WEBVTT - The OTP: Takeaways from Thursday's OTA Practice 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:14.560 So this is the OTP presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans. 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:17.680 Get the home field advantage with the healthcare coverage from 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:22.239 Farm Bureau Health Plans. They've been protecting Tennesseeans since nineteen 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:27.000 forty seven. Welcome to the OTP. My name is Amy Wells. 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:29.560 We are so excited to have you here, and I 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:33.239 am so excited to be spending some time with our 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:38.440 good friends Rett, Brian and also Dave McGinnis. Coach Mac. Guys, 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:40.920 thank you for being here to talk a little bit 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:45.400 about OTAs because today we were able to watch our 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:50.360 first OTA practice of the twenty twenty one season, but 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:55.000 this was the third practice for the Tennessee Titans. Coach Mac, 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:57.600 I'm just gonna jump right in. I think we're done 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:01.280 with pleasantries here. Let's just talk some football. Mac. Do 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:03.720 you have any takeaways from being out at practice. Was 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:06.440 there anything that's stuck out to you, anything you noticed? Well, 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:08.800 the first thing I will tell you just how happy 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:10.119 I was to be out there with you and read 0:01:10.480 --> 0:01:13.040 that made me very happy to be back out on 0:01:13.120 --> 0:01:16.200 the football field watching practice with you guys. Yes, this 0:01:16.280 --> 0:01:19.000 is an important time for these young players. It really is, 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:21.840 and I understand you know, I've been in this league 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:24.640 a long time. I understand exactly what's going on. You know, 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:27.319 as far as with the veterans, you know, it is voluntary. 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:29.679 There were some veterans out there today. But it's a 0:01:29.800 --> 0:01:32.560 very important time for the young players because they've got 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:36.120 to learn how to practice professionally. And the other thing 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:39.240 is is the coaches can really zero in on these guys. 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.200 What I noticed was is they're learning how to practice 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:44.800 like the Titans practice. You know, I saw rookie camp 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:46.959 when the rookies were here. I was at rookie Camp, 0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:49.600 and you can just see the advancement that they've made 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.760 since the rookie camp because they've had the virtual meetings, 0:01:53.040 --> 0:01:55.640 they've been in walkthroughs, and now that you can see 0:01:55.680 --> 0:01:58.160 the difference from just the rookie camp with the first 0:01:58.240 --> 0:02:01.760 year players that they've made amy to this time right here. 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:04.560 That's what this is all about, and it's extremely important. 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:09.200 Rhett thoughts, feelings, observations, well by my roster count fifty 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:13.120 three guys at this particular practice. And you know, of 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:15.920 course you're for me. It's not about who's not there, 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:19.440 just because of where this thing is in time. As 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.280 we go you know, towards phase four and all those things. 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:26.000 But it was who was there. And for a guy 0:02:26.040 --> 0:02:31.080 like Darrington Evans who did some work at wide receiver today, 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.120 who you know, missed a whole lot of time last year. 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:36.040 The same thing with Christian Fulton of the secondary, it 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:39.119 was good to see those guys there. Amni Hooker there 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:43.440 today because he knows what importance that it is on 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:47.440 him with the absence of Kenny Vaccaro, you know, being 0:02:47.440 --> 0:02:49.720 gone in free agency and where he's got to step 0:02:49.760 --> 0:02:52.239 up in this. And then a Dane Crookshank who has 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:55.560 had his share of injury struggles himself and knows that 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:58.760 he's got to continue to claw out, you know, a 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:01.040 roster spot for himself and the importance of him on 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:02.880 the special team's phase of it too. But yeah, I 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.640 liked who was there, and I like the vibe that 0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:10.520 was there because who all was there, Coach Frabel, the 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:14.880 sense of urgency. It is definitely dialing up. This OTA 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:17.640 is interesting because it's a little bit of a hybrid 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:21.480 in that meetings are still virtual, they are able to 0:03:21.520 --> 0:03:24.600 do in person work on the field, get that going. 