1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to another edition of the Official Jets Podcast. We 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: said we had something special up our sleeve, something a 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: little different than just to day to day stuff, and 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: this is the launching of our what are we gonna 5 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: call it the podcast profile series, where E. A And 6 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: I go into a bit of a deeper dive on 7 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: a handful of players. In today, we got Corey Davis. 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: The episode is about Corey Davis. We got his high 9 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: school coach, Rob mu Hitch, we got his college coach, 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: p J. Fleck. I'm sure people have heard of p 11 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: J Fleck before, and this is gonna be a real 12 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: fun series. I really enjoyed doing these because every person, 13 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: every player has their own unique story, and I think 14 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: over the course of this series, people are gonna find 15 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: out a lot about these players, maybe that they hadn't 16 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: known before, or maybe they had known on the surface level. 17 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: But like you said, I think that is an apt description. 18 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: This is a deep dif and with Corey Davis in particular, 19 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,639 Speaker 1: I think we gotta set the table with this. We'll 20 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: start with mu Hitch, will go to PJ flat because 21 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: that's cross, that's the chronological order of his life. And 22 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: for those who don't know Corey Davis in high school 23 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: lived with another family when he blew up as a 24 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: football player on the field, and the Griffin family took 25 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: him in and the family, well, I was getting confused, 26 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: so the grand family, Okay, the grand family took him in, right, 27 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: And mu Hitch talks about him or that dynamic a 28 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: little bit. And Corey lived in with another family his 29 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: older brother Titus, who will talk about in a little bit. 30 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: And you'll hear Coach mu Hitch talk about Titus, who 31 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: also was a jet wearing eighty four. So I just 32 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: feel like the Corey Davis story when he was coming 33 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: out in two thousands seventeen out of Western Michigan. I mean, 34 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: that was a really cool story that that made the news. 35 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: And to hear p. J. Flack talk about it and 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: Ron mu Hitch talked about it, it just feels like 37 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: it's a cooler story than even meets the eye. Well, 38 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: I think it takes a village to raise somebody. It's 39 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: not just the set of parents, or it's not just 40 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: your immediate friends and family. Sometimes you need extra help. 41 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: And this is a reminder there's a lot of good 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: people out there a are looking to help young people 43 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: out in their development because Corey Davis and his family 44 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: they had struggles. So the grand family takes him in 45 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: and he's some academic problems early on in his career, 46 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 1: but he got his grades up, eventually got that scholarship 47 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: to Western Michigan UM, and obviously is now in the 48 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: National Football League. But uh, yeah, that really says a 49 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: lot about Corey and the family itself, because you're taking 50 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: somebody in and making them part of your family. And 51 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: then Corey a lot of people I think might who 52 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: are young, who are adolescents, they might resist something like that, 53 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: that kind of change, but he flourished and that speaks 54 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: to the carrot dirt that he has. Yeah, I can't 55 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: imagine doing what Corey Davis did. I mean, that must 56 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: be really tough to know that it was a better 57 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: situation for him in the long run to live with 58 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 1: a different family than his parents. I mean that, especially 59 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: being a high school student. I mean that must be 60 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: extremely difficult. And Corey on the field followed in his 61 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: brother's footsteps tight as Titus was a fantastic athlete. He 62 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: played at Central Michigan and then Corey a couple of 63 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: years younger. I believe he was a sophomore when Titus 64 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 1: was a senior, and once Titus graduated and left to 65 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: Central Michigan, that's when Corey moved in with the grand family. 66 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: And then his days at Wheaton Warrenville South High School. 67 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: It ended up being two pretty good seasons for Corey. Well, 68 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: we're gonna listen to it in a second, but you 69 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: talked to Coach Muich and he said the guidance counselor 70 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: was driving into school one day and they saw Corey walking. 71 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: And he grew up in Illinois and two hours, I 72 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: mean two miles to school, two miles back. And the 73 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: old story that folks will tell is that, Yeah, in 74 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: my day, I used to walk to school up pill 75 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: four miles into snow and stuff like that. It was 76 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: uphill both ways, but I don't know if it was 77 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: it was under the spotlight until guidance counselor sees, oh, 78 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: look at what Corey's doing just to get to school 79 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: every day. Right. And we've heard when Corey Davis signed 80 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: with the Jets. All we heard from Joe Douglas, Coach 81 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 1: Sale and even Coach Lafleur is about Corey Davis's work 82 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: ethic and how much he loves ball and we had 83 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: to Ron Davenport on the podcast. He talked about it too, 84 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: who covers the Titans for ESPN NFL Nation. He was 85 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,359 Speaker 1: talking about Corey's work ethic and just I think that 86 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: one story that you detail that again, Coach mu Hitch 87 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,119 Speaker 1: will detail that is Corey Davis to a t and 88 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: he's earned his way to what his second contract now 89 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: here with the Jets, and you know, without spilling anymore 90 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: the beans here, let's hear from coach mu Hitch. Coach, 91 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: how would you describe Corey as a high school kid? 92 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: And when did you first meet Corey? Corey was in 93 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: our program in the twenty two thousand, nine, eleven and 94 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: twelve seasons, and he was a young athlete that we 95 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: saw a lot of talent in. He was a track athlete. 96 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: Uh in in as well was sprints and for our 97 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: track team. So we knew we had some talent there. 