1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: Okay, guys, happy to hear everybody up. You guys had 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: a fun night. Uh. In regards to the statement we've 3 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: released earlier this morning, m about the COVID positive we've 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: had in the building. Uh, Dave do Googliano has a 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: positive test. Uh. There are two potential close contacts. You know. 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: Immediately upon notification last night, we isolated all three. Um, 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: we've had no close contacts on those three. We're going 8 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: through all the information we went through with the league 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: this morning, went through all the players, went through all 10 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: the coaches as well. We deemed it safe to open 11 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: the building. We've been going through our normal protocols. All 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: our players been masked up and wearing the protective shields 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: and spaced out accordingly. We've continued with our meetings, which 14 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: are in our indoor facility and about as well ventilated 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: spaces can be. We've continued with our pre practice walk 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: through and an abbreviated version to make sure it's extra 17 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: spaced out and avoid more close contacts. And then we 18 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: moved on now the players getting dressing you ry for practice, 19 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: so you know, really we're trying to keep the day 20 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: as normals can be. We went through everything last night 21 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: to make sure it was completely safe to open the billing. 22 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: All the information we've been given, we deemed it was. 23 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: We have not been a club who's been slowed a 24 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: delay or change the schedule name point this year based 25 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: on a positive But because we were out of the 26 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: building on Monday and Tuesday, and with the close contacts, 27 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: you know, being very limited on Wednesday and having a 28 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: virtual day yesterday, you know, all information point us in 29 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: direction that today was safe to bring the players in 30 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: the format we have and continue with normal Friday prep. 31 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: So that being set will open any questions you may have. 32 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: Za Hey, Joey Hat just to follow up on that, 33 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: I guess who's gonna fill in for Dave in practice 34 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: and and and then again on Sunday. Yeah, So the 35 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: immediate plan is for Ben Wilkerson. He works with Dave 36 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,119 Speaker 1: on coaching the offensive line. So that's the immediate plan 37 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: going into the game this weekend. And and and we'll he've 38 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: been doing the kind of thing that Jason was kind 39 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: of helping UH virtually on via zoom and all that stuff. Yeah, 40 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: he will be. So he's already ran several meetings this 41 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: morning virtually. We actually just had to walk through and 42 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: it's a deal where they actually put the iPad behind 43 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: the huddle and you know, goods can sit there and 44 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: watch and have feedback, you know, in and out. It's 45 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: it's a different deal, but hey, it's something that we've 46 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: become accustomed to and the players are able to communicate 47 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: with the coach through the Zoom app and that's been 48 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: something positive for us. Thanks all right, Joe. The close 49 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: contacts where players, coaches, staffers who there were there were 50 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: staff and coaches. I'm not gonna go into specifics until 51 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: we find anything more about at that time. But no players, 52 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: there's no players. No. Um. Just in terms of this 53 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: game on on Sunday, Um, can this season be considered 54 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: a success without without a win in this game? Yeah? 55 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: I think there's a lot of things in terms of 56 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: what we said un to accomplished this year that no 57 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: one game is going to go ahead and define this season. 58 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: I'm proud of the culture and the foundation we've laid 59 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: and the work ethic and urgency we have instilled these 60 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: players going forward. You know that being said, there's a 61 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: lot of things we do better as an organization across 62 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: the board going forward. UM, we have to keep building 63 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: this thing in the right direction. But I know that 64 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: there's a vision going forward and there's a lot of 65 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: people point in the right direction right now. So yeah, absolutely. 66 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: But that being said, like our jobs go out and 67 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: win on Sunday, Okay, So we're gonna We're doing anything 68 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: we can right now to go out there and win 69 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: a football game. Joe does, can you just talk a 70 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: little bit about your comfort level with Ben Wilkerson? Obviously 71 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: when you made a change at this position, you know 72 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: two months a month ago, you didn't promote Bet. You 73 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: brought it Dave. So what's your comfort level here with Beck? 74 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: My decision a couple of months ago is a nowhere 75 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: reflective any kind of confidence or lack there of a 76 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: Ben Wilkerson. I have a tremendous amount of confident Ben. 77 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: He's a good coach, is a good young coach, draws 78 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: from a knowledge of playing the game. He's a very 79 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: good communicator. He's a very good passion for the game. 80 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: The players respond to him very well. He's great on 81 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: the field with technique instruction, and he's very good in 82 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: terms of communicating form relationships off the field. Um, look, 83 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: this is the guy to be honestly, when I got here. 84 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: Last year Ben was down to the East West Shrine 85 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: game coaching. We had more request putting for Ben Wilkerson 86 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: last year while he was down there. And this is 87 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: a deal that I talked him before he went down 88 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: there and said, I won't make any moves on the 89 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: staff without talking to you first, and then we agreed 90 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: when he got back that you know, I would like 91 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: him to stay. He wanted to stay. We made some 92 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: ranges from the contract and I'm glad to have him 93 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 1: on our staff going forward. So this is the guy 94 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: that obviously want in the program and he's gonna help 95 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: us go on forward. And then if I could switch 96 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: gears totally for a second, Dante Pettis played quite a 97 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: few snaps on offense, uh for