1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: Welcome into Lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: with Garrett Downing and we are gonna hear from Jesse Mintter, 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: the Ravens new head coach in this episode. No, it's 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: not a one on one interview with Jesse, but we 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 1: went back into the archives and found an interview that 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: he did with John Harbaugh as part of the Harball 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: Coaching Academy. If you haven't done so yet, go back 8 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: to the Harborball Coaching Academy and watch John sat down 9 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: with a number of coaches, including coaches in this year's 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: hiring cycle, to talk to them about their coaching philosophy, 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: what they believe in, and what they would do in 12 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: the position as head coach, which Jesse Mintor spoke to. 13 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: So we have some of those clips from that interview 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: for you that'll give you more insight on the kind 15 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: of coach that Jesse Mintter is and what he's bringing 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: to Baltimore. So, Garrett, I know that you went through 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: this interview and Jesse is an impressive guy, and I 18 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: think what stands out to him first and foremost when 19 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: he sat down with John Harball was what he believes 20 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: in in his culture that he would bring to a program. 21 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think first and foremost what I'd say on 22 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 2: Jesse is obviously a smart guy. That's evident whenever you 23 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: hear him speak press conferences. In this interview, Now, this 24 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: interview is a few years old. This is back when 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 2: he was a defensive coordinator at Michigan going into the 26 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: National championship season in twenty twenty three, and then he 27 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 2: spent the last two seasons, of course as a defensive 28 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: coordinator out in LA So this was going into that season, 29 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: and you know with. 30 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 3: Jesse, like obviously the football. 31 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: Acumen is there and an incredibly smart guy and that 32 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: shines when you talk to him. But one of the 33 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: reasons we wanted to pull up this interview in this 34 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: conversation is that I think there's a conversation right now, 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: like what what's the Ravens identity going to be, what's 36 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: it going to look like, what's this team going to 37 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: be with a new head coach? And when you change 38 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 2: head coaches, that can change the philosophy of the team 39 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 2: and the structure of the team and all that, And 40 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: so this is a way to get some insight into 41 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 2: what that what it's going what the Ravens are going 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: to look like under jesse mentor So you talk about culture, 43 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: that's a big word, and this was what jesse Mincher 44 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 2: had to say about what culture is establishing it and 45 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: how that's going to and how that plays out on 46 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 2: a football team. 47 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 4: Culture, to me, it's like everybody in the building has 48 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 4: a shared understanding of what the expectations are, what the 49 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 4: principles of that particular organization are, and so in my opinion, 50 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,399 Speaker 4: it's it's clear and it's concise. It's not you don't 51 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 4: walk in the first day and say these are twenty 52 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 4: seven team rules and if we follow these, we have 53 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 4: good culture. It's literally like the things that you learn 54 00:02:54,919 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 4: as a child, treat people right way, beyond time things 55 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 4: the right way, work really hard. If you want to 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 4: get better at something, work a little harder at that 57 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 4: particular thing. I think that your brother, I don't know 58 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 4: how many times I've heard him say that, but to me, 59 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 4: it's allowed to get It's those things and emphasizing it 60 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 4: every day, talking about it every day, pointing out when 61 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 4: guys do improve on things so that they to me, 62 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 4: the more positive reinforcement that you pass on as far 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,839 Speaker 4: as culture is concerned the hunger they are to even 64 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 4: keep getting better, in my opinion, like very very clear 65 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 4: concise things of how we're going to operate. Number One, 66 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 4: we're going to operate awful level of respect. So we're 67 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 4: going to respect each other. And to me, that's as 68 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 4: a coach, you give the players respect. They don't have 69 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 4: to earn your respect. Now they can, they can lose 70 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 4: it by doing things. But as a coach you have 71 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 4: to look at it as I have to earn their 72 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 4: respect by I have to live the culture that I 73 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 4: want for them to see what it looks like. 74 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 5: And so I got to be me and my staff. 