98 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: And we knew that we had some some all we 99 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: had to do was get him bigger he was. He 100 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: was very small, lean, I would say, as a youngster 101 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: coming into the program. Uh And then what you see 102 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: now has really obviously blossomed into a tremendous athlete. What 103 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: about off the field? What was Corey like? HM? Corey 104 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:17,119 Speaker 1: was Corey was a quiet kid, very um, very much 105 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: a part of a family that we had come through 106 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: the program in athletics. His his brothers played for me 107 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: and our school and we're very successful. So being the 108 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: youngster in the family, I'm sure he captured a lot 109 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: of of wisdom and role models from his older brothers 110 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: that you know, allowed him to grow into the program 111 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: and grow into the success that he has been this 112 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: up to this point. I'm glad you mentioned Corey's family 113 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: because Corey talked to the New York media and said 114 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: that Titus was one of his idols. He was his 115 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: idol growing up. So Titus was obviously a very good 116 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: player for you. Did you know about Corey through tight 117 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: US first or did that even predate Titus? Uh? Both 118 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: of those boys came through our our summer camps, you know, 119 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: in the in the youth programs that you that you 120 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: support as a high school program. Uh. His quarterback UH 121 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: and his buddies that he played youth football with were 122 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: very successful in our youth program. And I know that 123 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: Corey particularly played at a high level in youth football 124 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: Titus his his brother that was was just as successful 125 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: in high school force, but Uh interestingly probably had a 126 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: very very successful college career. And UH had a couple 127 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: of attempts and trials in the NFL himself, and and 128 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,559 Speaker 1: was you know, on a couple of teams as a 129 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: as a as a player, and I went to the 130 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: highest level as well. So both of these boys, Titus 131 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: in particular and Corey Uh, have been very successful stories 132 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: from our program. Could you tell how close they were 133 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: in high school? Yes, Um, you could see that Corey 134 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: really enjoyed Titus as example. Titus again was a a 135 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: late success story for us. He was in Both of 136 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: the boys were track athletes. Titus went downstate and Uh 137 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: in long jump as well as some sprints. So you know, 138 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: I found that there their relationship was, you know, pretty 139 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: much a quiet family relationship. But I know that Corey 140 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: idolized Titus as an older brother and in doing so 141 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: had a great role model on him. Titus let our 142 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: two thousand nine and two thousand ten state championship teams 143 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: as a wide receiver and he was He was phenomenal, 144 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 1: big playmaker force as a white out, which led him 145 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 1: to great days at record setting days at Central Michigan 146 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: as well as, uh, you know, his opportunities to get 147 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: into the NFL. So when Titus went to Central Michigan 148 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: the two year difference there, Corey was then entering his 149 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: junior year, which is coincide with the time that he 150 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: moved in with the grand family. Was there any indicator 151 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: to you that that may happen or did that come 152 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: as a surprise to you. Well, both both Titus and 153 00:09:55,360 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: Corey were assisted by families in our community that helped 154 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: them in so many ways. And the whole family with 155 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: Titus and the grand family with Corey, you know, we're 156 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: we're extended family members to their to their stories and 157 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: to their help getting educational assistance and just support that 158 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: I think both of the boys needed at the time 159 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: coming through high school. Uh, that really probably assisted them 160 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: and being very successful making that next step into the 161 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: college college level. So when Corey moved in with the 162 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: Grahams at sixteen years old and he made that choice, 163 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: what what do you think that says about Corey Davis 164 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: the person having that foresight and knowing that it may hurt, 165 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: but it's what's best for him and his future in 166 00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: terms of football. Well, you know, my favorite story of 167 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: Corey is when his guidance counselor came to me and said, coach, Uh, 168 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you right now, Corey Davis walks to 169 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: school every day along with people my age that tell 170 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: that story. Going over again. You know, we walked two 171 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: miles to come to our our destiny. We didn't drive 172 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: our cars back in the day, but I would tell 173 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: you corey story is very true, and he he walked 174 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: to school. And in Illinois, you know, the winners can 175 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: be rather similar to your New York weathers. So we 176 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: had many examples of ways that that young man proved 177 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:50,079 Speaker 1: himself over time. Uh, to take the path probably less 178 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: traveled by others and not as easy as others, but 179 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: he did a great job of, you know, learning from 180 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: those families and I think learning from his his circumstances 181 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: that you know, life had a challenge for him and 182 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: if he was going to be great, which he is, uh, 183 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: he'd have to work for it. You mentioned learning of 184 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: Corey story that he walked to school every day. Can 185 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: you take us back then and what was your reaction 186 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,319 Speaker 1: at the time, and how did you kind of take 187 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: him under your wing and go from somebody that needed 188 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: academic help to finally receiving a scholarship from Western Michigan. Well, 189 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 1: we went from that story. His guidance counsel was very 190 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: fond of the fact that you know, he he was. 191 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: He noticed him walking that day and that's how he 192 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: alluded that information to me and and telling me those things. 193 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: You know, you never know, your stories of of kids, 194 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: uh opportunities to get to where they need to get to, 195 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: and the care that they're getting at home and so forth. 196 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: You try your best to be involved with that. But 197 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: obviously that's a tall duty. But we did find that 198 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,599 Speaker 1: Corey needed some assistance in his in his school a 199 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: school uh prep and stuff like that, because he wasn't 200 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: getting that necessarily on his own. And the GRAMS provided 201 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: that assistance to him and provided the resources to supply 202 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: that for his his high school years. To get him 203 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: eligible and back in, you know, into in the COVID world, 204 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 1: n C double A is had to make changes themselves. 205 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: Back in that day, n C double A was very 206 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: stringent on requirements and entrance exams and meeting qualifiers that 207 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: make you eligible to get a scholarship, uh, which leads 208 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: to the story of recruiting, you know, and as a 209 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: high school guy, we see colleges across the country come 210 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: in our building, sit in my office and we talked, 211 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: just like we're talking today, about the kid, and they 212 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: want to know more about the person that they see 213 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: on tape and understand if that person's risks to them 214 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: in their future or as a person that they can 215 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: work with. And I assured every college that Corey was 216 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: receiving those academic assistances that he needed from the grand 217 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: family in his school work and his counselors, uh, and 218 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: the extra things that he needed to get that support 219 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: around him. And then you know, the one guy that 220 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: that listened to me um to no surprises, p J 221 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: Fleck from the University of Minnesota, who happened to be 222 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: an Illinois high school athlete himself a successful athlete at 223 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: Northern Illinois and then onto the NFL. And p J 224 