1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: Hike and everybody. I'm Dan Horde and this is the 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast, the brand new day edition, as we 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: introduce you to Zach Taylor. Coming up two in depth conversations. First, 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: my fun facts interview with the Bengals new thirty five 5 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: years young head coach. If you want to know about 6 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: his plans for building a championship team in Cincinnati, it's 7 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: not that type of interview. For that information, I recommend 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,319 Speaker 1: watching his introductory news conference on Bengals dot com or 9 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: reading the many great stories posted by Bengals dot Com 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: editor Jeff Hobson. My interview is more of a this 11 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: is your life type of conversation, ranging from how Zach 12 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: handled the white hot spotlight that goes with being the 13 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: starting quarterback at Nebraska to his wife, Sarah, who's about 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: to move for the seventeenth time in thirty five years 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: as the daughter and wife of football coaches. After that conversation, 16 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: my broadcast partner Dave Lapham joins me to discuss why 17 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: the Bengals pick Zach Taylor and what players should expect 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 1: with him in charge. All of that is straight ahead, 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: but first here's a quick reminder that you can have 20 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 21 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 1: or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean. 22 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: It's the greatest invention since YouTube. In doing some research 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: about Zach, I learned that one of the highlights of 24 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: his playing career in Nebraska was a game winning last 25 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: minute drive against Texas A and M. Want to see 26 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 1: it Search for Nebraska drive versus Texas A and M 27 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: and you can watch it on YouTube. I love that 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: that drive was one of many topics I asked him 29 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: about when we sat down after his news conference in 30 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: the Bengals locker room. Time for some fun facts with 31 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: the tenth head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, Zach Taylor. Zach, 32 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: you are from a football family. Your dad played at Oklahoma, 33 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: coached at Oklahoma. Your brother was a college quarterback, coaches 34 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: in the NFL. Your father in law was an NFL 35 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: head coach. What are your earliest football memories? Probably owe 36 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: you Nebraska when I was a little kid. You know, 37 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: I remember watching those games on TV when it was 38 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: in Lincoln and going to the games when it was 39 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: usually freezing cold outside in late November. And my next 40 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: reor neighbor was Gary Gibbs, who was the head coach 41 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: at Oklahoma for a number of years, and so his 42 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: daughter and I would play football in the front yard 43 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: while they were having road games on TV. And so, 44 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 1: you know, I grew up from the day. I can 45 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: remember being a Sooner fan and just wanting to play 46 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: and I seeing my son now, you know, Brooks, he 47 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: does the same way that I'm a coach. I can 48 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: see see my childhood through him now. And you're a 49 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: basketball ball boy for the Sooners. Correct. That's great research 50 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: by you. I was Billy Tubbs was the head coach, 51 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: and my uncle Mike Anderson was an assistant, and so 52 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: I could not tell you how old I was. I 53 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: was probably nine or ten years old. My sweat bottoms 54 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 1: were too long. I trip over him, and I'd sit 55 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: behind the opposing teams head coach, you know, and just 56 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: kind of serve water all the players. So, yeah, that 57 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: that goes way back to my really early days. We're 58 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: doing fun facts with Zach Taylor. You shared a bedroom 59 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: with your brother Press. I've read that it was a 60 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: shrine to Peyton Manning. Yeah, we actually had a Tennessee 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: jersey on the wall. We had an old Miss Jersey 62 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: on the wall for Eli, for my younger brother. So 63 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: we had a basketball hoop. We had really high ceilings 64 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: for whatever reason. It was above the garage. It was 65 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: a former attic that we converted, so we had high ceilings. 66 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: We had a basketball hoop in there, and there was 67 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: a lot of competitive games back in the day. A 68 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: lot of tears shed, that's for sure, with some of 69 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: the elbows we threw to each other. But yeah, it 70 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: was it was. That was. That was a long time ago. 71 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: You're really doing your research here. I love, we're just 72 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: getting started. Trust So you and your brother have competed 73 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: against each other in the NFL. And there's a trophy, 74 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: the Taylor bro Bowl Trophy in your father's office right 75 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: It's in my father's office in Norman. Unfortunately, I'm not 76 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: gonna say the record on air here because it's it's 77 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: not in my direction right now. But hopefully someday in 78 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: the next couple of years we can we can even score. 