75 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 4: We got to be the example of how we want 76 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 4: this place to operate. So the strength coach obviously most places, 77 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 4: is really really tied into that because of the time 78 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 4: he spends with the players, all the coaches, and so 79 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 4: it's laying out those guidelines of how we operate. Some places, 80 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 4: you know, it's like, hey, we're all gonna wear the 81 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 4: same thing. Some places it's you know, we're all gonna 82 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 4: wear the same shoes. Like, to me, some of that 83 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 4: stuff is overrated. It's just like what's really important to 84 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 4: make us become better at what we're trying to become 85 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 4: better at which is football, and then how do we 86 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 4: do that together with the shared understanding of how we 87 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 4: get to that. The players become the leaders. The players 88 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 4: drive the culture. The coaches are there as guides and 89 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 4: to make sure it doesn't go off the rails, but 90 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 4: it becomes really really good. Same thing here when the 91 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 4: players take ownership of it. 92 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: So Ryan and listening to that from Jesse, something that 93 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: jumped out to me is the words clear and concise. 94 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 2: That he wants to be clear and concise, and this 95 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 2: is a theme that you're going to hear throughout this conversation, 96 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 2: the communication from him to the team and to the players. 97 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 2: He wants to be very specific in what that communication is. 98 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: And the other part that jumped out is he he 99 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: made the point that coaches are the guy they they drive, 100 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: but the players are the ones who drive the culture. 101 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: It's he needs to be player driven. And I think 102 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: that that speaks to kind of his mindset. The coaches 103 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: are there to steer it, but it's got to be 104 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: driven by the players. 105 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think that's the right way to do it. 106 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: You know, the Ravens have a number of strong leaders 107 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: in that locker room. You know, you talk about Lamar Jackson, 108 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Ronnie stan Lee, you know, a 109 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: number of guys and they kind. 110 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 3: Of set the culture. 111 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: And I do think it's a little bit, you know, 112 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: it's a little bit of a departure from what John 113 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,119 Speaker 1: Harball has been. We talked a lot about CEO type 114 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: coaches versus you know, offensive mind and defensive minded, and 115 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: Jesse Minzer obviously coming from a defensive background. You know, 116 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: I think times have kind of changed to some degree 117 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: in like what players are looking from or looking for 118 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: in their head coach and the kind of CEO stand 119 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: in front of the room, and you have to be 120 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: able to do that. You have to be able to 121 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: talk to these guys in a big setting like that 122 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: and one on one. But like the rah rah all 123 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, I don't think it's really so 124 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: much about that anymore. And I like that, you know, 125 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: Jesse talks about being concise. You know, it's not like 126 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: filling these guys times with meetings and pump up speeches 127 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: and motivational words and all that stuff. 128 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 3: Like they've heard all that stuff a lot. 129 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: And it's being about concise with their time and letting 130 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: them kind of guide the culture in the locker room. Yeah. 131 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 2: I think the other point too is that it's clear, look, 132 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,799 Speaker 2: Jesse kind of grew up in this, in this ravest 133 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: system to a certain degree. And he talked about how 134 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 2: learning about the Ravens culture that has been established here. 135 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 2: Like again, the culture is a big word, and it 136 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 2: can mean a lot of different things, but that has 137 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 2: been established, Like the expectations, the work ethic, the mindset, 138 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: those are all things that are kind of entrenched here 139 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 2: in this Buildingesse. He understands that he's aware of it. 140 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: He grew up in that to a certain degree. And 141 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: so as you reference there and his answer, that experience 142 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: here kind of helps shape his vision of culture. And 143 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: the second part to your point about the x's and 144 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 2: o's piece, that's the strength of his. His understanding of 145 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: defense of football in particular is a real strength of his. 146 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 2: And this was what he had to say about building 147 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: a defense, establishing the language and the foundation of it. 148 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 4: It's every detail of how we want our guys to 149 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 4: play defense. So we talk about block destruction, ball disruption, effort, 150 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 4: and angles to the ball, tackling communication. So we want 151 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 4: to have a very very specific encyclopedia of words for us. 152 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 4: They might be different from how somebody else says it, 153 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 4: but we want if I'm in the if I'm up 154 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 4: in front of the whole group and I say this 155 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 4: is how we tackle in this position, then they go 156 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 4: into their meeting room and they say the same thing. 