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: was a kid that back then as a coach got it. Um. 225 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: You know, he's the guy that would look me in 226 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: the eye and say, Coach, I understand your story, and 227 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: I understand Corey's story. And uh, he stepped out on 228 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: that limb to give him that opportunity for scholarship at 229 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: Western Michigan and saw the potential in a in a 230 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: young athlete that Corey had had some injuries his junior year, 231 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: so he really came into his talent level. I thought 232 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: the summer between his junior and senior year, in all 233 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: of our seven on seven competitions, he was wild coaches, 234 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: So all of a sudden, a kid that had an 235 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: injury actually off the track season as a relatively unknown 236 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: became a marketable athlete. And then the other UH side 237 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: of the coin had to be to fit academically for 238 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: the n C Double A. So we worked very hard 239 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: with him as well as the Grahams to supply that support, 240 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: and Corey, to his credit UH did the work and 241 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: met the requirements and p J flecked to this day 242 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: thanks me for convincing him that that was a risk 243 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: well taken. I'd say so a very good risk well taken. Coach, 244 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: you mentioned Corey putting in the work. Everyone we've spoken 245 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: to has raved about Corey's work ethic, so I figured 246 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: you can kind of talk about his work ethic in 247 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: high school, both on the field and off the field. 248 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: Was that something that you could sense early from Corey 249 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: or is that a trait that was developed in high 250 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: school and now carries with him to this day. Yeah, 251 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: I think that. I think that you know, in any 252 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: high school athletes, you you don't see the finished product 253 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: as a coach, um. And the ones that you usually 254 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: see the finished product when they're a senior, Uh, they 255 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: don't go on to greatness you know sometimes. Um, I 256 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: think the story of Corey was that his potential. We 257 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: were all self evident that that was going to be there. 258 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: But you know, the the dynamics of his play was 259 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: he could run a reverse for me, he could run 260 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: the football. He could he was taller receiver type back 261 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: in the day when that was becoming a criteria for receivers. 262 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: Um obviously taller than Titus is, his older brother, but 263 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 1: he had the ability to high point catches and and 264 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: that long stride of his which was good for for track. Um. 265 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: You know, it just had to be garnered into to 266 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: what the college receiver criterias are in the in the future. 267 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: And I think, you know, P p J. Fleck was 268 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: that kind of a kid himself and undersized receiver who 269 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: had to work extremely hard. So I can't take all 270 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 1: the credit for course success. I I just take credit 271 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: that we did the right things to help him get 272 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: to that next step. And you know, the rest is history. 273 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 1: Western Michigan didn't just a phenomenal job at turning that 274 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: program around, uh and making Corey a featured element of 275 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: their of their success, particularly in his record setting. Uh 276 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: you know wide receiver stats that that I'm sure you 277 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 1: guys have. He became an instant um marketable moment for 278 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: for Corey. And just talking about taking next steps. Is 279 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: that draft day. I'll never forget sitting there watching the 280 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: draft and you know you're talking about we were talking 281 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: about the Chicago draft of number two at that particular 282 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: market that year, and the next thing you know, you're 283 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 1: looking at the bottom of the screen and you see 284 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: the scroll that says says Tennessee takes wide receiver Corey 285 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: Davis before it was even announced, and we were sitting 286 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:17,919 Speaker 1: in our principal's basement along with several other guests. Uh, 287 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: you know, and that was a highlight moment for us 288 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: to see him go that high in the draft. And again, um, 289 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: Tennessee took a risk to take that step and to 290 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: make that commitment. But Corey surely had the evidence coming 291 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: out of his career at Western Michigan and I think 292 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: has led him to you know, he's still getting successful. 293 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: I think the best years of him are still to come. Um, 294 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: he is very much turned into it to a young 295 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 1: man that with that's even stronger than he was back 296 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: in high school, physically stronger. You can just see it. 297 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: He did a summer camp for me last last summer 298 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: with young kids, uh, kind of giving back to the community, 299 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: and you could see his talent uh and the physical 300 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: talent that he has he has grown into and changed into. 301 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: So you know, it's fun as a coach to see 302 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: that growth from start to you know, to finish as 303 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: a high school coach. But the credit has got to 304 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: go to Corey. I mean, you know, kids like that, 305 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: they work hard for what they get and he surely has, 306 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: you know he Um. You know, my one question to 307 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: him was, um, you know when I got to stop 308 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: and put the mic in my hand and ask him 309 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: the questions in front of probably kids that attended that camp. Uh, 310 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, what's what's the difference in the NFL versus 311 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,959 Speaker 1: all the other catches you made in college and all 312 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: the catches you made and how school And his comment 313 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: was very Uh. Uh intuitive I thought that he mentioned 314 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: that every every catch is contested in the NFL, and 315 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: that is the difference on learning how to make the 316 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 1: tough catch when the best of the best of the 317 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: game are playing dB against him and and the best 318 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: of the quarterbacks are under pressure to get the ball 319 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: thrown to a target, and sometimes that target is a 320 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: halo above your head and you just gotta go up 321 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: and get it. So he's become that kind of I 322 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: think believe he's really is that kind of a receiver. 323 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: I think you'll find that if he gets more targets. 324 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 1: I believe you're going to see some really really good results. Uh. 325 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: In your market up in New York. Coach, you mentioned 326 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: Corey coming back and being a part of your summer camps. 