. Um, 0:18:29.440 --> 0:18:31.239 you know, the way they run and makes you want 0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:33.720 to block art as an offensive lineman. Um, you know, 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:36.520 uniquely enough for me. Uh. You know, I came in 0:18:36.880 --> 0:18:39.600 with Dave, so we have a very good relationship, and 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:42.440 then actually Khalil's lockers right next to mine in the 0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:44.280 locker room, so you know, I'm able to talk with him, 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:47.320 and then Damian we just related on the idea that 0:18:47.359 --> 0:18:50.000 we were both undrafted, so the hunger matches there. So 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:52.960 all those guys are great guys, and I can't wait 0:18:53.000 --> 0:18:55.399 to block for him then them throughout the season. You know, 0:18:55.440 --> 0:18:57.639 it's the first time I've ever heard anybody refer to 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:01.800 him as Dave? Yeah, but my whole life since when 0:19:01.800 --> 0:19:05.560 he was in college, do you call him Dave? Yeah? Yeah, 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:11.040 he doesn't object clearly, right, I don't. I don't know 0:19:11.080 --> 0:19:13.560 if you've ever heard it, Jeff, of anybody referring to 0:19:13.640 --> 0:19:15.400 him to day. But it's kind of you know, when 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:17.680 you grow up in a locker room with guys that 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:21.400 are specifically you know, how we know them by their 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:24.960 formal names, and it's kind of a insight into the 0:19:25.040 --> 0:19:27.720 relationship that you have, and it's it's cool that you 0:19:28.040 --> 0:19:32.000 can go that direction. Absolutely. What do you call Khalil? 0:19:34.040 --> 0:19:40.280 Just how? You know? It's interesting because do you ask 0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:43.840 him questions about defenses? You know? Is there that kind 0:19:43.840 --> 0:19:46.959 of conversation? And you know he's a guy that doesn't 0:19:47.000 --> 0:19:49.960