157 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 4: The ideas come from, hey, the schematic ideas and things 158 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 4: like that, but the language, the vernacular, the communication is 159 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 4: really really important to get everybody on the same page 160 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 4: before you even start that process of, you know, figuring 161 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 4: out the next phase. To me having a really good culture, 162 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 4: there's I think I learned this here as much as anywhere. 163 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 4: But when the guys have a shared understanding of how 164 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 4: we want to play, it's not necessarily what we do, 165 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 4: it's how we play. And yeah, there, you certainly want 166 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 4: to have answers, you want to have different schemes, but ultimately, 167 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 4: when you turn on the tape, it's about how your 168 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 4: guys play when the ball snap, how you play, your mentality, 169 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 4: how you run to the ball, how you strike blocks, 170 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 4: how you tackle. Before you even get into we're playing 171 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 4: three lock or we're playing cover six, so we have 172 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 4: four pillars of defensive football that are important to us. 173 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 4: I mentioned in block destruction, ball disruption, communication and effort 174 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 4: and angles. So every meeting, you know, sometimes only have 175 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 4: forty five minutes, but we think it's important enough for 176 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 4: the first five minutes to be these are really positive 177 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 4: examples of these four things. Here's one that you know 178 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 4: needs to maybe be corrected to make sure it doesn't 179 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 4: happen again. And so to me, it's just that is 180 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 4: more important than we're going to put in these four 181 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 4: blitzes today, because once you have that, then the blitz 182 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 4: will look really good if your guys are playing the 183 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 4: right way. If you're at a place and the culture 184 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 4: is not great and you're not doing that. I mean, 185 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 4: good teams and bad teams have called the same defenses 186 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 4: and they work for the good teams and they don't 187 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 4: work for the bad teams. So it's really more about 188 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 4: in my opinion, how you play, how you get that across, 189 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 4: and to me, doing it every single day making it 190 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 4: really important having a language that the guys are it's 191 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 4: really consistent and they know and they learn, they know 192 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 4: that we're going to talk about those four things at 193 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 4: the start of every meeting. So it's not about Hey, 194 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 4: I had a pick yesterday or I got a sack 195 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 4: on this blitz. It's you know, these four things really 196 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 4: really important. 197 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 2: So there's a lots to kind of unpack there and 198 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 2: talking about how he wants his defense to look. The 199 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 2: thing that stood out to me is the four pillars. 200 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 3: That he mentioned. 201 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 2: And again this kind of goes back to the clear 202 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 2: and concise description of how he wants to operate from 203 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: a team standpoint, As he said, every meeting, for the 204 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 2: most part, they reference the four pillars that he wants 205 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 2: in a defense, and those four pillars just as a reminder, 206 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: block destruction, ball, disruption, communication, and then effort and angles 207 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: to the football. Those are the four pillars that he 208 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 2: saw from a defensive standpoint. You know, we'll see if 209 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 2: those are the four pillars that he wants to establish here. 210 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 2: It certainly sounds like that's kind of the foundation of 211 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 2: his defensive philosophy in talking here, but again it's every 212 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: that's kind of the foundation of what they do, and 213 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: it's mentioned over and over again and re emphasize so 214 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: that everybody is aware of those four things. Block destruction, 215 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 2: ball disruption, communication, and effort and angles. 216 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: What's interesting is how he came up with that so 217 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: back in the twenty twenty two season with Michigan and 218 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: then they went to the College Football Playoffs. They lost 219 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: in the semi finals to TCU fifty one to forty five. 220 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: The defense, Michigan's defense gave up four hundred and eighty 221 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: eight yards and that was kind of a wow moment, 222 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: you know, for jesse Minter on that flight back, and 223 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: it was a rough defensive performance for his unit. And 224 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: he even called it, he called it a light bulb 225 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: moment in a story on the Athletic because you know, 226 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: the guys knew the coverages, the new call, the scheme 227 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: was good. They had this innovative stuff, but they weren't 228 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: really playing to that level, right, They weren't executing those 229 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: fundamentals that you're talking about. And that's when he came 230 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: up with these pillars. And he actually assigned each of 231 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: the pillars to a different defensive coach the following year, 232 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: and that coach was responsible for going through the practice 233 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: tape and going through the game tape and pointing out, 234 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,839 Speaker 1: all right, here's examples of when that's pillars being met. 235 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: Here's examples of when it's not being met. And that 236 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: I think was a level of accountability and constantly stressing 237 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: those fundamentals of like, look, we can have the best 238 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: scheme and all those things, but if you're not playing 239 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: with the fundamentals and the effort and the block destruction 240 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: and the angles and all that, and you're not tackling, well, 241 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: then it's gonna it's not gonna work out. Right. That 242 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: stuff is the underbelly of like what makes your defense 243 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: play hard. And when you turn on the tape watching 244 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: this Chargers defense, and Eric to Costa mentioned it, like 245 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: those guys play hard, you know they are playing on fire. 246 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: And so I think that those pillars are kind of 247 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 1: the underpinning or the pillars of Jesse Mintor's defense and 248 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: definitely something that he will carry here to Baltimore. 249 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, he made the point in that conversation about like 250 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 2: you can two people or two defenses can call the 251 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 2: same call. So you can make the same call, but 252 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: it's not a matter of how you play. And I 253 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 2: think that you make a good point, So it's not 254 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: just drawing it up on the chalkboard and then that's 255 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 2: all that you need to do. It's coaching it, understanding it, 256 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 2: and then going out there and playing hard with that 257 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 2: effort and intensity and building a team and a culture 258 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: that encourages that. And he was able to do that 259 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 2: at Michigan and then again in LA for that defense. 260 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 3: But it's both of those things. 261 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: It's the excess and o's and the effort, and it's 262 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: all connected and intertwined. Now, another piece of this equation 263 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 2: is going to be building out a coaching staff. That's 264 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: what we're kind of that's the next step here. As 265 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 2: as Jesse gets established in a press conference that his 266 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 2: introductory press conference is going to be later this week, 267 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 2: it's going to be on Thursday, so I'll probably get 268 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 2: a little bit of insight at that point. But building 269 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 2: a coaching staff is really the next phase for him 270 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: and this team. 271 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 3: And he talked about. 272 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: Just the staff construction and how you go about getting 273 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 2: ideas from everybody on a coaching staff. 274 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 5: It's the most important thing. 275 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 4: I think NFL and college both now or the staffs 276 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 4: are becoming these big you know, you might have we 277 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 4: might have ten or eleven guys in our defensive room, 278 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 4: and so that's ten or eleven minds that we want 279 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 4: to all kind of look at things in the same lens, 280 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 4: have the same principles, but I want everybody to also 281 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 4: have their own ideas, and so I think as a 282 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 4: really good leader, one of the traits is to make 283 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 4: everybody feel like they have the ability to share their ideas, 284 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 4: make everybody feel I think you make everybody feel important 285 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 4: that way, which raises the camaraderie in the morale of 286 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 4: the room. And then when you take an idea, and 287 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 4: then you've got to be willing to give them credit 288 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 4: for it. And I think that's huge making it about everybody. 289 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 4: It's never about you, it's about the group within it. 290 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 4: With group success comes individual success where everybody involved. I 291 00:14:54,680 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 4: think for young coaches it's understanding that those moments there 292 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 4: great opportunities to learn. Don't be afraid to share an idea, 293 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 4: don't be mad when your idea may or may not 294 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 4: be taken, and eventually you'll get to that point where 295 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 4: you get a chance to make the decisions and looking 296 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 4: at it like a long term process and not like 297 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 4: a quick rise up. 298 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 2: So what jumps out to me and hearing that is 299 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 2: he wants ideas across the board that he wants to 300 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 2: hear from everybody on the roster from a coaching standpoint 301 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 2: of how they can help improve the unit good, A 302 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 2: good idea can come from anywhere, and that kind of 303 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: speaks to a certain degree of his time here in. 304 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: Bold exactly when you think about it, that it's like 305 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: he was part of that, yeah, right, exactly, that twenty 306 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: eighteen kind of defensive revolution that the Ravens went through. 307 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: You know. Win Martindale was the DC and John Harball 308 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: tasked that side of the ball and said, all right, 309 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: we need to update this and modernize this and start 310 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: playing defense a different way here in Baltimore. And they 311 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: really took that challenge on. And Yeah, Jesse Mintzer along 312 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: with Mike McDonald were two young, brilliant defensive coaches that 313 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: they had in the room. And I think part of 314 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: the reason why John Harball was like, yeah, let's let's 315 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: let let's get these guys' ideas. 