327 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: For a kid to make the best out of humble 328 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: beginnings and then come back and give back to the 329 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: community where it all started, and to be a part 330 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 1: of your summer camps where it started for him on 331 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: the field. What does that mean to you and what 332 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: does that say about Corey? Well, it means a lot 333 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: to to to us as coaches, because when they see 334 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: a kid um take it to the highest level, and 335 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: you're a young. You're a young player coming up in 336 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: the community, and you know that the T shirt that 337 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: you were given actually has his name on it, and 338 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: that's something that you're going to have in your house 339 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: for a long time and probably where for a long time. 340 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: I think that's, uh, that's one of those idol to 341 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: connection of a youth football kid that every kid that 342 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: wants to be successful in football needs a role model 343 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: like that. So I think that was kind of kind 344 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: of great that Corey took the time they basically initiated 345 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: it to to set it up with me so that 346 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: we could host it at our school. So the complete 347 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: cycle of of where he started and where he came um, 348 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: I thought was very meaningful to the kids that attended 349 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 1: that camp and the parents that supported that. So now 350 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: you take that to um, what has he learned? And 351 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 1: and you know, I think he's the type of kid 352 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 1: that's giving back to as many of the resources that 353 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: he can to other endeavors and avenues that he, as 354 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: a professional athlete, chooses to support. And I think that, 355 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,719 Speaker 1: you know, Corey's of course personality is still very humble. 356 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna find you're gonna stick a mic 357 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: in front of him, and you're gonna have You're gonna 358 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: ask the question several times to get an answer out 359 00:23:54,359 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: of him, because he's very humble kid. Uh, and that 360 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: goes a long ways I think in the NFL as 361 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,959 Speaker 1: being a type of kid that you know, you wouldn't 362 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: be proud of. Coach. One final question for you, just 363 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: trying to tie it all together here. You mentioned Titus 364 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: stints in the NFL. Two of them actually came with 365 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: the Jets, where of course Corey now signed, knowing that 366 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 1: their relationship in high school and even before that, how 367 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: much do you think it means to Corey that he 368 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: will pick up his NFL career where Titus essentially left 369 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: off and potentially wear the same number. That doesn't surprise me. 370 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that's pretty typical of what a 371 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,199 Speaker 1: what a younger brother would do to support his his 372 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: older brother. And you know, those two were tight. It 373 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 1: was very evident to me as we lost Titus this year, 374 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: it was a pretty tragic story for him and his 375 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: face family and you know, our community. So that was hard. 376 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: That was hard, and I think, uh, Corey did the 377 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: very best he could. It was it was probably frustrating 378 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: for him down the stretch of Tennessee. Uh, you know, 379 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: he came so close to being a thousand yard receiver 380 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: for the first time in the NFL, and I can't 381 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: can't help the feel that some of those last couple 382 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: of games that was heavy on his heart. He's a 383 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:35,199 Speaker 1: young um, he's a young husband, he's a young father. 384 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 1: Uh So he had a lot going on his plate 385 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:45,479 Speaker 1: in and hopefully that can you know, can stabilize him 386 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: a little bit and give him a chance to be, 387 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: you know, the premier receiver that I think New York's 388 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:56,479 Speaker 1: hoping he can he can be for them. Um. You know, 389 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: Tennessee had the luxury of having to really quality wide 390 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: on the same team, and every team needs needs that 391 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: to be successful. Um. So as you build your program 392 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: in New York, you know, I'm following the ESPN chatter 393 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 1: all the time as well, and I know that New 394 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: York is trying to find their decision about QB, but 395 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: they're also trying to find their decision about a possible 396 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: additional wide out two to to make your your offense 397 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 1: even more potent. So I think you got a great 398 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 1: one in Corey Davis. Um. I think the world of 399 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 1: him as a person, as a as a player, and 400 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: as a representative of our program. I think he's gonna 401 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: he's gonna do well for New York. And I think 402 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 1: that you know, he's he's a kid that's going to 403 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: surprise you targeted with a little bit more effort by 404 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: the offense to you know, show him what he can do. Coach, 405 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate 406 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: and hopefully we can get you up in New York 407 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: in the regular season. You know, I've I've been to 408 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: many NFL arenas and New York Is has not been 409 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: one of them, so I'm anxious to get there and 410 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 1: see him play. All right, Well, hopefully we'll see you 411 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: in the regular season. Coach, Thank you so much, appreciate 412 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: the time. You're welcome. Thank you great stuff from coach 413 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: mu Hitch. And now let's turn the turn the table. 414 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: I guess turned the page that as what I was 415 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: looking for. Let's turn the page to college because we 416 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: it was kind of detailed that Corey didn't have a 417 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: lot of scholarship offers incomes. PJ Flack first year head coach, 418 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: and you spoke to p J Flack and he had 419 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: great things said about Corey Davis standing interview by the 420 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: way with me, which um and I love that Corey 421 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: goes back, oh to school. And one thing that stood 422 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 1: out to me, and I think this is a great 423 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: reminder for kids out there, Corey said, what's the difference 424 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: in the National Football League? And Corey Davis said, every 425 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 1: catch is tested in the National Football League. And that's 426 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why he's here, frankly, because he 427 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 1: gets after the contested ball and he's a physical receiver. 428 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: Oh nine is pretty good size, big dude. And what 429 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: we just found out was he originally before he started 430 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 1: playing football, he was involved in track like his older 431 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: brother Titus. You know, Titus was a superhero, right like that. 432 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 1: How was the guy he he looked up to growing 433 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: up and Titus tragically passed away last season. And I 434 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: think it means a lot to Corey to be with 435 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: the Jets where Titus had a couple of stints, wearing 436 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: the same number that tits Titus War eighty four. I 437 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: believe his whole life, which is why Corey did the 438 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: same at high school, in college and now in the NFL. Yeah, 439 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: and I think we're got to talk about the Titus 440 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: a little bit later, But you mentioned p J. How 441 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: it's all connected. Right, p J Fleck, when he was 442 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: hired at Western Michigan, he was thirty one years old. 443 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: That's crazy. He wasn't even thirty two yet, and he 444 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: had to rebuilt from the ground up. Right. He had 445 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: a great relationship with the head coach at Wheaton Warrenville 446 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: South Mewitch and he said, I got a guy, you 447 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: gotta come see him. And p J Fleck went there, 448 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: saw Corey Davis and said, yeah, we gotta start the 449 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: program with somebody like this, right, and Corey Davis. He 450 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: had an extremely good collegiate career, right. He was over 451 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: the thousand yard mark two thousand fourteen, two thousand fifteen, 452 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: and two thousand and sixteen, two thousand thirteen. As a freshman, 453 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: he had nine hundred forty one yards and six touchdowns. 