79 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: You are a great player at Nebraska. You were the 80 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: Big Twelve Player of the Year your senior year as 81 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: a quarterback. And if you're the quarterback at Nebraska, you 82 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: are playing under a white hot spotlight. How has that 83 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: prepared you for what you're about to do now? I 84 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: think it's it's really helping me that that experience is invaluable. 85 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: And you know, I've never I've never been a wild 86 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: person outside of the complex, but it really does let 87 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 1: you know that you're in a fish bowl and everyone's 88 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: watching everything you do, and you get to conduct yourself 89 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: the right way and treat people with respect, and so 90 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: that goes a long way. And I've known that since 91 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: my childhood. I think my parents raised me the right way, 92 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: and so that just carried over my time at Nebraska. 93 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: But that is that is an intense environment. I know 94 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: what it's like to be booed when you're thrown on completion, 95 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: and so you know, I know that that's no different 96 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 1: when you're coaching the NFL. So I think that experience 97 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: will serve me. Well, we're doing fun facts with Zach Taylor. 98 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: If you're a forty nine Ers fan, you have the 99 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: catch Dwight Clark's catch against the Cowboys. If you're a 100 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: Broncos fan, you have the helicopter John Elway's leaping first 101 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: down flight in the Super Bowl against the Packers. If 102 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: you're a Nebraska fan, you've heard of the drive which 103 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: you led against Texas A and M, a dramatic last 104 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: minute game winning touchdown drive. Look up the words Zach 105 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: Taylor drive on the internet and it takes you right 106 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: to the YouTube clip. Was that the highlight of your 107 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: playing days? Yeah, that was certainly one of them. You know, 108 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: that clinched the Big twelve North for us, and that 109 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: was something that we had a goal of all season, 110 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: and to do it on the road in an intense 111 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 1: environment against a great team at the time, it was 112 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: not easy to do and it took all three phases 113 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: in that game. We walked a kick. First of all, 114 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: we got to stop on defense, and then we walked 115 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 1: a kick, and then we were able to convert on 116 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: offense and go down and Marie Spurify had a great 117 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: touchdown catch there on the left corner of the end zone. 118 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: So that's a memory I'll never forget, certainly one of 119 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: our better moments at Nebraska. Yeah, that was that was 120 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: a fun time. After Nebraska was finished, you spent some 121 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The head coach was 122 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: John Gruden at the time, famously tough on quarterbacks. I 123 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: know you weren't there for very long, but did you 124 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: get a taste of that. I did. He has high 125 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: standard for those guys and puts a lot on their 126 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: point and expects a lot out of him, which you 127 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: showed in the NFL, and so I appreciated the way 128 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: you coach. I was. I think I was the six 129 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: stream quarterback and there was only five quarterbacks there because 130 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: Jake Plummer was under contract but not reporting. So I 131 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: didn't take any snaps really during my time there. But 132 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 1: it was a fun experience to be a part of 133 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: an NFL team, at least for a couple of weeks, 134 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 1: and from there was on to the CFL. You didn't 135 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: get the opportunity to play for Winnipeg, but you were 136 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 1: on the team. What was that experience like? It was good? 137 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: You know, that wasn't a great fit for me. You know, 138 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: I got small hands and that ball is a little 139 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: bit bigger. So I knew really the first day I 140 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: showed up on the campus the place and picked up 141 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: a football. I said, this isn't gonna go well for me. 142 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: So I happened to join the best team. We went 143 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 1: to the Great Cup. We were the runner ups, but 144 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: it was a good experience for me just to be 145 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: able to check that one off and say that this 146 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: isn't the future for me. I think it's time to 147 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: get into coaching. I found an interview I think from 148 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: maybe July of two thousand and seven something like that, 149 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: you were twenty five years old, and it's the first 150 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: reference that I saw you say I want to be 151 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: a head coach. How did you know in your mid 152 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: twenties that you wanted to do this. Well, I think 153 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: I've had great role models and great coaches that coach 154 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: Man College, and so when you're around great teachers like that, 155 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: it leaves a lasting impression on you. And you know, 156 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: I've made the statement before. I remember sending a Nikon 157 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: and accounting classes at Nebraska and studying my playbook instead 158 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: of paying attention to what I should have been paying 159 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: attention to. And so you know, at some point a 160 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: don's on you that maybe this is the best path 161 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: for me. This is what I understand, this is what 162 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: I like to do. When you've been around great teachers 163 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: that you can follow their lead, and it was just 164 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: a natural progression for me. I got to know you 165 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: a little bit in twenty sixteen when you were the 166 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator at the University of Cincinnati, and it was 167 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: a tough year always coach Tuberville's final year as the 168 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: head coach. You've said you learned from that experience. Give 169 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: me something something it's specifically that you learned from that year. Well, 170 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: I mean, there's games where it's difficult to move the 171 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: ball and you face a lot of adversity, and so 172 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: you always want to be accountable and take responsibility when 173 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: you feel like you're the leader of that side of 174 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: the ball. And so because the coaches and the players 175 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: always going to look to you to be an example, 176 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: and it's not always going to be easy. There's going 177 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: to be adversity in this profession, and so you got 178 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,119 Speaker 1: to conduct yourself the right way, be a problem solver. 179 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: And those are some things I took away from that 180 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: experience there. For that year, you recruited a quarterback that 181 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: you didn't get to coach, but Cincinnati fans are happy 182 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,839 Speaker 1: you did, Desmond Ritter, and you two guys have stayed 183 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: in frequent contact. Yeah, he's a great kid. I fell 184 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: in love with him when he was in Louisville. And 185 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: remember the workout he conducted with his teammates and he 186 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,439 Speaker 1: was just a great leader. That's the thing that struck 187 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: me is the guys were drawn to him, and he 188 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: led the whole workout was accurate. And so it's great 189 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: to see the job that Luke Fickle has done there 190 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: with that program. He's outstanding coach, treats people the right way, 191 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: and I think Dez has done a great job leading 192 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: that team. A few more fun fact for Zach Taylor, 193 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: you and your wife Sarah enjoyed your time. Here's talking 194 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: to her a little while ago, she said this will 195 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: be her seventeenth move related to coaching, her father's coaching 196 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: career and now your coaching career. That's unbelievable, it is. 197 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: But she's a trooper. Her mom's a trooper, and so 198 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: she learned from her mom. And you know, she's really 199 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: the leader of her household. She keeps it all together 200 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 1: and she's been outstanding throughout this whole process. So it's 201 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: nice to for once leave a place that we really 202 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: enjoyed being and come back to a place that really 203 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: feels like home. And so I know that's special for 204 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: her and special for me. It just feels right. How 205 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: do you juggle the demands of being an NFL head 206 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: coach with trying to raise four young kids. It's hard. 207 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: I mean, it's important to have a wife who understands 208 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: what she signed up for and can be the leader 209 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: that she is. And you know, but my family is 210 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: the most important thing to me, and so every chance 211 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: I get away from football, I want to make time 212 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: for them and be the dad that they need and 213 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,599 Speaker 1: the husband that they need. And so you know, we 214 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: do have a special group of kids, and my wife 215 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: leads the charge there, so I appreciate her all right. 216 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: Last few topics, No great research on my part. Greatest 217 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 1: athlete in any sport of all time? I mean Michael Jordan. 218 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: As a kid in my generation, that's who I grew 219 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: up idolizing and in watching and thinking he was the 220 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: greatest of all time. And so um, that's probably the 221 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: name I would say. Do you have a hidden talent 222 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: that nobody knows about? No, I can. I can definitely 223 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 1: say that I have no talents that are not well known. 224 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: What was your all time worst sports injury? I broke 225 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: my wrist my first ever tackle football game. And my dad, 226 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: who was my coach, I don't know if he's here 227 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: and out. My dad was my coach, and he didn't. 228 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: You know, a coach whose son is playing tackle for 229 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: the first time as the quarterback and he's hurt on 230 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: in the first game, you know, hey, tough enough and 231 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: get back out there. But in reality, I'd broken my wrist, 232 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: so um, you know, typical coach. He's trying to get 233 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: me to play through it. I'm crying. You know, I'm 234 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: in sixth grade and uh that you know, I've really 235 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: been fortunate, knock on wood, to have not suffered any 236 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 