316 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 3: Too, you know. 317 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: And so like having a voice in that construction of 318 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: this most recent iteration of the Ravens defensive scheme as 319 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: a young defensive assistant like that showed Jesse Minzer the 320 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: power of listening to everybody on your staff. 321 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: One thing that I think is important to point out 322 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 2: with Jesse. So he came here as a defensive assistant 323 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 2: in twenty seventeen, but he had already had It's like 324 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 2: he had just graduated college at that point. He had 325 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: a good deal of experience even before coming here. He'd 326 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 2: worked at Notre Dame, He'd worked at Cincinnati, he worked 327 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: at Indiana State, some smaller colleges, Indiana State in Georgia State. 328 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 2: Was a defensive coordinator of both of those stops, and 329 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 2: then he came here to Baltimore defensive assistant and then 330 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 2: worked his way up with the secondary in particular, and 331 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 2: so he kind of described he described that as an 332 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 2: extent of getting a bachelor's degree before even getting here, 333 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 2: and then really got the master's degree here and then 334 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 2: went on to Vanderbilt. And that decision to leave here 335 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty one and go coach at Vanderbilt was 336 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 2: a big decision for him and obviously worked out and 337 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 2: allowed him to go and spread his wings as a 338 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 2: defensive coordinator. And he talked about making the decision at 339 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 2: that point and how beneficial it was to him. 340 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 4: Got a bachelor's degree in defense before I came here, 341 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 4: and then came here for four years dnps Wink Martindale, Mike, 342 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 4: I mean, all the guys on staff Mike Chris, You 343 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 4: really just felt like I had learned so so much 344 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 4: how to operate a culture, how to run a side 345 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 4: of the ball, and just felt like it was the 346 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 4: opportunity to go do that and then do it at 347 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 4: a place I think there's certain types of programs in 348 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 4: college football have a ton of respect for the places 349 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 4: where academics is really important, football has a chance to 350 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 4: be really important. I kind of saw that at Vanderbilt 351 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 4: to really enjoy getting to know Clark Lee, who's the 352 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 4: head coach there now, I think he's going to do 353 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 4: a phenomenal job there, and so honestly, like and we 354 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 4: talked about it a little kind of try to bet 355 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 4: on myself of like I want to be able to 356 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 4: make the decisions XYZ, game plane and all that stuff, 357 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 4: and felt like it was the right move for me 358 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 4: and my family. 359 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, as we heard, it was a bet on 360 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: yourself kind of move for Jesse Mentor. And you know, obviously, 361 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,719 Speaker 1: like you said, he'd been a defensive coordinator at two 362 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: previous stops at Indiana State and Georgia State, but going 363 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: to the SEC Vanderbilt, that's a that's a different level. 364 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: And also just to have the confidence, and you know, 365 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: he could have stayed with the Ravens and kind of 366 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: slowly worked his way up as a position coach, and 367 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: there'd have been nothing wrong with that, right, and maybe 368 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: waiting for his turn to become the defensive coordinator here 369 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: in Baltimore and then ultimately maybe the head coach. Right, 370 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: but like to have the confidence to say, you know what, 371 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to go spread my wings, you know somewhere else. 372 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: I think that shows you something about Jesse Minner. 373 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 2: Totally agree, and then that put him in great positions. 374 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 2: So then when Mike McDonald left Michigan after his time there, 375 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 2: came back here to Baltimore, and all of a sudden, 376 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 2: there's a defensive coordinator opening in Michigan. He's a natural 377 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 2: fit because he had just been calling plays at Vanderbilt 378 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 2: and had established himself again, not just here in Baltimore, 379 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 2: but it established himself and the SEC is a defensive 380 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 2: play caller that he was ready for that moment. 381 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:26,919 Speaker 3: He was ready for that opportunity. 382 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,919 Speaker 1: And I think too, the Vanderbilt thing was notable just 383 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: in his journey because you know, his he his father 384 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: had really kind of helped him get his foot in 385 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: the door. In a lot of these places, and there's 386 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: absolutely nothing wrong with that. Like he once you get 387 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: your foot in the door, you better you better be 388 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: pretty darn good to keep your foot in the door 389 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: and get the rest of your body through the door, right, 390 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: And he was right. But like you know, it was 391 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: kind of stepping out to a degree from like from 392 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: that father, you know, from his from his dad a 393 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: little bit, and like go into a a place where 394 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: there wasn't an established historical connection, you know what I mean. 395 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: And I think proving himself kind of in his own 396 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: regard that way. He did that in Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt, 397 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: So I thought that was an important like life moment 398 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: for Jesse Minner. 