454 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:45,479 Speaker 1: He had double digit touchdowns sixteen in order. He had fifteen, twelve, 455 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: and then nineteen touchdown catches his senior year in two 456 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: thousand sixteen, the year that he became or then became 457 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: the number five overall pick in the NFL Draft. Not 458 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: bad for a two star recruit. Recruits, Starr, That's that's 459 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: the way that's not a four or five star. You know, 460 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 1: I'll talk about a diamond in the rough and p J. 461 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:12,479 Speaker 1: I think what helped Corey and p J Flack was 462 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: Fleck played the position and he got a cup of 463 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: tea or a cup of coffee in the National Football 464 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: League with San Francisco forty nine before he started his 465 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: NFL coaching career, so I mean as a college coaching career, 466 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: so he knew exactly what he was looking for. Obviously, 467 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: p J. Fleck is a very talented coach. He's now 468 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: the head coach at Minnesota. But how much do you 469 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: think Corey Davis means to p J Flack, especially because 470 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: you mentioned that he was thirty one years old going 471 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: in his first year Western Michigan. He cast a line 472 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: and it's Corey Davis the number five overall pick. I 473 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: mean that has to really Corey Davis must mean a 474 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: lot to p J. Flat Yeah, you're taking special interest 475 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: in somebody like that, you know, considering Corey's upbringing, his background, 476 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 1: what do you need to gulf through just to get 477 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: qualified for college? And then he comes to Western and 478 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: you're talking about a program that in their first year 479 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: it want one in eleven. By the time Corey Davis 480 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: left Western Michigan, they want undefeated. They went undefeated before 481 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 1: losing in bowl game, and he became one of the 482 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: most accomplished college receivers of all time in terms of 483 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: numbers like you just mentioned. Yeah, I mean, if you 484 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: look on Wikipedia and you look at the career Highlights 485 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: and awards section in terms of college First Team All American, 486 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, three time First 487 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: Team All MAC, MAC Freshman of the Year, the famous 488 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: Idaho Potato Bowl m v P. I mean, Corey davis 489 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: Is resume in college is very impressive, which is why 490 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: he became the number five overall pick to the Tennessee 491 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: Titans before then coming to the New York Jets. And 492 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: also just real quick tracing our steps here in terms 493 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: of Wheaton Warrenville South, you might think, you know, Corey 494 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: Davis probably one of the most famous alum to come 495 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: out of there, well the most famous alumnus Red Grange Ghosts. 496 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: So Corey's got it? What is he? The guelping Jet? Yeah? 497 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 1: I like that. Yeah, well, we might have just come 498 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: up with a new nickname for Corey, but I think 499 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: we should hear from p J. Fleck right now, and 500 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: then we can talk about what Corey Davis means to 501 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 1: this Jets offense. On the flip side, p J, can 502 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: you talk about how you were first introduced to Corey 503 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: Davis and why you took a special interest in him. Yeah. Well, 504 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: I had just gotten done being the wide receiver coach 505 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Took the job at Western Michigan. 506 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: I was thirty one turned in, thirty two years old, 507 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 1: took over a program I hadn't won the championships in 508 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: sixty eight, eight, nineteen sixty six and night. So we 509 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: knew we had to rebuild from the ground up. And uh, 510 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: with my background and wide receivers, that's the only thing 511 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: I've ever coached, that's what I played in college, we 512 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: knew we had to be able to start with some 513 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: type of playmaker. Uh. We went to week warren Ville 514 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: South High School, where I had a really good relationship 515 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: with Ron new Hitch, who was the head football coach there. 516 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame Illinois high school football coach. And you know, 517 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: the first five phone calls I made were to basically 518 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: the five head coaches in Illinois where I'm from that 519 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 1: I know the best. And I remember Ron new Hitch 520 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: telling me, Hey, I got a guy that doesn't have 521 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 1: any offers that should have a lot of offers. You 522 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: gotta come look at him. And you know, this is 523 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: three weeks before signing, that you don't have a lot 524 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: of time. Uh. Went in there met Corey. Uh. He 525 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: had a lot of work to do academically. But I 526 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 1: looked at him and I was like wow. And immediately, Wow, 527 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: We're talking about a two star recruit no offers, and 528 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: I'm sitting there thinking it's something's wrong with this picture. Uh. 529 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: And then I spent a lot of time with Corey, 530 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: just like you would in planning a draft, And I 531 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time with him and UH and 532 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,160 Speaker 1: his family and really just said, you know, this is 533 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: a guy that fits me perfectly. This is a kid 534 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: who's gonna be able to accomplish his dream and he's 535 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 1: a chance. He needs support system. Uh, he needs everything 536 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 1: that our culture is a out and it turned out 537 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: to be a wonderful marriage. Uh. He's one of the 538 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: best human beings I've ever met, one of the hardest 539 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 1: workers I've ever been around. And when your best players 540 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: end up being your hardest workers, that's when you have 541 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 1: team success, not only individual success. So I was really 542 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 1: really happy to hear that he signed with the New 543 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,800 Speaker 1: York Jets and very very happy for him. Well, p 544 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,879 Speaker 1: J said he needed a chance, he needed an opportunity. 545 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:28,440 Speaker 1: What can you talk about in terms of his upbringing 546 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 1: and the challenges he had growing up, Well, I think 547 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: that's one of the strength Corey has. I mean, one 548 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 1: of the number one questions I always ask players is 549 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: tell me about your life from birth until now, and 550 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: I want to hear the story. You know, I want 551 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 1: the dirt, I want the mud, I want all the hardships, 552 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: and then tell me about the hardest thing you've ever 553 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 1: been through. And with Corey, it was like a rolodex. 554 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:53,760 Speaker 1: I mean it was it was like this laundry list, 555 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,359 Speaker 1: and every time he told me more, I fell more 556 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: in love with him because every time had something very 557 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:03,919 Speaker 1: difficult in his life, he overcame it. And not only 558 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,520 Speaker 1: he overcame it, he became a better person, uh after it. 559 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: And I think that's what attracted me to him, because 560 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,319 Speaker 1: you know when when when you have a you have 561 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:16,359 Speaker 1: a kid that big and that talented, but not having 562 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,239 Speaker 1: any offers, and you start to hear different reasons why 563 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: someone doesn't have those offers. You either can believe what 564 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 1: other people are saying or you can do your own homework. 