1: injuries in my playing or coaching career, and that was 237 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: probably the biggest one. Great to have you back in town. 238 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: Look forward to working with you. Congratulations on extraordinary day. 239 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: Thank you very much, Dan claudi Beer. I hope you 240 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: enjoyed that conversation with Zach as much as I did, 241 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: and I really look forward to co hosting his weekly 242 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: TV show this fall with Dave Lappham. Speaking of Lap, 243 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: he played for the first four head coaches in Bengals history, 244 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: including Paul Brown and Forrest Gregg, and he's covered the 245 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: last five as a Bengals broadcaster. Following Zach's introductory news conference, 246 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: I picked Lap's brain on the hiring of Zach Taylor Lap. 247 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: We've known this was coming for a while. Now it's official. 248 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: Zach Taylor is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. 249 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: I thought he killed the news conference, which is always 250 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: a good first day on the job. What were some 251 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: of your biggest takeaways? I agree with you, Dan, I 252 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: think I think he killed it, destroyed it, and I 253 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: can see why in an interview process for our interview 254 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: process with the committee that tasks with finding a new 255 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: head coach, that he crushed it, you know, and he 256 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: was the guy that they walked away from that meeting 257 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: was saying, Wow, this guy's impressive. You know two things 258 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: that I think he's going to be all about, and 259 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: I think they're equally important, and it's almost like peanut 260 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: butter and jelly. They're both good when you put them together, 261 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: they're even better. Scheme and culture, and that's he's big. 262 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: Scheme is obvious. I think he feels like he's got 263 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: a scheme that's gonna work. It's a proven scheme out 264 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: there with the La Rams. He knows an inside out. 265 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna have offensive players are going to 266 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: be thrilled to death. They're gonna put up, be put 267 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: in favorable matchups. It's all about matchups, and he is 268 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:52,439 Speaker 1: gonna design and scheme formations, personnel motion to get matchups 269 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: that will heighten that player's skill set. He'll put them 270 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: on the big stage to do big things. Quarterback Andy Dalton, 271 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: Aj Green. I mean, you know, Joe Mixon, Giovanni, Bernard, Tyler, Boyd, 272 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: if the list goes on and on. He is gonna 273 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: make their life so much better. And it's it's it's gonna. 274 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: It reminds me of when Linda and Fonte had us 275 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: on a roll when we were in the Super Bowl. 276 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: As a player, we'd go into those meetings when he 277 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: was introduced in the game plan like what's he got now? 278 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: Oh boy, what's he cooking? How what's my involvement going 279 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: to be in this big process? And guys couldn't wait. 280 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 1: And I can see that same thing happening with these 281 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: guys because everybody knows what the Rams did through thirty 282 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: three until I get belichicked. But thirty three points a game, 283 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:45,199 Speaker 1: you know, is phenomenal, and so that part of it, 284 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: I think is going to be dynamic. But the other 285 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: part is more of an intangible obviously in the culture, 286 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: you know, his whole thing is like Sean McVay. He said, 287 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: the biggest thing that he learned from Sean McVay was 288 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: dealing with people, not necessarily scheme and although scheme officus 289 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: was huge and important, but everybody's validated. Everybody in that 290 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: RAMS organization has validation from very top to very bottom, 291 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: and everybody's opinion means something. Everybody's opinion is solicited, and 292 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: that's that's when you're valued like that. I mean, everybody 293 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: wants to contribute to the cause even more so. So 294 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: those are the two things that you know, I took 295 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: away from from the long press conference and the long 296 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: meetings with media that he had afterwards, and even his 297 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: patience with all of that. His endurance and patience through 298 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: that whole thing was impressive. By Zach as I listened 299 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: to his news conference, the person that I thought of, 300 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: oddly enough, was Luke Fickle because he kept coming back 301 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: to the theme that guys want to be pushed, they 302 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: want discipline, and we are going to They're going to 303 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: come in here and love going to work every day. 304 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: That really reminded me about what I've been hearing for 305 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: the last couple of years from UC's now highly successful 306 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: head coach. Well, you know, it's it's a lot like 307 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: being a parent. I mean, your kids crave discipline, whether 308 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: they realize it or not. Your kids need discipline. They 309 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: crave discipline, they respond to discipline. And I'm not talking 310 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: about you know, cruel and unusual unusual punishment discipline, but 311 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: I'm talking about structure and the discipline in the daily life. 312 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: And you know, knowing that they're going to get three 313 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: good meals, whatever their schedule is, they're going to go 314 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: to bed at night and have a roof over there. 