1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: It's time to get inside the Giants huddle on Giants 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: dot Com. Here we go, Here we go on the 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Giants Bubble. 4 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 2: Let him in there, let's go. 5 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Part of the Giants Podcast Network. 6 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 3: Welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Huttle Podcast. 7 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 3: I'm Lance Meadow, He's John Schmelk. We're continuing to break 8 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 3: down the twenty twenty three draft class, and today we're 9 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 3: focusing on the team's second round pick, fifty seventh overall, 10 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 3: Minnesota center John Michael Schmidz, and to get more into 11 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 3: John Michael Schmidz and what he'll bring to the Giants. 12 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 3: We are joined by the head coach of the Golden Gophers, 13 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 3: none other than PJ. 14 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: Fleck. 15 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 3: Coach greatly appreciate the time, Hoop Pole as well. Has 16 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 3: everything on your end. 17 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: Everything's going to leap. Thanks for having us on the show, 18 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: and we're really excited to have another Gopher with the 19 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: New York Giants, that's for sure. 20 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 3: Absolutely joining Carter Kauflin and maybe he'll be brought up 21 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 3: in the dialogue as we move forward here. But Coach, 22 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 3: I want to start, obviously with your very strong ties 23 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 3: to John Michael. You go all the way back to 24 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 3: when he was considering coming to Western Michigan. Then twenty seventeen, 25 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 3: you get the Minnesota job, he follows you and. 26 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 2: He mentioned he didn't not even visit the campus. 27 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 3: He just said, Hey, coach Fleck wants me to come 28 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 3: to Minnesota, sign me up. So what were those conversations 29 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 3: like it? Why were you able to build such strong 30 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 3: ties with him? 31 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: Well, first of all, I mean he fit everything with 32 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: the road, the boat, cultures, about what we're about within 33 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: our walls, whether that's at Western Michigan or Minnesota. It's 34 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: all about the people and it's all about fit. And 35 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: I think the best NFL teams have the best cultures 36 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: and have the best fit and connectivity, and that's what 37 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: we're all about. And there was it was really easy 38 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: to tell John Michael Schmid was going to fit our program. 39 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 1: He was tough South Side of Chicago kid. If you've 40 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: ever met his mother, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 41 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: She's one of the toughest people I've ever met. And 42 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: he just fit the rebuild at Western Michigan. It was 43 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: going to be so easy to be able to bring 44 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: him in there. But obviously then we got the job 45 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: here and I called about, you know, six seven players 46 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: and basically reoffered him, and my whole line to them was, listen, 47 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: I know you haven't seen it, but neither have I. 48 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: So all we're doing is taking our culture and we're 49 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: plugging it in in Minnesota instead of going to Michigan 50 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: or Western Michigan, just drive a little further to the 51 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: west and a little bit far farther north. And it 52 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: took a lot of courage from a lot of those players, 53 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: But the success that they've had, including John Michael, I mean, 54 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: it says a lot about that first meeting and the 55 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: trust they had in us, trust they had in our program, 56 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: the trust to stick around, to keep developing, to maximize 57 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: your draft status, to find the right fit, and that's 58 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: what life's all about. And absolutely love the young man 59 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: and the New York Giants fan base is going to 60 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: be really excited to get. 61 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 4: Him, and we'll certainly talk about more about him as 62 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 4: a person coach. But I'm wondering how much did his 63 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 4: multi sport background intrigue you when you recruited him to 64 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 4: cod to college, because I always think having a multi 65 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 4: sport background for these athletes is important to train different muscles. 66 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 4: He was a wrestler, he played basketball, he played baseball. 67 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 4: How did that kind of go into your recruiting process 68 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 4: to make you believe he was the right guy for 69 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:01,239 Speaker 4: your pro from a physical standpoint. 70 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: Well, for us, I mean, multi sport athletes is part 71 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: of the requirement to actually be recruited by US a 72 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: lot more at Western Michigan because it was a little 73 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: less popular to be specialized, you know, almost a decade ago, 74 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: right So now it's a little bit more of that, 75 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: but we were still probably eighty eighty five percent of 76 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: our football teams all multi sport athletes, even here at Minnesota. 