565 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: And we decided to do our own homework and really 566 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: dive into Corey's life. And he is a special, special 567 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: person who is one of my all time favorites. And 568 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 1: it's really hard as a coach to have favorites as 569 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 1: a coach because they're all your children's, like your own 570 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 1: children that you have, you don't have a favorite. But 571 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: when you're talking about the type of person he is 572 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:46,240 Speaker 1: and what he's overcome, it transfers over to the football field. 573 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 1: It transfers over what he's overcome with injuries in his career. Uh. 574 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 1: It shows that he took a program that hadn't won 575 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:57,640 Speaker 1: a championship and since in nineteen sixty six outright and 576 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:00,840 Speaker 1: ended up being a top five pick the NFL Draft, 577 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 1: and not only that, taking that team to the Cotton 578 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 1: Bull at thirteen and oh, that shows what type of 579 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: person he is. And he had a chance to leave early, 580 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 1: he stayed. He's the greatest college football receiver statistically of anybody. 581 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 1: He broke every basically every college football record, catches yards, touchdowns. 582 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: That was important to him. And but the morriword to 583 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: him was the team's success. And I think that's what 584 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 1: makes him so special. But p J, what was his 585 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 1: situation growing up with his brothers and sisters? Because, uh, 586 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: interesting dynamic because he actually want to live with another family, 587 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: the Graham family. And can you talk about your interaction 588 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 1: with them as well while you recruited Cory. Yeah, while 589 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 1: we recruited Cory, I had more contact with the Grahams 590 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 1: and I did his biological family. And you know, but Corey, 591 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: the word family, you know, it stands for forget about me, 592 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 1: I love you. He's got a big family. And but 593 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,800 Speaker 1: the Graham's really kind of took him under their wing 594 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,360 Speaker 1: and had wonderful conversation with the graham still due to 595 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 1: this day. Uh, you know, Corey's blessed to have a 596 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: lot of people in his life who love him, support him, 597 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 1: are there for him. Uh. You know, I always leave 598 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: it up to our individuals, are student athletes, to tell 599 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 1: their story, because nobody tells her story better than themselves. 600 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: But the obstacles he had to overcome, Uh, he could 601 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: have been a number, he could have been a statistic, 602 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:25,799 Speaker 1: he could have quit he could have stopped. He had 603 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 1: every excuse in the book not to be what he 604 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,800 Speaker 1: is today, But he used all the things that happened 605 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: in his life for fuel, not as an excuse, and 606 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: I think that's what makes him really special. He was 607 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 1: quoted as saying that you harassed him, and what he 608 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: meant by that he was saying that in a positive way. 609 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 1: Can you talk about your special interest in him considering 610 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:48,759 Speaker 1: your background, Yes, you were the head coach there, but 611 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: like you mentioned, you were a receiver. So how did 612 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 1: you look after him during the drills and help his 613 00:37:55,280 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 1: growth and develop a plan for Corey during college? Well? 614 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 1: I think that's you know, it's very unique to whatever 615 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: the position the head coach is coached the most. I 616 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:09,800 Speaker 1: think that position on the team is a very unique 617 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 1: bond with the head coach just because that's the position 618 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:16,400 Speaker 1: the head coach knows the best. UH wide receivers is 619 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:18,800 Speaker 1: something I've done and played wide receiver in college, played 620 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 1: in the NFL, coached wide receivers in the NFL, and 621 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,240 Speaker 1: even as a head coach, the way we produced wide receivers, 622 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 1: whether at Western Michigan or here at the University of 623 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: Minnesota UM. We take a lot of pride in that development, 624 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 1: and that's something that we've done, I think at a 625 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,879 Speaker 1: pretty special level, whether it's been Luke Getzy r Wide 626 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,480 Speaker 1: receiver coach or Matt Simon ur wide receiver coach as well. 627 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,280 Speaker 1: Uh so they've gone on to have really good careers 628 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,200 Speaker 1: as well. But I think when you when you look 629 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: at Corey, you know our job. And I was an 630 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 1: underdog and so I had to work so hard just 631 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 1: to keep up with people's skill set. Corey had the 632 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 1: skill he naturally had this this he was born. It 633 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,239 Speaker 1: was gonna be born and gonna be you know, six 634 00:38:56,320 --> 00:39:00,320 Speaker 1: three six four pounds. But the talent of a person 635 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 1: is what either makes or break up the heart, the spirit, 636 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:06,279 Speaker 1: the unconquerable will, the competitiveness to drive, the ability to 637 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 1: outwork yourself today from yesterday. And my job as a 638 00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:12,120 Speaker 1: coach is to take somebody from where they are to 639 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: where they've always dreamed of being, and it's to change 640 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: their best every single day and get him to want 641 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,000 Speaker 1: to come back tomorrow and work harder than they did 642 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 1: the day before, which again is not necessarily easiest thing 643 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: to do. So I'm not sure if it's the word harassed, 644 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,439 Speaker 1: is the best word, but I would say drive and 645 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 1: constantly develop and constantly change and evolve. I would probably 646 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:38,919 Speaker 1: say that you know that. You know, the foot never 647 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,839 Speaker 1: came off the gas, but it couldn't. If he wanted 648 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:43,239 Speaker 1: to be a top five pick and he wanted to 649 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 1: be able to set himself up for positions like this 650 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,640 Speaker 1: that he's in, he was gonna have to do things different. 651 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: He was gonna have to be able to make sure 652 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,399 Speaker 1: he could separate himself from the competition. Uh, and our 653 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 1: job as coaches to make sure that we don't settle 654 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 1: for average. Everything he had to do was at an 655 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: elite level, whether that was academics, athletics, his socialize, his 656 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:04,880 Speaker 1: spiritual life. Corey is elite in all those areas, and UM, 657 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: you know it's up to us coaches to be able 658 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 1: to hold people accountable every day. For that, I think 659 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:10,600 Speaker 1: there's a lot of people say, we're gonna hold him 660 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,839 Speaker 1: acountable and how do you do that? Um? So we 661 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:15,640 Speaker 1: were on them every day just like we are and 662 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 1: all of our players to get the most out of 663 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 1: them from their entire life. What was he like in 664 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,439 Speaker 1: the room. You mentioned the turnaround that you oversaw there. 