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:28.840 So maybe it's a little bit best of both worlds. Reht. 0:03:29.040 --> 0:03:32.000 They're taking some of the twenty twenty nous in the 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:34.600 virtual aspects of it, but they're also getting some of 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:36.880 that on field work that they weren't able to get 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:39.440 last year. Do you think that's something that's good for 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:43.120 the team. Absolutely, And even the coach, Mike Vrabel, in 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.440 his post practice press or mentioned something to the effect of, Hey, 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:49.640 I am coaching the guys in person who are here, 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:53.720 I am virtually working with those who are not. And Yeah, 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.119 I think that is a byproduct and a good one 0:03:56.120 --> 0:03:59.200 of the pandemic is that you're able to flex and 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:03.320 do those things. You've got enough staff, enough position, coaches 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:06.040 and the like to be able to do those kinds 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:10.480 of things. Still have virtual meetings, have physical practice in person, 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:13.320 and still keep trying to, you know, keep everybody on 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:16.160 the same page. I think it's a great thing that 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:19.479 has come out of what was a wacky year last year. Now, Mac, 0:04:19.600 --> 0:04:22.640 you mentioned that the rookies are doing a lot in 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:25.800 terms of learning how to practice. They had rookie Minicamp. 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:27.760 That's kind of step one. When you're a rookie. You 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:29.920 get in here, you figure out where the bathroom is, 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.960 You figure out very much to the basics sure of 0:04:33.040 --> 0:04:35.760 being a professional football player. Now they're kind of in 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:39.919 their second phase of the introduction to the NFL process, 0:04:39.920 --> 0:04:43.520 which is the first part of OTAs explain exactly what 0:04:43.839 --> 0:04:46.479 learning how to practice like a pro is and what 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:50.080 these guys are trying to figure out how to navigate. Now, well, 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.400 I mean, we saw an example of that today. You know, 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:54.240 not to give away because we can't talk about, you know, 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:56.080 everything that we see there, But there was a there's 0:04:56.120 --> 0:04:58.480 an instance, you know where one of the veteran players there, 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:02.560 you know, with a playdown field where a young rookie 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:05.640 receiver you know, went to went to grab a defensive 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:07.640 back that was playing a deep ball and grabbed him 0:05:07.640 --> 0:05:09.719 by the shoulder to pull him. And the vets said, 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:11.880 we can't do that. You've got to be able to 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:13.719 protect each other. That's the first thing you've got to 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:15.560 learn how to do. The other thing that you have 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:17.680 to learn how to do, and they will, they will, 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.600 This will accelerate for them. You need to learn how 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:23.960 to practice in the National Football League full speed technique wise, 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:26.599 without pads on. You have to do that because you 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:29.599 can only have fourteen padded practices during the regular season. 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.320 There will be padded times during training camp, but you 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:34.840 are going to have to still be able. And not 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:38.080 all practices during the season, I mean we stand at 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:41.320 practice every day. Not all practices during the season are 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:44.560 full speed, but there are certain periods that are full speed. 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:47.080 But you need to learn how to work against one another, 0:05:47.640 --> 0:05:50.320 protect each other, but both sides of the ball being 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:55.080 able to hone their techniques full speed without full contact, 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:57.640 and that's that's something that you have to learn. And 0:05:57.680 --> 0:05:59.760 the other thing that you have to do is as 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:02.480 a coach is yet to put the choke motor on 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:04.960 some of these younger players that are trying to make 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:07.440 the team and think if I just go a little 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:10.479 faster and make one more play. Well, you've got to 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:13.440 protect one another, you've got to stay off of the ground. 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:16.240 All of those things are important and you've got to 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:18.239 learn how to do that at a very high speed 0:06:18.279 --> 0:06:22.279 because these younger players Aimy are practicing now against athletes 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.640 moving much quicker than they're ever used to at all. 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:28.480 So that's important. And to kind of piggyback off of 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:32.400 what coach Mack said, while we can't say everything that 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:34.200 we saw at practice because we don't want to tip 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:36.720 scheme or any of those things, and there's really not 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:40.000 a ton to report. Coach Mack highlighted one of the 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:43.279 three or four main things that are one of the 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:46.720 key reasons why organized team activities are in place, and 0:06:46.760 --> 0:06:50.680 he's right, getting those rookies acclimated to things, installing the 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:53.280 playbook chunk by chunk so that when they get to 0:06:53.360 --> 0:06:55.080 mini camp and then they have that break and they 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:58.000 come back for training camp, they've got some bearings about them. 