77 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 1: I love multi sport athletes competing all year round. There's 78 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with training and specializing, but I prefer going 79 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: as a head coach. You don't ever get a chance 80 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: to leave campus. They keep us here like prisoners at times, 81 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: you know. So you know, we can't go on the 82 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: road recruiting in May. So when I go out, I 83 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: want to watch the kid play basketball, I want to 84 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: watch them wrestle. I want to watch him compete besides 85 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: a football game. And a lot of times we can't 86 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: go watch football games because we're taking care of our 87 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: own team, our assistants are going to go out, but 88 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: a lot of the head coaches don't travel, so it 89 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: was imperative that we had multi sport athletes, still is 90 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: to this day. But watching his feet and you watch 91 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: how editive he was and how tough he was. You 92 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: can tell a lot by watching somebody else play another 93 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: sport and know their DNA as an athlete period, and 94 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what sport they play. I wasn't recruiting 95 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: him as a basketball player, thank god, right, because we 96 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: wouldn't have taken him. But you watched him as a 97 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: football player play basketball. It matched the style of play 98 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: that he had on the football field as well. 99 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 4: What did he play in baseball? Just out of curiosity, 100 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 4: was he a pitcher or did he catch? He looks 101 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 4: like a catcher. 102 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: I thought he caught. 103 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 2: Yeah that makes sense. Yeah, well, coach. 104 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 3: From a basketball standpoint, he probably would do the dirty 105 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 3: work rebounding the basketball. So he probably would have found 106 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 3: the role for him in some capacity though you. 107 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: Think, oh, there's no doubt. I mean, he'd be an enforcer, 108 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: you know. I mean you'd have to go and you 109 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: bring him in when you want to to get those 110 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: fouls up, you know, I mean get into the bonus 111 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: or something, or take somebody out of the game. He's 112 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: he is a gritty player, and he's nasty and all 113 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: in the positive way. But what a team player he's 114 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: going to be. 115 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 3: Well, speaking of that greenness, that nastiness, I think if 116 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: you look at your track record on offense over the 117 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 3: last few years, you've had one of the best run 118 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 3: games in college football, and clearly John Michael Schmidz is 119 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 3: a big reason behind that. How does that nastiness and 120 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 3: that grittiness transfer over to what he brings to the 121 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 3: running game? 122 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: Well, first and foremost, I mean most of football's wont 123 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: in between the trenches. And I think we all know 124 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: that if you can win up front offensive line and 125 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: defensive line, you're gonna win a lot of games, whether 126 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: that's in college football or that's in the National Football League. 127 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,559 Speaker 1: And you know, we've taken two jobs that primarily didn't 128 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: have recent modern day success at a really high level, 129 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: and we teach our players how to go win games. 130 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 1: I think we're like forty and two when we're up 131 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: at halftime, but in reverse, we're like I don't know, 132 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: six and thirty six or something when we're losing at halftime. 133 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: It's some astronomical number. But both of the jobs I've 134 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: had have been in the North. Both jobs are really 135 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: tough weather in November, and that's when championships are won, 136 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: and you have to be able to set the tone 137 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: for what you're going to be as a program and 138 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: that game by basically punching the other guy in the 139 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: mouth and saying we're going to run the football. You know, 140 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: we're going to run the football, but we're still gonna 141 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: have success doing it. And that's imposing your will on somebody. 142 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: And that's the type of attitude and nastiness and toughness 143 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: that John Michael Smith's brought to our football team. He's 144 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: one of the greatest people off the field, one of 145 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: the best connectors of a locker room then you'll ever meet. However, 146 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: when he's on that football field, I mean, he is 147 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: a nasty, nasty human being. And that's what you want 148 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: because you're creating that identity of what you're going to 149 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: become as a program, especially when you're in the Big Ten, 150 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: especially when you're in the North and the Mid American Conference. 