665 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,000 Speaker 1: You guys start one and eleven and then you finished 666 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: undefeated that final year. For Corey, what was he like 667 00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 1: to his teammates because obviously the work ethic was there, 668 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: but what kind of guy was he in the room? 669 00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:41,719 Speaker 1: And how much did you look upon him for his leadership, 670 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: whether that be vocal or just the way he went 671 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,839 Speaker 1: about his business. Yeah, well, well, Corey wasn't the most 672 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: vocal person, uh, to start out with maybe the first 673 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:53,880 Speaker 1: two years, even though he was a really talented player, 674 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:57,279 Speaker 1: he wasn't very vocal. It wasn't until his third year 675 00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:59,560 Speaker 1: and then his senior year he really came on vocally. 676 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:03,520 Speaker 1: But to do that, one you gotta trust yourself. And 677 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: there's a lot of things Corey was going through and 678 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: figuring out to be able to trust even himself. He 679 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:10,279 Speaker 1: believed in himself, but you gotta be able to trust 680 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 1: yourself and that comes down to time, consistency, and proof. 681 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:15,759 Speaker 1: And to be a leader is one thing, but to 682 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:18,800 Speaker 1: be a vocal leader and not just by your actions, 683 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:21,120 Speaker 1: takes a ton of confidence. It takes a ton of 684 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 1: trust in yourself. It takes the ability to know that 685 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: other people are gonna trust exactly what you say. So 686 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 1: he had to build that the first few years, but 687 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,120 Speaker 1: when he did, he gained that trust in himself, he 688 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:35,000 Speaker 1: trusted his teammates. He gained that trust from his teammates, 689 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:37,160 Speaker 1: and then he took it to a completely different level. 690 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:39,480 Speaker 1: And I'm so glad he did, because I mean, he 691 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:42,000 Speaker 1: was a major factor in our program at Western Michigan 692 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:44,360 Speaker 1: having the success that we had the PJA Final Questions 693 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,720 Speaker 1: as two parter. But it's connected. What was that moment 694 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:51,400 Speaker 1: like for you, Corey Davis being selected in the first 695 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:54,799 Speaker 1: round of two thousand seventeen draft number five overall and 696 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 1: fast forward now too, what was your action when you 697 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:02,800 Speaker 1: had heard he signed with the new our Jets. Well deserved, 698 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,279 Speaker 1: well deserved. When you go back to the draft room 699 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 1: in the green room, uh, you know, rewind to his 700 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:12,279 Speaker 1: junior year. He was gonna possibly come out early, and 701 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,280 Speaker 1: I remember we did all the paperwork for the NFL, 702 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:16,840 Speaker 1: did the insurance policy, did all that, and then we 703 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,600 Speaker 1: had a meeting with the Grahams and we said, listen, 704 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:23,279 Speaker 1: we're gonna support you. Here's what the data says, and 705 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,000 Speaker 1: if you'd like to come out, then maybe he's a 706 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,560 Speaker 1: second third round pick. But if he comes back and 707 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:29,279 Speaker 1: he has the year, we think he could have, and 708 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 1: as a team, we can have the team success that 709 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:34,439 Speaker 1: we think we can have because the better the team did, 710 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:37,239 Speaker 1: the better Corey was gonna do. And the better Corey did, 711 00:42:37,400 --> 00:42:39,800 Speaker 1: better the team was gonna do. That was a natural 712 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:43,560 Speaker 1: fit on every aspect from defense to offense to special teams. 713 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 1: And Corey had that had that ability and the support 714 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,600 Speaker 1: system to say, listen, there's a big difference between a 715 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:53,000 Speaker 1: third round pick or a second round pick and a 716 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:55,560 Speaker 1: top five or a top ten pick. And he believed 717 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,960 Speaker 1: in himself that much and and not rolled the dice 718 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,040 Speaker 1: because it wasn't a gamble. It was just I believe 719 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,120 Speaker 1: in myself that much that I could be a first 720 00:43:03,200 --> 00:43:05,040 Speaker 1: round pick because he had the size, he had, the speed, 721 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 1: he had all that. But with somebody willing to do 722 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 1: that in the first round after his third year, maybe 723 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 1: not from a mid major. So he had to do 724 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:13,640 Speaker 1: it again. And he did it again, and he did 725 00:43:13,719 --> 00:43:16,239 Speaker 1: it even at an elite level and really set this 726 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:19,839 Speaker 1: team two places that never been before. And to sit 727 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:22,840 Speaker 1: there and hear him be called fifth overall and I 728 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:24,640 Speaker 1: had never been to the draft before. I've never been 729 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,880 Speaker 1: in the green room, and it was so emotional because 730 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 1: it's like you see his life rewind, Uh this this 731 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,160 Speaker 1: fast speed and rewind from when he was really young, 732 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: when he was an adolescent, to when in high school 733 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,439 Speaker 1: and all the things you overcame to that one moment 734 00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:41,320 Speaker 1: when his name was called, and it just fast forwards 735 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:44,120 Speaker 1: and rewind so fast in your mind and here he was. 736 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:46,080 Speaker 1: And then to watch him do what he did in 737 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: Tennessee and even overcome the injury and continued to keep 738 00:43:49,719 --> 00:43:51,560 Speaker 1: doing it. Had a great year last year when he 739 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:53,880 Speaker 1: had to and he had a great year. That's one 740 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:55,920 Speaker 1: thing about Corey. When when he has to win his 741 00:43:55,960 --> 00:43:58,680 Speaker 1: backs against the wall, Corey performs at his best and 742 00:43:58,680 --> 00:44:00,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people fold when that happen. So to 743 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:02,680 Speaker 1: hear that he was drafted by the New York Jets 744 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:04,960 Speaker 1: or to sign with the New York Jets for his 745 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:08,239 Speaker 1: his second deal, We're so thankful. We're so excited. I mean, 746 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: we have a Gopher Blake Cashman on the team to now. Uh, 747 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 1: we're just so excited for New York. You're gonna love Corey. Uh. 748 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:18,960 Speaker 1: He just he just had a newborn, so he's so 749 00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:21,799 Speaker 1: excited about being a dad. I think New York's gonna 750 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:24,239 Speaker 1: love Corey and uh, you're gonna love him as much 751 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:26,920 Speaker 1: as we do. So congratulations will get h p J. 752 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:30,239 Speaker 1: Well said, thank you so much for you Tom. Great 753 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,960 Speaker 1: stuff from p J. Fleck, and we've talked about it 754 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:35,319 Speaker 1: back and forth. We kind of weaved it in some 755 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:37,879 Speaker 1: of our discussion or back and forth. Here. I think 756 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:41,319 Speaker 1: it's time we talked about Titus Davis because I said 757 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 1: it earlier. Titus Davis was Corey's hero growing up and 758 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:49,040 Speaker 1: where Corey grew up in terms of geographically, it's not 759 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:51,719 Speaker 1: a great area, and Titus Davis was the guy that 760 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:55,240 Speaker 1: Corey looked up to. Titus played football, Corey played football. 