399 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, well you mentioned his dad. His dad, Rick Minner, 400 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 2: longtime football coach. He will coach at Cincinnati, He coached 401 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 2: at Notre Dame, one of the real leaders of defensive football, 402 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 2: in particular at the college game. Jesse learned a lot 403 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: from him, as you mentioned. And he actually has been 404 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 2: on a staff at different places, has been on a 405 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 2: staff in LA. We'll see if he comes with him 406 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 2: here to Baltimore, but it was on a staff in Michigan, 407 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 2: on a staff in LA and just has a great 408 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: track record of being a college coach, excellent defensive mind himself, 409 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 2: and growing up in that football family I think has 410 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,239 Speaker 2: served Jesse well over the course of his career. He 411 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: talked here about learning from his dad, growing up in 412 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 2: that environment and how it's benefited him. 413 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,479 Speaker 4: I mean, he is like the complete foundation of what 414 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 4: I knew defensively. So I would say, like, you know, 415 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 4: junior or high like I wasn't. 416 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:10,439 Speaker 5: I was. 417 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 4: I was probably learning the intricacies of football and like 418 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 4: the rules and how it's played and what you wanted 419 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 4: to look like, not knowing what cover two was versus 420 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 4: cover four, and then probably like as I got into 421 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 4: high school and into college for sure, really took an 422 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 4: interest in diving into that. I think, like I think 423 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 4: a unique thing is video games. I actually think like 424 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 4: nowadays young people, that's really an intro into the schematic 425 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 4: side of football. For a lot of people is like 426 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 4: playing Madden that pick your coverage, just pick your plays. 427 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 4: And so as I was in high school, was like, 428 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 4: hows those games were really becoming becoming more and more 429 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 4: and like, as crazy as it sounds, I think that's 430 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 4: how you start to say, like Okay, I can I 431 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 4: learned this from him, I'm going to try this on 432 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 4: the video game, and so all that type of stuff. 433 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 4: I would say, high school college so much defensively. And 434 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 4: then still he's on our staff at Michigan. The thing 435 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 4: I like about him, we have Doug Mallory, both really 436 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 4: really high end experienced guys to have around, is there's 437 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 4: not a play or a route or a concept that 438 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 4: they haven't seen, and so it's like, ley, what are 439 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:20,160 Speaker 4: they trying to do here? 440 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 5: What do you think could combat that? 441 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 4: So that wisdom I like to call it's like defensive wisdom. 442 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 4: It's just they've been around so many different systems, so 443 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 4: many different elements that they always have at least the 444 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 4: one way to maybe look at something that you might 445 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:35,120 Speaker 4: not think of yourself. 446 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 2: Well, it's clear that he feels like learning from his 447 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 2: dad is something that's valuable. I also found it interesting 448 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 2: that he talked about the benefit of learning from video 449 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 2: games at a young age learning If I had only known, 450 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 2: if I had only known that all my time playing 451 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 2: Madden when I was a kid, it could have led 452 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 2: to me becoming a head coach in the NFL. I 453 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 2: would have spend a little more time doing it. A 454 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 2: little bit more focused. 455 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: My mom was telling me to get off the TV 456 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: and stop playing video games. You know what the heck, mom, 457 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: You know, I'm gonna throw this back in her face now. 458 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 2: But like even things like that, I think that that 459 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 2: kind of shows you his his the approach and like 460 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 2: the mindset that he has, even like when you're a 461 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 2: kid playing video games, he's almost looking at it from 462 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 2: an educational standpoint of learning the game, learning defenses, and 463 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 2: like you kind of always it just seems to me 464 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 2: like he always is kind of looking at things from 465 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 2: that educational lens. 466 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 3: He's definitely a student of the game. 467 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 1: And you know, when you combine the desire to learn 468 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: with just intelligence, you know, he's a very sharp guy. 469 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: Then you can soak up a lot of football and 470 