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:00.600 But the technique is so big to hand and the eyes, 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:03.040 the feet, all those kinds of things they're working on, 0:07:03.560 --> 0:07:06.080 and it's a culmination of those three or four main 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:09.640 things as to why this is so huge and why 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:11.560 I go back to saying, you know, it's great for 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:15.080 Darnton Evans, it's great for Christian Fulton because they didn't 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:17.680 have that this time a year ago. They went straight 0:07:17.680 --> 0:07:19.880 into training camp when they finally were able to get 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:23.520 all that worked out. So it's important for Laurell Murchison 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:26.400 and those guys who are in year two, and then 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.360 all of these young kids, and then any of the 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:32.000 first year guys that are learning new scheme well rhets. 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:35.040 So many guys who are in their second year, are 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:37.320 now able to get the one on one time to 0:07:37.440 --> 0:07:40.440 work on the technique, to work on some of the 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.560 things that they didn't have the opportunity to really hone 0:07:43.640 --> 0:07:45.800 in on in the off season of their rookie year 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:49.440 because of what the world was in twenty twenty. How 0:07:49.480 --> 0:07:53.400 beneficial do you think that is? And maybe weighing that 0:07:53.560 --> 0:07:57.360 up against the fact that veterans aren't here but they 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:59.920 don't need that kind of work. Yeah, And I think 0:08:00.160 --> 0:08:03.520 that's where the divide is over, you know, should a 0:08:03.520 --> 0:08:06.040 guy be there or should a guy not because he's 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:08.200 working out with his trainer or working out with a 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:13.080 group of guys in a particular place around the country. Yeah, 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.400 I don't think that it's necessarily for the veterans. I mean, now, 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:18.720 we did see a Brett Kern there today who did 0:08:18.760 --> 0:08:21.440 not have to come and punt, but wanted to be 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:23.640 a part of it one And I think it goes 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:25.320 back to what Coach Max says that we started this 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:27.320 OTP is. I think he was just glad to be 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.200 out there and doing his thing. It's a beautiful day 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:32.720 and you know, you want to have some again sense 0:08:32.720 --> 0:08:35.880 of normalcy. But for these young cats who are are 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.200 you know, coming around the block for the second time, 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:40.240 or you're a rookie in this thing, or you're an 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:43.320 invite or you're an undrafted you want as many of 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.160 these reps as you can possibly get. And you could 0:08:45.200 --> 0:08:47.680 see the energy with all of the position coaches, even 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:50.360 you know coach Rabel as vocal and as hands on 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:52.680 as he is, how excited they were to be able 0:08:52.679 --> 0:08:55.880 to get that one on one time and that hands 0:08:55.920 --> 0:09:00.480 on learning, you know, time set. Gosh, Mac, if you're 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:03.440 a coach and you see some of these young guys, 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:07.640 the undrafted's, the guys who really want to show what 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:10.079 they can do and show that they can make this team, 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:12.680 and that they're excited and have energy and all of that, 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:16.520 how do you reign that in to keep everybody safe 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:19.320 and teach them how to control it and be a pro, 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.960 but also recognize that they're trying to show out to 0:09:24.000 --> 0:09:26.640 make this team. Well, you never want to, you never 0:09:26.679 --> 0:09:29.080 tamper their enthusiasm, but you have to you have to 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.839 be able to point them in the right direction. And 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:33.920 they've got to understand there are some things that you 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:37.520 can do early on that are very non productive, you know, 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:40.160 just trying to go fast they have to learn that. 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:42.280 And here's the other thing too Amy and rhet and 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:45.760 for the OT people, is that they're not in shape yet. 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:50.000 They are not in NFL condition yet. Interesting they really aren't. 0:09:50.000 --> 0:09:51.960 I mean they what have they been doing? You know 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:54.240 up to this time, they may have been working out 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:57.240 some but they don't know what they do, not know 0:09:57.280 --> 0:10:01.200 what NFL conditioning is all about. So that The other 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:02.880 thing that I think is important to know is there's 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:04.960 no time limit on how long rookies can be up 0:10:05.000 --> 0:10:07.560 there and how they can be working because they're also 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.280 doing walkthroughs. You know, they're being able to come out 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:13.000 of those virtual meetings and go do walkthroughs. And I'm 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:16.440 not talking about the time that you spend in a OTA. 