315 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: All of that sort of thing your kids create that 316 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: they create the continuity and the consistency of all that. 317 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: Players are the same way players want to be, you know, 318 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: coached by guys that know what they're doing. And players 319 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: can sniff out guys that don't know what they're doing quickly, 320 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: and they can also really appreciate guys that do know 321 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: what they're doing. And the response is immediate and dramatic. 322 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: And I think that's what he's going I think guys 323 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: are gonna be like, Wow, this stuff is really good. 324 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: This guy knows what he's doing. I think that's the 325 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: reaction he's going to get. And you know, and I 326 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: think I think the players are. I think he's going 327 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: to treat him like men. But I do think that 328 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: he's going to hard coach him too. And you know, 329 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: you don't have to beat guys up, but you know, 330 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: just whether it's repetition of the same things over and 331 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: over and over again and then maybe presenting in a 332 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: different way, but it's the same thing, and then they 333 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: catch onto it that way. It's it's giving a pulse 334 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: for you know how if you if you have any 335 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: Dalton who can understand calculus, but you have other guys 336 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: out there on the offense and only understand the alger one, 337 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: you can't go to calculus until you get the algab 338 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: one to go to algebra two, and beyond that, you know, 339 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: you have to dumb it down. Those are all the 340 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: things he's going to be learning about his personnel, not 341 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: just watching what their physical attributes are on tape, but 342 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: getting to know them as players and as people. And 343 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: he's going to deep dive into everybody. You can tell 344 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: that man, he's gonna drill. He's gonna drill down really 345 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: really far. Indeed, we both know him a little bit. 346 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: I got to know him from his season at the 347 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: University of Cincinnati when he was the offensive coordinator. You 348 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: broadcast his games as a Nebraska quarterback and got to 349 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: be in these production meetings leading a leading up to 350 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: kickoff on Saturday. I could see why the Brown family 351 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: would be so drawn to him. Humble guy, not a 352 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: flashy guy very much, just wants to be part of 353 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: a team. Um. It seems to me like personality wise, 354 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: he's a perfect fit for Mike Brown, Katie Troy, Paul 355 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 1: and Duke Tobin, no question about it. And you know 356 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: the another common denominators. Both are football families. Their whole 357 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 1: life is football. Mike Brown doesn't have other businesses, and 358 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: this is a hobby. This is it. This is Mike 359 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: Brown's life. You know, he grew up with football with 360 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: his dad, the legendary Paul Brown, and it just goes 361 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: from there. Zach Taylor's family, I mean, his father, his 362 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: father in law's brother. I mean it's you know, everybody's football. Um. 363 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: So yeah, that that was that was was striking to me. 364 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: And I just think the other thing with him is 365 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: he never when he played we were talking about this earlier, 366 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: he did take a beating. I mean, he got crushed. 367 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: He got he got pounded, he got thrown around. He 368 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: never pointed a finger at his offensive line. He never 369 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: complained to anybody. He just took the licking and kept 370 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: on ticking. And that's that's what he's like with Tommy Tubberville. 371 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: Could have you know he was being thrown on the bus. 372 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: He never threw anybody under the bus. He always burdens 373 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: the shoulder responsibility, you know. And he's like playing the 374 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: quarterback position. We've talked about this before. Every great one 375 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: shoulders the burden of blame and deflects credit. I screwed 376 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: that up, man, that guy made a great play. And 377 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: that's how he is with not just as a quarterback 378 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: on the field playing, but I think that's how he 379 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: is as a leader. He is good whenever they have success. Everybody, man, 380 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: you guys were all great. Whenever they struggle. I'm not 381 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: doing enough. I'm just not good enough. That that concept, 382 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: I think is going to be him as a leader 383 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: of the Cincinnati Bengals organization as well. I really believe that. 384 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the football mine because obviously he's got 385 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: the Sean McVeigh ties now for the last couple of seasons, 386 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: but even going back to his playing days. He takes 387 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: over as the quarterback in Nebraska when they are converting 388 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: from having a run the football and option football forever 389 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: to becoming a West Coast passing style under Bill Callahan. 