151 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 1: You've got to be able to impose your will and 152 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: we believe strongly in that. 153 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 4: I'm allowed to joke about this because my wife from 154 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 4: Iowa and she has allowed me to do so. But 155 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 4: the old expression midwestern nice coach, where you know they're 156 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 4: really nice, but then secretly they're like killing you. It 157 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 4: seems like he's like the way he flips his switch 158 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 4: off the field, where he's this big, gregarious guy on 159 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 4: the field. I was watching his tape with with Sean 160 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 4: O'Hara or Super Bowl win he sent through. He does 161 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 4: broadcast for us, and he's finishing guys on the ground, 162 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 4: not just on run plays, but on pass plays. It 163 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 4: seems like he kind of has that all right, I'm 164 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 4: gonna be this great guy off the field, but on 165 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 4: the field, to your point, he's gonna go out there 166 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 4: and he's gonna try to bury it. 167 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: Well. 168 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: He loves the game. He loves the contact, he loves 169 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: the physicality of it. He loves the dirty part of it. 170 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: He loves the nasty part of it. The nastier the 171 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: better he plays, the filthier it is. It's like a 172 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: pig man. He's just he's just rolling around in that mud, 173 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: and he's the happier as he gets more mud on him. 174 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: That's the type of player he is, and and and 175 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: and listen there there is there's nothing fake about the guy. 176 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: He's He's probably the toughest football player I've ever been around, 177 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: as being a head football coach. He's incredibly intelligent, really smart. 178 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: But to your point, it's not about that he just 179 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: plays center or he's a good offensive lineman. That's what 180 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: he does. How he plays a position separates him from everybody. 181 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: And that's where in between that six seconds or five seconds, 182 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: it's a dogfight and a rock fight with him every 183 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: single play. And he knows he's not gonna win every battle. 184 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: That's the thing about him. His resilience to failing and 185 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: his response mechanisms to failing make him an extraordinary player 186 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: because it's not about you're not gonna win every battle. 187 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: And that's a football league, and you're not gonna win 188 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,239 Speaker 1: him all in the Big ten, but especially in the NFL, 189 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: especially as a rookie. But how do you how do 190 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 1: you deal with that adversity and do you get frustrated, 191 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: do you get discouraged or does it make you better? 192 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: And I think that's where his strength is. That's his 193 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: superpowers again, the nasty it gets even the more failing 194 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: he gets, the better he's going to be let alone 195 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: the successes that are going to make him better. So 196 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: he's one of those players that are going to play 197 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: in the NFL for a very long time. A lot 198 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: of people aren't going to really notice him until something 199 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: wrong happens. And that's a good thing because he's going 200 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: to be so consistent in how he plays, and the 201 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: coaching staff is going to know exactly what you're going 202 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: to get out of him, and in that level, that's 203 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: worth a lot more. That's the price of gold right there, 204 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,719 Speaker 1: is If you just know exactly what you're going to 205 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: get out of a player, you can build your team 206 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: around that. And I think people are going to know 207 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: exactly from start to finish what they're going to get 208 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: out of John Michael. 209 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 2: We're talking about Minnesota Gold, the Gophers head coach PJ. 210 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 3: Fleck here on the Giants Total podcast about the team's 211 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 3: second round pick, John Michael, schmidts and coach as you 212 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 3: hit on it's very good news. When you're not talking 213 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 3: about offensive lineman, that means something's right in the trenches. 214 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: But what has been noticeable about his play is his 215 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 3: unique snap and the fact that he relies on the 216 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 3: dead ball snap. I know a lot of people have 217 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 3: picked up on that and for our viewers and our 218 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 3: listeners to understand, he's snapping it essentially from the point 219 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 3: the top of the football as opposed to the side 220 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 3: with the laces. 221 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: How did that come about? 