the first time for 98 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: you guys last week. What have you seen from him 99 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: in practices here? Could he be more involved in the offense? Yeah, well, 100 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: I think it's involved in the offense has grown with 101 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: his knowledge of the schemes and the system, and then 102 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: that's been big. But obviously he hasn't that. Some athletic 103 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: ability he showed me really to get open to beat 104 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: man coverage, find some holes and zones, you know, obviously, 105 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: I said the other day he missed some time early on. 106 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: You know, he first got here, was on the COVID 107 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: list not too soon after, so, uh, you know, it 108 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: was one of those deals where it took him a 109 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: little bit while to get going. Not that he couldn't 110 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: learn it, couldn't get going, just took a little while 111 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: to get his kind of feat set in the system. Okay, 112 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: an opportunity last week to get up for the game. 113 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: He did. He made some plays and he's had a 114 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: good week of practice. We let's say two more Jordan Jordans, Hey, Joe, 115 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: I know you always pretty much work on contingency plans, 116 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: But do you have to make any adjustments knowing that 117 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: you don't know in the next couple of days if 118 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: there's gonna be more positive tests, especially you know, taining 119 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: to the offensive line, considering he worked with them. So 120 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: do you do you make any changes on that end? 121 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: And if so, yeah, So what we do is we 122 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: just stressed making sure every player is ready. That's every 123 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: player in the roster, practice squad, making sure they're all prepared. 124 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 1: They get reps in practice. You know, some guys have 125 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: to get it through the you know, the practice looks 126 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: and the other team. We work our techniques. Other guys 127 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: may have to get extra work through walkthroughs and extra meetings, um. 128 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: And from a coaching standpoint, we always make sure that 129 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: we have people within the system that understand the big 130 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: picture of what we're doing. So guys like Freddie Kitchens, 131 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: Jerry Chaplinsky, these guys are very fluent within our offensive 132 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: line because of the use of the protections as a 133 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: tight end, okay, or a quarterback of how they tie in. 134 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: So there's multiple guys that are always talking anyway, this 135 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: is situation like you see Jerry a lot of times 136 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: talking with the offensive line, you know, if you know 137 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: they have a question about a Mike idea, how we're 138 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: gonna handle something, you know, and he may go to 139 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: gooj and the reference together. But all of our guys 140 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: work together. So in terms of the coaching system, we 141 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: build it so that we have multiple coaches to handle 142 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: positions at any time that if we're surehanding something like this. 143 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: Also with the just the development of our staff as 144 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: a whole, in terms of the personnel piece with the players, uh, 145 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: you know, look, it's our job to get everybody ready. 146 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: It's their job to stay ready mentally and physically. Are 147 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: you any updates on these injury guys that how how 148 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: do you think give any England's look? Is Eli Penny 149 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: making progress and bolden? You know, look with Eli, we're 150 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: gonna see how he does today. He's in there with 151 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: the trainers right now. It's you know, it's more of 152 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: an illness thing right now, so kind of find out 153 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: if he can get on the field and where he's 154 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: gonna be a physically. Obviously he's missed a couple of days, 155 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: missed a game last week. Uh, Gold has been encouraging 156 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: and he's working hard. We'll see where he is moving 157 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: around wise today. I'd say that, you know, the way 158 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: he was able to go out there on Wednesday was 159 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: further ahead than we thought it'd be. And you know 160 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: a lot of that is just you know, him being 161 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: a tough guy and really competing. That being said, toughness 162 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: can't get you over every injury. So we're gonna see 163 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: how he moves around today and where he's at. Um 164 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: who the other ones you want to ask about there? 165 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: Jordan's just how how Evan England has moved this week? 166 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: You know he's been limiting it, but yeah, I mean, 167 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: we look, we've controlled some of his volume. But to 168 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: be honest with at this time a year, that's not 169 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: really unique to just him at all. Uh, he's had 170 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: a good week of practice and getting ready to go 171 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: last one. Here are hey, Joe, just just listening and 172 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: you talk about what your walk through was like with 173 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: an iPad behind the huddle, and uh, you know, all 174 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: of the preparation and the contingencies and everything else. You know, 175 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: you're two days away from playing the final game of 176 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: the regular season and to have this kind of going 177 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: to motion today, I know you don't take a step 178 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: back and look, but how are the players reacting to it? 179 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: Are they reacting to it the way you would expect 180 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: them to or do you kind of see some guys 181 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: looking around going is this is this what we're doing 182 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: now at the end of the season. No, Actually, be 183 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: honest with you, it's it's really the opposite. It's our 184 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: guys are just so used to change at this point, 185 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: they just keep on moving. And that's really the way 186 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: we want to build this team anyway, is to be 187 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: able to just on the fly, and that's in game 188 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: adjustments and that's off the field adjustments. So look, when 189 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: we talked to the team and I addressed it this 190 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: morning a team meeting in terms of what the situation was. Uh, 191 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: there were in a lot of heads looking around like 192 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: what's the answer? What are we gonna do? They know 193 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: we have a plan, we have something in place, and 194 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: they just go out there and just start execute