390 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: The fans revolted, This isn't Nebraska football an incredibly complex 391 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: system for college football at that point? And he picked 392 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: it up in a snap. I did, and Bill Callahan 393 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: and I remember, you know, I was part of the 394 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: West Coast offense. I remember a lot of nomenclature. I 395 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: mean a lot of words. I mean some players were 396 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: like fifteen twenty words, you know, to get a play 397 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,919 Speaker 1: called it was. It was multiple words for formation, protection, 398 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: the actual play. It's like, wow, you know some words 399 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: for routes, so we're supposed to be It was something. 400 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 1: And Bill Callahan and his dad was talking about it today. 401 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: I remember Bill Callahan talking about his saying, you know, 402 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: an installation, we put like nine of our we thought 403 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: top plays that you know, go to plays bread and 404 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: Butter plays the West Coast offense on a on a 405 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: board and Zach took him down and a lot of 406 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: a lot of nomenclates are a lot of wording. The 407 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: very next day, spit them all back at him like 408 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: like and it feels like we knew we had our quarterback, 409 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: we knew we were good there. So um that that's 410 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: that's a little bit of a testament to it. But 411 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: you know we've mentioned this before. You know, I had 412 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,479 Speaker 1: like doing the games as an analyst in these meetings 413 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: and Major apple White and Zach Taylor or the two 414 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: guys to get up on the board and could install 415 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: their offense like they were the offensive coordinator, not the quarterback. 416 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: And I remember saying to guys and the crew, It's like, man, 417 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: these guys, these guys could be coaches. And Major apple White, 418 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, has risen to a head coaching position during 419 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: the course of his career in college football. And now 420 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: Zach Taylor is in the NFL, so not a surprise. 421 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: And uh, he definitely has you know, people throw football 422 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: like you around like you know, like it's quarters now. 423 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: But he has it. He really has it. He's he's 424 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: got it at a very very high level. You know, 425 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: probably you know, I want to throw him in the 426 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: genius category. I'll say a genius for Paul Brown, Bill Wallace. 427 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: There there's a you know, just a that that that 428 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: that's not a very long roll call when you have 429 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: to make that genius role call. But he is sharp. 430 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: He's sharp as attack. He's thirty five years old, he 431 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: has not been a head coach, so he doesn't have 432 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 1: that skin on the wall. Are guy's going to challenge him? Yeah? 433 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: I think they will. You know, it sounds they'll test 434 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 1: him sometimes maybe even if they don't realize they're testing 435 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: him or not, you know, and um, and it's going 436 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: to be interesting to see how how he handles that. 437 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 1: I think though, when the biggest the biggest thing, and 438 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: we've already talked about this, your credibility, I mean, do 439 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: you know football? And can you are you a teacher? 440 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: Can you make me better? Everybody wants to be coached, 441 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: Everybody wants to be better. So that's how he's going 442 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: to make his his um, you know, his identification, identity 443 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: with the football team, those kind of things. And but 444 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: there will be I mean, there'll there'll be a surly 445 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: veteran in his office someday at some point in time, 446 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: maybe not even the two dear near distant future. That is, 447 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,360 Speaker 1: you know, he's going to challenge him a little bit 448 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: and be interested to see how he disarms him or 449 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: I asked him that very thing. Um, I said, you know, 450 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: how do you how do you handle that? You try 451 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: to convert him or do you dismiss him basically? And 452 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:27,640 Speaker 1: he said, you know, basically kind of get to know him, 453 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: you know, and then make a determination. I don't think 454 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 1: he's going to do anything like, you know, like a 455 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: snap judgment kind of thing. I think he's gonna, like 456 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier, drill and get deep into a 457 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: lot of these players and coaches and organization, every everybody 458 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: that he's working with, and a lot of names out 459 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: there about possible defensive coordinators. For a while, it looked 460 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 1: like Jack del Rio might be the guy. Now it's 461 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: been reported that that's not happening. Uh and Zach did 462 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: not want to talk about possible members of his coaching 463 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: staff today. Didn't think that was the right time to 464 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: do that. But but in general terms, what do you 465 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: think I think happens with defensive coordinator? You know, I 466 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: still think that that the recipe, the formula, whatever you 467 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 1: want to call it, that Sean McVay used, is what 468 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: they're looking for. Wade Phillips, the you know, a KG 469 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: veteran um I've been to many many wars and battles, uh, 470 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: and basically it's like you're you're almost assistant head coach. 