222 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 3: I know Brian Callahan, your offensive line coach, played an 223 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 3: integral role in that. And why did it seem to 224 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 3: be so effective and a good fit for him? 225 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: Well, it wasn't just for John Michael. I mean, it 226 00:09:57,600 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: was something that we wanted to do as a program 227 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,719 Speaker 1: years ago. And you know, we when we first got here, 228 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: we were struggling with snapping the football. It wasn't just 229 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: a center issue. It just it was a lot of 230 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: people here that we just we had to like develop 231 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: a center that wasn't really a center, and he'd had 232 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: and when he missed, he missed really poorly. And so 233 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: Brian Callahan, who I think is one of the best 234 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,839 Speaker 1: offensive line developers at all of college football back in 235 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: Eastern Illinois when he was there, he had a center 236 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: who broke one of his fingers and they he then 237 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: struggled snapping the normal way, the spiral way, and so 238 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: coach Callahan made him snap basically, you know, the tip up, 239 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: and what we found from that, and what we found 240 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: with our centers is they their misses were smaller, meaning 241 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,599 Speaker 1: that the miss radius was more manageable for the quarterback, 242 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: and it was way easier on the hand, and the 243 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: toss was easier to catch. So it was all around 244 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: going to be easier for the center, it was going 245 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: to be easier for the quarterback, and so we made 246 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: the change holistically and he just became really good at 247 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: it from day one. I don't remember one snap that 248 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: was ever bad from him, and I'm not sure what 249 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: coach Daboll is going to do and the whole staff, 250 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: but he's really good at that. And we've seen that 251 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: there's not much difference as long as the quarterback's okay 252 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: with it, you know. But I think he's gonna like 253 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 1: it even more than the traditional snap. So it originated 254 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: from a young man breaking his finger at Eastern Illinois, 255 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: but when we got here, we were like, man, we're 256 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: really struggling with centers, and then we kind of went 257 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: to it and it was night and day. I mean, 258 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: it was like like we cured this disease. And so 259 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: then we we'd never gone away from it since. 260 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 4: Was there a difference using that from shotgun versus under center? 261 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: Coach, No, I mean the way they hold it for 262 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: under center. We're both under center and of the gun, 263 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: So it really didn't matter to us. As long as 264 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: they don't get it confused, they'll be okay. But you 265 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: know when they when there's under center, it's it's snapped 266 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: the traditional you know, the traditional way most of the time. 267 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: So I mean, he's just I don't think he's gonna 268 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: have a problem with that, that's for sure. 269 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 4: I have one more nerdy technique offensive line question because 270 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 4: he look, he's six to three, he's only three oh one. 271 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 4: He's not the bulkiest guy, right, but watching him on tape, 272 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 4: he just seems to get such good bending leverage where 273 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 4: he plays like a much bigger guy. Is that something 274 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 4: that you guys working them on over his years at Minnesota, 275 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 4: because it seems like his ability to get low and 276 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 4: just bends so well really helps his leveraging on some 277 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 4: of those really big defensive tackles he might have to 278 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 4: go up against. 279 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:28,719 Speaker 1: Well, that's where his wrestling background comes in and just 280 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: him the ability to bend, you know, I mean, when 281 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: you're going through the recruiting process, I mean it's not 282 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: just about as a kid good enough or not. You 283 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: go through a series of different bending exercises and measurements 284 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: and you, I mean, you are really dissecting a whole player, 285 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: just like they do in the National Football League, and 286 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: bendings a really big part of that for us, especially 287 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: with our inside their own game or outside zone game, 288 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: and that our our our gap schemes. I mean, we 289 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: have to be able to have leverage. We're not going 290 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: to have always the biggest offensive lineman or the tallest 291 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: offensive lineman, but we got to win the leverage battle 292 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,959 Speaker 1: horizontally and vertically. And if you can do that, you're 293 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 1: gonna win a lot of football games and win a 294 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: lot of one on one matchups, even if maybe you're 295 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: not the best player in that matchup. So leverage wins. 296 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: And I think he does such a great job with that, 297 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: and he's so smart. He doesn't get enough credit with 298 