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: and like we talked about, you know, even beyond his 471 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: father and all the lessons that he learned from him. 472 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: You know some of the people on his father's staff 473 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: way back at Cincinnati, I mean John Harball, Mike Tomlin, 474 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 1: you know, Mike Tomlin, Rex Ryan right, and like Jesse 475 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: used to spend a lot of time around Mike Tomlin 476 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 1: and that wide receiver group. Jesse played wide receiver back 477 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 1: in college and he used to kind of be part 478 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: of those drills, you know, running through there and watching 479 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,360 Speaker 1: Mike Tomlin. So there's there's a Tomlin connection there too, 480 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:20,679 Speaker 1: which I hadn't realized before. And then obviously you know, 481 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: reuniting with John Harball, Jim Harball. Like there's so many 482 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: influences here, great influences on Jesse and when you are 483 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: a sponge the way that he has been over his 484 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: whole life really like this. Yes, he's forty two years old, 485 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: which is on the younger side for a head coach, 486 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: but he see in terms of knowledge and football experience 487 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: and coaching experience, like he's he's definitely advanced beyond that. 488 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's a good point. 489 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 2: Like you look at the coaches that have been in 490 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 2: his orbit over the course of his life, and it's 491 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 2: some of the best coaches in the National Football League, 492 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 2: best coaches in college, the Hardballs of course, Mike McDonald 493 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 2: here in Baltimore. You mentioned Mike Tomlin, Like there's a 494 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 2: it's a who's who lists of people that have been 495 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 2: influences and who he has worked alongside or experienced and 496 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 2: come into contact with in his in his time, and 497 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 2: I think all of that serves him well to prepare 498 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 2: him for this moment. The last bite that I have 499 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 2: from him here is just gives you a sense of 500 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 2: his attitude towards football, why he loves the game, and 501 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 2: what makes it special. 502 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:32,639 Speaker 4: I wanted to be around this game. I wanted to 503 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,639 Speaker 4: be around the locker room. I wanted to be around 504 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 4: a team. I think there's something so special about football itself, 505 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,880 Speaker 4: being the greatest team sport in the world, just the 506 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 4: the sacrifice, the commitment, the bringing people together to achieve, 507 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 4: Like you have one hundred something guys. To me, is 508 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 4: the craziest thing about football is how many guys you 509 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 4: have on a team and only eleven play at a time, 510 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 4: so there's actually way more guys on the sideline than 511 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 4: there are actually playing. And just the commitment that all 512 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 4: those guys you know, put forth to be successful even 513 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 4: though there might only eleven guys out there at a time. 514 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 5: It's a special sport. 515 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,120 Speaker 2: I mean, I think this is pretty familiar right here. 516 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 2: This is you can hear in his voice, like just 517 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 2: how much he loves the game, how it feels like 518 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 2: it's the ultimate team sport. How you have one hundred 519 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: guys and you're able to connect with all of them. 520 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 2: You need everybody basically moving in the same direction in 521 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 2: order for the team to have success. And again, it 522 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 2: just comes back to the point like, this is somebody 523 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 2: who loves the game, has grown up in it, and 524 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 2: I think that that experienced, that knowledge, that familiarity, that 525 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 2: the passion, all of that is going to put him 526 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 2: in position to really hit the ground running here. 527 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: I mean, this is a kid who used to go 528 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: to his father's game games in Cincinnati in full football uniform, helmet. 529 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 3: Always ready. He was ready to go. 530 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: So yeah, and you know what's also interesting about Jesse 531 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: and his background is you know he first kind of 532 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 1: got a foot in the door working for his father 533 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: and then told his dad like, I still got the 534 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: itch to play football, Like I'm not quite ready, you know, 535 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:18,360 Speaker 1: to start my coaching career, went back and played throughout college, 536 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: and then eventually, you know, after his playing days were done, 537 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: and said all right, you know, and now I'm ready 538 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: to be the coach. But like, you know, just a 539 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: guy who who loves the game, and that certainly emanates 540 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: from him, and I think is part of the reason 541 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: why he's able to connect with players so much. 542 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 2: So we hope that all of this just gives you 543 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: a perspective on who Jesse Mentor is, his coaching philosophy, 544 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 2: and the experience as that has helped him get to 545 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 2: this point. Again, all that came from a conversation with 546 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 2: with John Harbaugh on the Hardball Coaching Academy. 