471 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: You've got the defense, and I'm going to take care 472 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: of the offense, and you know his exit, he's calling 473 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: his own play. So uh, when you're when you're doing that, 474 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: you don't want to have to be It's not like 475 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: he's not going to know what they're going to do defensively, 476 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: what their concepts and schemes and philosophies are. He's going 477 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 1: to be all over that. But on a game management standpoint, 478 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: you know, he wants somebody to be able to handle 479 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: that and he doesn't want to have to cloud cloud 480 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: his responsibilities with that. So I think, you know, the 481 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: former head coach um the coordinator position being held before 482 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 1: experience in those areas. I think a young head coach 483 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: there's there's nothing more valuable than having a former head 484 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: coach on their staff that can at least say to him, hey, 485 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: you know, heads up for this, watch out for this. 486 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: I did this and it didn't work out very well 487 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: when I first faced this, and I should have maybe 488 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: handled it this way when this turned out when when 489 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: I did this, this one man, I got great results 490 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: all that all that kind of information is invaluable. So 491 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 1: it's somewhere during the course of assembling his staff, I 492 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: think a former head coach somewhere I think is an 493 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: important thing. It's not doesn't sound like it's going to 494 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: be the offensive side of it. You know, Brian Callahan's 495 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: a year younger than Zach, thirty four years old. So 496 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: that offense is going to be young and jet energetic, enthusiastic, 497 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: open minded. It's going to be very interesting and very creative. 498 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure, and I'm not saying defensively has to be 499 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: an old man. Get off my lawn. You know I'm 500 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 1: doing it this one and a hell of hot water. Man. 501 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: You ain't telling me anything. I'm not going to do so. 502 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: So I think cohesion is the big thing. I think 503 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,719 Speaker 1: cultural cohesion C squared the two C words are going 504 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: to be big and what za Zach is thinking when 505 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 1: he assembles his staff. But I still maintain that the 506 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,719 Speaker 1: two coordinator positions and his offensive line coach, those are 507 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: the three big hires and we'll see how that all 508 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: shakes down. Last thing, I looked over toward his folks 509 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 1: in the middle of his Knitti's conference and they're there 510 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: in the front row holding hands, and I'm thinking, how 511 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: unbelievable is that your thirty five year old kid is 512 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: about to be an NFL head coach. And they're so grounded, 513 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: you know. I mean when you look at them and 514 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: you look at that relationship, and you look at the 515 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: way Zach turned out, and you look at you know, um, 516 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: you know, Zach and Sarah having their children and the 517 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: family that they are, It's it's quite a legacy, you know, 518 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: if you're you're sitting there as a as a parent 519 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: and a grandparent, that's got to be. Man. I don't 520 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: I don't know if I could have butten my sport 521 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 1: coade if he were him, you know, my chest to 522 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 1: be so swelled up, so proud. That is that that's 523 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: that's amazing. And then to boot Press his other son 524 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: as a quarterback coach with the Philadelphia Eagles who won 525 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl last year. So you got you got 526 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: two kids that played the quarterback position at the college 527 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: level that are ones on a coaching staff in the 528 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 1: NFL and a rising star highly regarded, and the other 529 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: one just got his first head coaching opportunity in the 530 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: National Football League and the oldest is thirty five years old. 531 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: That's a blessed family. But as the old saying goes, 532 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: good things happen to good people, and the Taylor family 533 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: that's pretty darn good people, isn't it. My thanks to 534 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 1: Lap and to Zach Taylor, and that's going to do 535 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: it for this episode of the podcast. But there is 536 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: some news for you. For the first time, I will 537 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: be doing regular Bengals Booth podcast during the off season, 538 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 1: So if you haven't done so already, don't forget to 539 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean. And if you 540 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: have a minute, give it a rating or leave a comment. 541 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: Your feedback is always appreciated and five star rankings help 542 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde and 543 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth Podcast.