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: how fast his initial first step and his movement is. 299 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 1: That's where he can capture stretches of three techniques. He 300 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: can get to the second level really quick. You know, 301 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: I think the kid from Iowa last year was probably 302 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: a little bit quicker getting up to that second and 303 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: third level, but John Michael's way more powerful in my opinion, 304 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: and he'll get there. But he can create movement and 305 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: that's key at your level and win those leverage battles, 306 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: which I think are gonna help him quach're. 307 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 3: Another big aspect, obviously, of playing center, is the intellect 308 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 3: side of things. He's touching the football on every single 309 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 3: play and he's even focused on that since he's arrived 310 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 3: on the scene with the New York Giants. And having 311 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 3: a voice is I'm assuming a big part of being 312 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 3: a center, whether it be on the field or off 313 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 3: the field. How have you seen his voie from the 314 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 3: time you started working with him. You've been with him 315 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 3: for six years, so obviously there's a lot of growth 316 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 3: and dedication that's going behind the scenes in that respect. 317 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,839 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean volume reflects confidence, period, right, And when 318 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: you're a center, you can't be a meek and mild 319 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: and quiet center. If you're a quarterback, you can't be 320 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: a meek, mild, low volume quarterback. That's part of the 321 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: requirement for the position. All of us can talk louder, 322 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: you don't have to have that naturally, but you better 323 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: bring that out when you're on the field. There there's 324 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: going to be a lot of people doing the wrong 325 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: thing right and you have to over communicate. He's so 326 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: good at that. He had to develop that because by nature, 327 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: John Michael's not this most outgoing personality and loud person 328 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: He's a wonderful leader. I mean he can listen with 329 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: the best of them. He can look around every corner 330 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: and have answers, and he can lift everybody else around him. 331 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: Those are the three characteristics of leadership in our program, 332 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: and he has all those. He's going to be just 333 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: fine that way. He became one of the loudest players 334 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: on this football team when he was on the field 335 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: and even in the old line room. But you don't 336 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: have to scream and yell to get your point across. 337 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: You just have to be loud and you have to 338 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: have confidence in your voice, and he has that. One 339 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: thing is for sure. Even if it isn't right, everybody 340 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: will be on the same page. And as a coach, 341 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: however you get there, they get scholarships too, and they 342 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: have contracts across from you. However we get to it, 343 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: we just all have to be doing the same thing 344 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: and He's incredibly intelligent. He's so smart. He'll make sure 345 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: everybody's on the same page, and he will make sure 346 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: that that intellected that old line. 347 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 4: Is up to his par You know, coach a lot 348 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 4: of times there's a couple of year adjustment periods from 349 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 4: going from college to the pros for these guys. But 350 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 4: John Michael was with you guys for six years, over 351 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 4: a thousand snaps at center. He started a ton of 352 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 4: games for you guys. Is he as ready to make 353 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 4: that transition as any player you've coached, given how much 354 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 4: he played and how much experience he got with you 355 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 4: in Minnesota. 356 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I mean he's gonna be just fine in that. 357 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: And I think the benefit of what he's done is 358 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: he is an old, older player. He's a grown man 359 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: playing in the NFL. And this isn't any type of 360 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: like like a comparison in a negative way. But I 361 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: always tell people that the biggest jump in football's high 362 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: school to college, going from a high school level to 363 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: the big ten is you're still a kid in high school, 364 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: right and once you get here, you're still a kid, 365 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: but you're playing against twenty four year old grown men 366 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: in college. Right. Once you hit the NFL, you're all 367 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: grown men, right, They're all grown men, and they've all played. 