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:19.400 I'm talking about walkthroughs before where you're able to walk 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.920 through things, implement things that you've gone over in the 0:10:22.040 --> 0:10:25.679 virtual meetings. All of those things are so important. But 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:29.559 they've got to realize this. If they start too fast 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:33.520 and through no fault of their own, tweak something and 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:36.760 then miss all of this time, that just puts them back. 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.520 And we just talked about Darrington Evans, we talked about 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:42.520 Christian Fulton. They missed a lot of time last year 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:46.240 because of injury, and you never make that up. You 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:49.160 never make that up. So what Mike Vrabel and his 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:52.320 staff are trying to do, both coaching staff and the 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:56.800 training staff and Frank Parreinho in the weight room, is 0:10:56.800 --> 0:10:59.480 they are trying to ramp the players up. I mean 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:02.600 it's like, you know, one of these Lamon's Downtown races 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:04.680 we're getting ready to have here. You don't just jump 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:06.880 in and smash on the gas. You got to know 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:09.040 where you're going. That's what they're trying to do now 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:12.120 is point these young players the right way to get there. 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:15.520 So when you're talking about week one versus week two 0:11:15.520 --> 0:11:17.600 and week three, I mean, OTA's go on for a 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:21.920 little bit. How do you manage that ramp up process? 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:24.280 And what are you trying to accomplish in the first 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:27.480 week that's different than maybe the third week. Well, here's 0:11:27.480 --> 0:11:29.720 what you do. The first thing you do when you 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:34.520 bring people in and then you monitor it and then 0:11:34.559 --> 0:11:36.319 you evaluate it and you talk about it as a 0:11:36.360 --> 0:11:39.160 coaching staff. What type of attention to these guys pay? 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:42.480 How's their attention in the meetings? All right? What's their attention? 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:44.199 Like you know they'll come in and you know, and 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:48.520 I would ask, I say, Rhett, the linebackers just give 0:11:48.559 --> 0:11:51.480 it to me. How fast it takes them to process it? 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:55.320 And what is their attention span in your meetings? Let 0:11:55.360 --> 0:11:57.600 me let me hear that, Amy, Let me talk to 0:11:57.640 --> 0:12:00.960 you about your receivers. Okay, how many repeat offenders have 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:03.480 you had? How many repeat offenders have you had where 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.439 you've gone over the same thing and they continue to 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.360 not get it? And so that takes you to the 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:11.440 next phase is what's their retention? First, it's how much 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:14.520 attention are they paying? And I mean quality attention. You 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:18.440 can be present and not be paying attention. Okay, how 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:20.720 much quality attention they pay? And now what's their retention? 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:22.840 And then the next thing you go to when you 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:25.640 get into and you talk about the graduation from week 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:28.559 to week to week. Now, what's their execution like? What 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:31.920 does what does your receiver him look like running that 0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:37.360 three step slant route the third week from the first week? 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:39.800 What does he look like running that double move? What 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:42.880 does he look like running that takeoff route? Being able 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:46.240 to beat press coverage from a split alignment the third 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:48.760 week as he did from the first week. Can you 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:52.600 tell me give me where he's improved, and now has 0:12:52.640 --> 0:12:54.960 he improved in all of those other areas that will 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.800 carry him up there? And if he hasn't improved, which 0:12:57.800 --> 0:13:00.160 one of those areas is lacking? And how can we 0:13:00.200 --> 0:13:03.280 help him get there? Well, rhet this sounds exactly like 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:06.320 Mike Frabel and what he does best teach and manage 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:08.560 his team. Yeah, because he said in a million times 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:12.480 he said, I'm just a teacher most of the time, 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.520 but when those guys come in the building is when 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:17.360 I become a coach. And Coach Mac laid it out 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:21.080 perfectly because the key for all of these young guys 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:24.000 in there is by the time they're ready to get 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:27.760 to mini camp, they will