761 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:58,000 Speaker 1: They both wear eighty four. And like I said earlier, 762 00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:02,520 Speaker 1: Tightus tragically passed away in the two football season. So 763 00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:05,440 Speaker 1: there's a couple of things to say here is we 764 00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:08,960 Speaker 1: didn't know this until we taped this this morning that 765 00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:14,560 Speaker 1: coach mu Hitch actually is retired. He is hanging up 766 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:17,880 Speaker 1: the whistle, as the article said. So I'm listening to 767 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:23,200 Speaker 1: your interview with mu which last night, and I'm almost 768 00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:27,440 Speaker 1: in tears because the way mu Hitch was talking about 769 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:31,759 Speaker 1: Corey and Titus and the way not only that he 770 00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:34,560 Speaker 1: looked up to him, but the way he played last 771 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:37,600 Speaker 1: season that it was heavy on his heart and he 772 00:45:37,719 --> 00:45:40,920 Speaker 1: knew it. And with that being said, he thought that 773 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:45,120 Speaker 1: getting a thousand yards would have really meant a lot 774 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:50,239 Speaker 1: to Corey Tightest. Davis died of rare kidney cancer at 775 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:54,640 Speaker 1: twenty seven in November. Um, you know, and it's just 776 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:58,319 Speaker 1: a reminder that nothing is promised, nothing has promised to 777 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,840 Speaker 1: any of us. And here's a guy who had a 778 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:03,320 Speaker 1: couple of stints in the National Football League in Titus, 779 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: including out here right at one Jets Drive, right at 780 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:10,879 Speaker 1: one Jets Drive. And you think somebody like that, who 781 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:12,799 Speaker 1: you see a couple of times on the field. Yeah, 782 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:14,719 Speaker 1: maybe they don't make it in the National Football League, 783 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 1: but they're gonna have a long life ahead of them. 784 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:22,800 Speaker 1: And I just your heart goes out to somebody knowing 785 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:28,759 Speaker 1: that your hero, your blood brother, the guy who you 786 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 1: petting yourself after he ran track. You ran track, he 787 00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:38,560 Speaker 1: played receiver, you played receiver, He was your guy, and 788 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:42,040 Speaker 1: now he's gone. Um, you could tell that really got 789 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:45,719 Speaker 1: the muich. And I'll tell you what, that's something that 790 00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:48,200 Speaker 1: Correy's gonna have to deal with the rest of his life. 791 00:46:48,719 --> 00:46:51,000 Speaker 1: But one thing that we saw after he signed with 792 00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:54,239 Speaker 1: the Jets, is that he had a necklace or a 793 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:58,719 Speaker 1: chain and he's got the dighty four on there right. Yeah, 794 00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:02,839 Speaker 1: I think doing the interview with me, hitch, Yeah, at 795 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:06,200 Speaker 1: first you I was doing I was asking questions and 796 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,960 Speaker 1: then the tightest stuff really hit him hard. You could 797 00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:11,799 Speaker 1: tell that. I think he was really trying to like 798 00:47:11,840 --> 00:47:13,320 Speaker 1: take his time to answer because he was getting a 799 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:17,440 Speaker 1: little choked up. It made, you know, me interviewing him, 800 00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:19,319 Speaker 1: it made me like, you know, take a second and 801 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:23,000 Speaker 1: really kind of reflect in in real time, which is 802 00:47:23,400 --> 00:47:26,719 Speaker 1: you know, it's hard. It's hard to fathom being in 803 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,319 Speaker 1: Corey Davis's shoes, especially because you look at a lot 804 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:31,719 Speaker 1: of NFL players. You're like, you know, they got a 805 00:47:31,719 --> 00:47:35,640 Speaker 1: great life. They play football, they you know, they have 806 00:47:35,719 --> 00:47:38,239 Speaker 1: an off season where they can travel, train, do all 807 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:41,320 Speaker 1: this stuff. And you know what, when something like that happens, 808 00:47:41,360 --> 00:47:43,840 Speaker 1: it really I think it really takes a lot of 809 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:46,240 Speaker 1: people and makes you think, like, these are real life 810 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:49,400 Speaker 1: people dealing with real life situations that anybody has to 811 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:52,600 Speaker 1: deal with. Yeah, well said, And can you imagine what 812 00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:55,359 Speaker 1: it is going through Corey's mind every time he's down 813 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:56,800 Speaker 1: here in the locker room and he's putting on a 814 00:47:56,880 --> 00:47:59,719 Speaker 1: Jet uniform. He's wearing wearing the green and white. I know, 815 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:02,279 Speaker 1: I can't. I've thought about that before. I've tried to 816 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:04,600 Speaker 1: think about what it would mean to me. I mean, 817 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: I feel like at first it's like really difficult. Also 818 00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: just thinking about media Day and that was the first 819 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:13,560 Speaker 1: time he's wearing like a game uniform with eight four, 820 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:17,240 Speaker 1: the same number that Titus war in the same place. 821 00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:21,439 Speaker 1: I mean, the connections there are are almost too real. Yeah, 822 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:26,400 Speaker 1: And every catch and his first touchdown and everything he does, 823 00:48:27,239 --> 00:48:30,920 Speaker 1: you know it's going to be with the heavy heart. 824 00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:34,440 Speaker 1: And with that being said too, is that he's got 825 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:38,720 Speaker 1: hopefully along life ahead of him. And you had talked 826 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:41,279 Speaker 1: about him being a young dad. Now p J talked 827 00:48:41,320 --> 00:48:43,480 Speaker 1: about him being a young dad. Now he is a 828 00:48:43,560 --> 00:48:48,360 Speaker 1: father himself. So four years in the National Football League, 829 00:48:48,480 --> 00:48:50,720 Speaker 1: did a lot of good things with the Tennessee Titans 830 00:48:51,360 --> 00:48:53,719 Speaker 1: salary cap era. So you see a lot of good 831 00:48:53,719 --> 00:48:57,279 Speaker 1: players on the market. Jet C Corey Davis out there, 832 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:04,080 Speaker 1: scoop him up. Um humble kid, a big physical dude 833 00:49:04,239 --> 00:49:09,360 Speaker 1: on the outside, a good catch radius, a quarterback's best friend. 834 00:49:09,480 --> 00:49:12,160 Speaker 1: I think he's gonna help you blocking on the outside 835 00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:15,520 Speaker 1: as well. Um and I I just like the way 836 00:49:15,520 --> 00:49:19,440 Speaker 1: he goes about his business because I think if people 837 00:49:19,760 --> 00:49:24,120 Speaker 1: come away after listening to this podcast thinking a little 838 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:26,880 Speaker 1: bit about what he's been through and what kind of 839 00:49:26,880 --> 00:49:32,279 Speaker 1: mentality you have to have to succeed, that points to 840 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:37,920 Speaker 1: more success along the way for Davis because various points 841 00:49:37,920 --> 00:49:40,040 Speaker 1: in his life in his life he could have said, 842 00:49:40,760 --> 00:49:43,719 Speaker 1: you know what, it's not gonna happen for me. And 843 00:49:44,520 --> 00:49:48,800 Speaker 1: to really further this, like with the all the different 844 00:49:48,880 --> 00:49:51,240 Speaker 1: lines that of cross that we've laid out between tidis 845 00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:53,840 Speaker 1: and what everything about this. Corey Davis had a career 846 00:49:53,920 --> 00:49:58,680 Speaker 1: year last year he falls sixteen yards shy of one 847 00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:02,680 Speaker 1: thousand yards and now in a COVID season with his 848 00:50:02,760 --> 00:50:07,120 Speaker 1: brother passing away and really to continue the crossing lines here, 849 00:50:07,160 --> 00:50:10,360 Speaker 1: Corey broke out his sophomore season his second year in 850 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:15,560 Speaker 1: the NFL two eighteen, he had receiving yards and who 851 00:50:15,640 --> 00:50:18,560 Speaker 1: was the offensive coordinator at the time was Matt Lafleur, 852 00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:22,600 Speaker 1: the brother of Jets offensive coordinator Mike Laflour, who had 853 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:25,440 Speaker 1: great things to say about Corey Davis. You mentioned his 854 00:50:25,480 --> 00:50:28,320 Speaker 1: blocking prowess, Well, how about this Corey Davis last season 855 00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 1: fourth in the NFL and play action receiving yards, so 856 00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:35,960 Speaker 1: receiving yards that come on a play action pass, and 857 00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:40,640 Speaker 1: the Jets will have a heavy play action that, like 858 00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:43,680 Speaker 1: play actual, will be a heavy emphasis in this offense. 859 00:50:43,680 --> 00:50:46,440 Speaker 1: And I expect him to flourish in this offense. Not 860 00:50:46,560 --> 00:50:48,920 Speaker 1: only you know as one of the receivers that the 861 00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 1: Jets have, but he right now is wide receiver one. Yeah, listen. 862 00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:58,359 Speaker 1: Another thing that Robert Sala Joe Douglass are trying to 863 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:02,160 Speaker 1: install here is the best culture and professional sports. P 864 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:06,719 Speaker 1: J Flex said of Davis, one of the best humans 865 00:51:06,760 --> 00:51:10,719 Speaker 1: I've ever met, one of the best workers I've ever 866 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:14,439 Speaker 1: been around. And the other thing that has shining through 867 00:51:14,480 --> 00:51:16,760 Speaker 1: throughout his life when his back is against the wall, 868 00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:19,200 Speaker 1: that's when he performs his bust. That's the guy you 869 00:51:19,239 --> 00:51:21,360 Speaker 1: want in the locker room. I think that is the 870 00:51:22,360 --> 00:51:24,920 Speaker 1: That quote right there a great way to sum up 871 00:51:24,920 --> 00:51:26,799 Speaker 1: Corey Davis. And that's a great way to end this 872 00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:32,120 Speaker 1: first episode of the podcast Profile series on the Official 873 00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:33,320 Speaker 1: Jets Podcast.