368 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: He's playing against Ohio State's, the Michigan's, the Auburns, the 369 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 1: Penn States. And he's done it for six years, right, 370 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: So he's not only experienced on the field, he's a 371 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: grown man now. So he's going to transition right into that. 372 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: When you're coming from high school to college, that's hard 373 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: because your body is not developed like the seniors are 374 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: going to play against. When you're in the NFL, you're 375 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: all developed. It just comes back to confidence and your 376 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: experience at that level. And he's so confident he will 377 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: rate rise to the occasion and he's had so many 378 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: battles with such great players already. He will that experience 379 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: of just kind of getting around and the National Football 380 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: League he'll mess with that very quickly, and you're going 381 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: to see incredible growth really fast. 382 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 3: Well, and a product coach of him playing for six years. 383 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 3: And granted one of them was a red shirt year. 384 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 3: And obviously you were impacted by the pandemic, but we're 385 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 3: talking about fifty seven appearances. Thirty five starts what jumps 386 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 3: out to me. You only missed two games and only 387 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 3: one dude to injury. What have you seen from a 388 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 3: durability standpoint, which, as you know, in any wavelength of football, 389 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 3: first step is to actually stay on the field. And 390 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 3: how reliable he was weak in and week out that 391 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 3: you knew exactly who was going to be under center. 392 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: Well, Lance, he's a football player, and when you're a 393 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: great football player, you understand that it's way bigger than you. 394 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: You have a job to do, and you have an expectation. 395 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: We all have injury, we all get banged up, we 396 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: all play through pain. That's part of this profession, that's 397 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: part of the job. This is a different sport. There's 398 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: a violent violence. So you are gonna be hurt, you 399 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: are gonna have bumps and bruises, you are gonna have 400 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: things you're gonna have to play through. That's the requirement 401 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: of this job. As long as it's safe, you're gonna 402 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: have that. So he's done that his entire career, and 403 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: he knows that there's an obligation from him to be 404 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: there for his teammates, and he knows that we're a 405 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: better football team with him on that field, right, And 406 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: so he's already a true professional. He already knows what 407 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: that takes. This isn't a guy that's gonna, you know, 408 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: be on the field, be on the field, off the field, 409 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: on the field, off the field. He's got a scrape. 410 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: He's gonna have to just get that taped up and 411 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 1: be out twenty plays. He is going to fight through everything. 412 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 1: If anything, the traders are gonna have to pull him 413 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: back and the coaches are gonna have to monitor him 414 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 1: so he can have that longevity because he has no 415 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: regard for his own body, and you know that that 416 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: could take you very far in that profession. But also 417 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: you want the people to be able to take care 418 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: of you, so you can do that the right way. 419 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 4: Where do you think, coach, he's most advanced from a 420 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 4: scheme perspective, So a lot of great reach blocks on 421 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 4: his tape. Is it outside zone? 422 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 2: Is it gap? 423 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 4: Do you like pulling them in terms of run game scheme? 424 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 4: Where do you use him the most and where do 425 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 4: you think he's most advanced? 426 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: Well, I think you can use him in every scheme 427 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: in the National Football League, right, But we are an 428 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,959 Speaker 1: inside outside zone football team, period, right with some mid 429 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: zone thrown in there, and then we don't run power 430 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: we just run some counter so it's going to match 431 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: the NFL run schemes. I mean, we do a lot 432 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: of the same things that a lot of teams in 433 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 1: the NFL do, but we are truly zone based. And 434 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: in the NFL, it's really hard to run a ton 435 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: of gap schemes without the extra blocker, right, and that's 436 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:33,239 Speaker 1: why you see a lot of the wildcat stuff with that. 437 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: But with us, I mean, he's got. 438 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 4: A lot of fullbacks anymore, Coach, and not a lot 439 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 4: of fullbacks. 