have installed the base schemes 0:13:27.800 --> 0:13:30.559 in offense and defense and what they're doing, and want 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:32.920 them to be familiar so that they can build from 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:34.920 there because the vets will come in and know what 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:36.839 they're you know, they've already been there and done all that. 0:13:37.080 --> 0:13:39.840 But the strength and conditioning is huge in this. But 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:42.600 I like the way Coach maculated out in terms of 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:47.200 learning their their acumen, their attitude, their attention span, those 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:52.480 things so that Coach Frabel and his assistance can coach 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.839 each guy like they need to because you can't coach 0:13:55.920 --> 0:14:01.400 every person the same way. We're all different in DNA, makeup, attitude, personality, background, whatever, 0:14:01.760 --> 0:14:04.760 and so that's where the litmus tests begin so that 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:07.680 you can gather that research, come back and go, Okay, 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.360 I can coach this wide receiver a certain way, but 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:12.800 this dB, I've got to coach a completely different way. 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:16.440 The conditioning aspect of it is interesting because some would 0:14:16.520 --> 0:14:20.880 argue that without having this time in twenty twenty, players 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:22.920 were still able to perform on the field. They were 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:25.600 still able to make it through a whole season. Injuries 0:14:25.640 --> 0:14:29.360 didn't really change that much. So maybe they don't need this, 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:34.280 But it sounds like the young guys need the experience 0:14:34.440 --> 0:14:37.160 in conditioning. They need to learn how to condition the 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:40.320 right way. Yeah. Well, I mean your veterans, they know 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:43.880 what NFL conditioning is. The young kids coming in last year. 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:46.160 We just talked about two of our Titans rookies last year, 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:48.560 you know, that were hurt through no faults of their own. 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:51.520 They they're not They don't know how to get ready. 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.440 They don't know. It's a difference. It's a different world 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:57.280 regardless whether you come from a Power five school or 0:14:57.320 --> 0:14:59.640 you come from an FCS school, it doesn't matter. It's 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:02.280 different being a professional. They have to learn how to 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:05.120 get ready to be a professional. And that's what these 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:07.720 young guys, the vets that have been here, they know, 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:11.120 and they not only know how to do it, you know, 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:15.280 in an overall perspective, then they know what they need individually. 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:19.080 They know because their body and the way they get ready, 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:22.840 that's their life, that's their livelihood. And they find out 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:25.520 real quick that the more they understand it can get 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:28.120 in tune with that, the better off they are. When 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:30.680 it comes to your healthcare coverage, you should be the 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:33.760 one to make the call. So call Farm Bureau Health Plans. 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:38.480 They've been protecting Tennesseeans since nineteen forty seven. Guys, I 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:40.760 want to talk about some stuff that's been going on 0:15:40.800 --> 0:15:43.440 around the league, because there were some meetings that were 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.960 had and some changes were approved, and I would like 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:50.440 to discuss what's going on in the National Football League. 0:15:50.640 --> 0:15:53.520 So to start an interesting rule change that we've been 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.480 talking about a little bit, changes to the low block rule. 0:15:56.760 --> 0:15:59.680 Coach mac, I would like for you to explain what 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:03.040 it is and how it's going to impact things on 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:05.560 the football field. Well, what they're trying to do is 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:08.920 they are trying to take out blocking below the waist. 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:12.240 You know, they've taken it out in the general field 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:14.560 of play. They've taken that out, you know, in the 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:18.640 all the kicking situations. So basically, to explain it simply, 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:22.600 they have taken that space in that area. Are are 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:24.360 the the you know, you hear hear me a lot 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:27.440 talk about that center guard triangle that works that you 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.320 have to work and when you're at a second level 0:16:29.320 --> 0:16:32.200 of defense or you're on that center guard triangle. They 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:35.120 have taken the triangle of the space that you can 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:38.440 commit a foul below the waist. They've shrunken that. They've 0:16:38.440 --> 0:16:41.120 shrunken it now down to the tackle box. You can't 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.280 do anything outside of that tackle box below the waist. 