547 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 3: You can check out. 548 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 2: More of that interview the full interview as well as 549 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 2: many other interviews at Hardball Coachingacademy dot com. But that 550 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 2: was just a great conversation and perspective on Jesse and 551 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 2: who he is. So we're going to take a quick break. 552 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 2: When we come back, we'll dive into one of your emails. 553 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 2: You're listening to the Lounge podcast. We're coming to you 554 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 2: from the Sea Geek Studio. We want to mention our 555 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 2: partners with Draftking sports Book. They are an official sports 556 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 2: betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Drafting Sports Book. The 557 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 2: Crown is yours, so as always, we love to hear 558 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 2: your emails. Got a lot of emails, by the way, 559 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 2: about Clifton Brown coming on the podcast recently the Hall 560 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 2: of Famer. Go back and listen to that episode, particularly 561 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 2: the part of Cliff talking about his career, his accomplishments. 562 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: He was just inducted into the National Black Sports Writer 563 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 2: Hall of Fame. So congratulations to Cliff, and we got 564 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 2: a lot of compliments about Cliff's appearance here on the Lounge. 565 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 2: Also have an handful of emails about the decision to 566 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: hire Jesse Minzer here. This one comes to us from 567 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 2: Hans As I just listened to the podcast with reaction 568 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 2: to the Jesse Minter head coach hire. I agree with 569 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 2: your take entirely. Defense wins championships, and I wholeheartily agree that, 570 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 2: especially with Lamar on the offensive side, that's the case. 571 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: Now the question, so that's the first point. That's the 572 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 2: first point, which I know you certainly endorsed that for sure. 573 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 2: The question is, I don't remember. He says when Mike 574 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 2: McDonald left to become the head coach of the Seahawks, 575 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: which was after the twenty twenty three season, was mentor 576 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 2: available or in consideration for the defensive coordinator job at 577 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 2: that point? Knowing again the connection here between him and 578 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 2: Mike and they've worked, they worked together here and then 579 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 2: Jesse replaced Mike at Michigan. So the question is was 580 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 2: Jesse in consideration for the defensive coordinator job here at 581 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 2: that point. 582 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: I don't know how much consideration he was he got 583 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: for that job, but I know that he followed. After 584 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, when Michigan won national championship, Jim Harball. 585 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 3: Was hired to be the LA Chargers head coach, and 586 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 3: Jesse followed him there. 587 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: So I think that there was obviously a natural connection 588 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 1: right there that made a whole lot of sense. And 589 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: you know, the Ravens had Zach Orr, who is a 590 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: great coach in his own regard, and he was the 591 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: linebacker's coach and he was kind of on that track. 592 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: And so honestly, at that time, it made sense for 593 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: both guys, you know, and both Harball brothers, who they 594 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: have to be their defensive coordinators. And you know what 595 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: it all works out for. You know, it all worked 596 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: out eventually. 597 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 2: And I mean, I mean, looked, Jesse just won a 598 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 2: national championship with Jim at Michigan and then that entire 599 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 2: not the entire staff, but a lot of that staff 600 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 2: then went to LA and so he was already getting 601 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 2: a defensive coordinator job. I would have it had been 602 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 2: interesting on the phone if John were to call Jim 603 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 2: and say Hey, by the way, I know you're planning 604 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 2: to build out your staff and you want to bring 605 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 2: Jesse with you, but I have like, I don't. 606 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: I don't know how Jim would basically be like, dude, 607 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: I need a defensive coordinator and he was just. 608 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 2: With me, yeah, he like click, no thanks. So yeah, 609 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 2: I think that that's probably uh kind of what was 610 00:30:55,080 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 2: at play there. So again, the press conference with Jesse 611 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 2: as coming up on Thursday. It's going to be really 612 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,120 Speaker 2: interesting to hear from him and get a chance just 613 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 2: to talk with him and get his perspective and vision 614 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: on this team. Also, of course it could be news 615 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: coaching news and building out the staff. That's the next 616 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 2: piece of this equation here is building out this coaching staff, 617 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 2: and it'll be really curious to see the moves that 618 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 2: he makes and where this goes. 619 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, so thank you for listening. As always, hit 620 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:28,479 Speaker 1: us with your emails at the lounge at ravenst NFL 621 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 1: dot net. 622 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 3: I'm still buzzing about this hire. 623 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: Garrett can't wait to talk more about this and to 624 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: meet Jesse Mentor on Thursday.