440 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: Not as many, right, not as many. But he's going 441 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: to mess really well, and he can be pulled. You 442 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 1: can pull him. He's smart enough to do all of it. 443 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: But he's so good and getting him running and then 444 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: working up to that second level, whether that's outside zone 445 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: or working the double teams on the inside zone. 446 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 3: Coach, last one for me in terms of what he's 447 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 3: walking into. And I believe you had some changes on 448 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 3: your offensive line during John Michael Schmidz's tenure, so he 449 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 3: had to adjust to do teammates. How do you think 450 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 3: he'll be able to manage now being next to two 451 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 3: completely different guards, the communication that's involved in that and 452 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 3: what you've seen out of your changes on the offensive line, 453 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 3: and how things relatively remain smooth. 454 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 2: Well. 455 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: Part of the reason he actually came back this year 456 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: was one, you obviously increases draft stock, but two he 457 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: wanted to go win a championship. And three the biggest 458 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 1: thing he wanted to do was he goes, I want 459 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: to make this my O line like it's mine, period, 460 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: And I thought that was a huge statement. He had 461 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: a bunch of seniors ever ahead of him. No, still 462 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: he was the leader of the on line, but it 463 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: wasn't his. He had a bunch of other guys coming in. 464 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: We were gonna have a whole bunch of new starters, 465 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: with Sam Schooter going to the NFL Connor Olso becoming 466 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,959 Speaker 1: a doctor, Daniel Folelele being drafted by the Ravens. You know, 467 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,120 Speaker 1: he had to be able to take this new group 468 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: and met shit together, and he was so excited about 469 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: doing that, and he did it so well. And so 470 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 1: I have no worries about him walking into the Giants' 471 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: locker room, connecting all those linemen, and I bet you 472 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: that veterans are gonna think he's been there for fifteen 473 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: years within the first few months they're with him. That 474 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: is priceless on the offensive line, and like I said, 475 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: that's like gold, it really is, because it's something you 476 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 1: can't teach. It just happens, and you're drafting that person 477 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: to do that, and they're either going to do it 478 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: or they won't. John Michael Smith's definitely gonna do it. 479 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 4: Final two part question from me coach one, not that 480 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 4: the Giants are trying to move him off, but does 481 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 4: he have any guard experience or was he just a 482 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 4: center for you guys or did he work some guard 483 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 4: and practice? 484 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: Well, well, he can definitely play guard. We have another 485 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: kid by the name of Nathan bow who's our center 486 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 1: right now, and we moved John Michael around even when 487 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: we had a different center before him, we would move 488 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: him at guard center. And he can he can do anything. 489 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: I mean, he's so smart, and he's so strong, and 490 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: he's got great leverage, and he plays for such how 491 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: that I think he can play guard or center. But 492 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:53,719 Speaker 1: we'll see what you guys decide to do with him. 493 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: But I mean, he's naturally I think one of the 494 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: best centers at all of college football, and that'll transition 495 00:21:58,240 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: well over to the National FOOTBA League. 496 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 4: Second part of that question real quick. We like to 497 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 4: ask about opponents. You guys played Maryland a bunch over 498 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 4: the last few years. Giants, you after Deontie Banks to 499 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 4: corner your thoughts on him, seeing him from afar and 500 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 4: trying to go up against him and try to complete 501 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 4: some passes on his side of the field. 502 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: Well, it's easy. We just didn't go to his side. 503 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: We didn't throw the ball over the last few years 504 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: a lot as it was. I think we were more 505 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: seventy thirty run pass So yeah, it's perfectly into playing 506 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: against him because he's a dangerous, dangerous player, that's for sure. 507 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 3: Well, we are certainly looking forward to coach John Michael 508 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 3: Schmitz and what he'll bring to the Giants. 509 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 2: He is the head coach of the Golden Gophers. PJ. 510 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 3: Fleck and who knows coach Carter Coughlin. John Michael Schmitz. 511 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 3: Maybe we'll talk to you two or three years down 512 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 3: the road. Seems to be a trend here. 513 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: I would love it. We'd love the pipeline to go 514 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: out there to New York. So good luck this year, 515 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: roll the boat sky Imaugo Gophers and go Giants, and 516 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: thanks for having us on. 517 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 2: You got it Our pleasure. 518 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 3: This is the latest edition of the Giants Moto podcast, 519 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 3: which you can catch on giants dot com, the mobile app, 520 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 3: and your favorite podcast platforms.