0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:46.640 And it's a player's safety rule. That's what it's for, 0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:50.320 and that's it's extremely important. You know, this is a 0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:53.440 little bit of the extension of where they've taken the 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:56.200 cut block because you used to as an offensive lineman, 0:16:56.400 --> 0:16:58.840 you used to could cut block the man right over 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:00.440 the top of you when the play in a way 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:03.080 Now you have to be two players removed, you know, 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:05.560 before you can do that. That's still within the tackle box, 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:08.320 but this is an extension of that not being able 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:11.440 to do it outside of the tackle box. They're just 0:17:11.560 --> 0:17:14.160 it's a player's safety rule, and I agree with it, yeah, 0:17:14.160 --> 0:17:16.840 because they started with years ago and rule changes as 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:20.480 they you know, tweaked those every offseason, you know, chop blocks, 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:24.400 crackback blocks, peelbacks, all of those, and so it's finally 0:17:24.440 --> 0:17:27.160 down to you can do this in that center guard 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:30.359 triangle and nowhere else. It's probably a poor correlation, but 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:33.159 it's like you can have contact as a dB with 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:35.440 a receiver in that first five yards and then nowhere 0:17:35.440 --> 0:17:38.439 else unless you want a DPI. So it's not the 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:42.320 cissification of football. It is a safety well, it's a 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:46.040 safety rule because there again, as I say, I don't 0:17:46.080 --> 0:17:47.840 like to say how long I've been doing this, but 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:50.640 when I first started this, there were not a lot 0:17:50.640 --> 0:17:54.600 of rules, and so there were a lot of things 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:57.679 that you could do that weren't real good for your 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:01.880 opponent's body. You guys are funny. I said cissification, which 0:18:01.960 --> 0:18:04.880 is for sure not a word, and nobody blinked. Everybody 0:18:04.920 --> 0:18:08.920 just and then that's because that's the amount of respect 0:18:08.920 --> 0:18:11.160 that we have for your knowledge I figured if Amy 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:13.800 Will said it's it's good. Yeah, I made it up 0:18:13.840 --> 0:18:18.159 and Playingcary go. Nobody even looked at me sideways to 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:25.040 make football more sissy esque cissification. There you go. You're welcome, 0:18:25.040 --> 0:18:29.800 OTI people. Here is the next thing that was announced 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.000 earlier this week that we would like to discuss a 0:18:32.000 --> 0:18:35.480 little bit, and that is the dates for roster changes 0:18:35.560 --> 0:18:39.160 cuts during training camp. We are back to doing cuts 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:44.679 in three different phases. So on Tuesday August seventeenth, the 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:49.040 team roster will be reduced to eighty five players. On 0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:52.720 Tuesday August twenty fourth, the roster will be reduced to 0:18:52.800 --> 0:18:56.600 eighty players, and by Tuesday August thirty. First you have 0:18:56.720 --> 0:18:59.760 to have your roster to your final fifty three players. 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:04.280 Coach Mac, how is it beneficial as an evaluator to 0:19:04.520 --> 0:19:08.399 have these cuts built in? Well, it's it's important, uh, 0:19:08.600 --> 0:19:10.440 you know, and for a while, you know, you had 0:19:10.480 --> 0:19:12.880 tears that you would take it down. If you guys 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.879 can remember, and I know OTP listeners can remember, when 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:18.320 you had four preseason games, there was a time when 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:21.520 you took it down to seventy and then that was 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:24.480 a hard getting people enough to play in that fourth 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:28.440 preseason game. So this is what it's for, and you 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:30.520 didn't mention it, but I know you meant to. Is 0:19:30.560 --> 0:19:33.639 that it starts with ninety players. Correct, You start with ninety. 0:19:33.720 --> 0:19:35.880 The max is ninety that you can take, and so 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:38.800 you start with that. Now, as a coaching staff, during 0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:42.520 training camp, you have personnel meetings every night. Every night. 0:19:42.600 --> 0:19:45.080 You have personnel meetings every night with John Robinson and 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:48.159 his personnel people, and and you know he has his 0:19:48.240 --> 0:19:51.800 scouts out there watching practice, and so you have you 0:19:51.840 --> 0:19:58.280 have position ranks every night. And so what you'll do 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:00.600 in those position meetings you'll go, I'll say, Amy, your 0:20:00.640 --> 0:20:05.960 wide receivers, Uh, we're we're gonna we're gonna keep six. 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:10.800 Draw line. Draw the first line, Okay, who's the first 0:20:10.880 --> 0:20:13.560 you know, first two out, first two out from the 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:17.199 bottom up, First two out, okay, next three out. And 0:20:17.280 --> 0:20:20.440 so you do that periodically as you work through with 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:23.080 in mind that at a certain point, as you said, 0:20:23.119 --> 0:20:26.240 you've given us all, you know, the quantitative dates that 0:20:26.280 --> 0:20:28.560 you're gonna have to meet that. But it's not something 0:20:28.600 --> 0:20:30.320 that you all all of a sudden come up on 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:32.480 and said, oh here's the date, Well, who were who 0:20:32.760 --> 0:20:35.880 we're going to release. You're doing this every day, so 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:37.879 it's important that they set that so that you have 0:20:37.960 --> 0:20:40.119