Speaker 1: Hey, Chrichy, you just starts off with the gym. Uh.
Speaker 1: It was a really productive spring. We worked extremely hard,
Speaker 1: probably the hardest we worked in the four springs I've
Speaker 1: been here now. Uh, these guys just embraced every moment
Speaker 1: of it. We saw a lot of progress as a
Speaker 1: team got The new guys that came in, either as
Speaker 1: as freshmen you know, high school guys, earlier rollies, or
Speaker 1: the portal guys all just assimilated very very well. We
Speaker 1: saw that in the in the winter training program as well.
Speaker 1: So we stayed healthy for the most part of it.
Speaker 1: We had you know, some mix and stuff like that,
Speaker 1: but we didn't have any serious serious injuries at least
Speaker 1: the guys that are in the depth right now. So
Speaker 1: we feel really good coming out of this. Now, the
Speaker 1: next phase is the portal's open, so I'm sure it's
Speaker 1: madness out there, and these guys will work out for
Speaker 1: a couple of weeks and they'll take some time off
Speaker 1: and we'll get back at it right after Memorial of
Speaker 1: the weekend, so late in May. That's the next phase.
Speaker 1: So it's been really good, really competitive cooperative intents. We
Speaker 1: got about probably over fourteen hundred team reps, which is
Speaker 1: more than you have in a season. So that's that's
Speaker 1: what we needed to do. We needed to work hard
Speaker 1: and we did it. What are you approaching this portal window?
Speaker 1: Do you feel like you have a lot of bulls
Speaker 1: that you still need to No, No, We're we're in
Speaker 1: decent shape. I mean, there's some spots that we have
Speaker 1: to address, and we'll do that, but I'm hopeful that
Speaker 1: you know, guys that are here want to stay here,
Speaker 1: appreciate the environment that they've helped create, and are happy
Speaker 1: with the progress for making. But there's always going to
Speaker 1: be you know, surprises. We'll be actively looking for guys
Speaker 1: that can, you know, help us get where we want
Speaker 1: to be. And you know that starts a second we
Speaker 1: walk off this field because I'm sure there's you know,
Speaker 1: priority thousands of kids in this portal. It's it's a
Speaker 1: different time now that they're going to reduce the roster limits.
Speaker 1: There's gonna be a lot of really good football players
Speaker 1: out there, so we'll be hunting. How do you balance
Speaker 1: building on the momentum from last season to starting with
Speaker 1: Ron you start over, you know, I mean last year
Speaker 1: doesn't matter. You know a lot of these guys winning here,
Speaker 1: we lost some critical pieces, uh to you know that
Speaker 1: helped us have the success we had last year. So
Speaker 1: it's it's you just start from ground zero. You know,
Speaker 1: you talk about culture, you talk about work ethic, you
Speaker 1: talk about attitudes, you talk about character, commitment, teamwork, team,
Speaker 1: you know, selflessness, all those things. You just got to
Speaker 1: rebuild it out. So they're really in this day and age,
Speaker 1: there's no such thing as momentum coming out of one
Speaker 1: year or not. You just I think if you assume
Speaker 1: there's going to be, then you make a pretty big
Speaker 1: mistake quotational. So we just start over, start over, and
Speaker 1: you have a chance to see King when he played Temple,
Speaker 1: what did you like about him and say a good figure? Well,
Speaker 1: first and foremost, he's a playmaker. You know, he's made
Speaker 1: a lot of tackles in his career and that's position
Speaker 1: with that experience and a guy that's you know, been
Speaker 1: productive is really important. Uh Like the way he played,
Speaker 1: like his energy when he came on us visit just
Speaker 1: his personality. Uh he fits here. You know, he's a
Speaker 1: he's a good natured, tough, hard working team kind of guy.
Speaker 1: And you know that was what we felt when we
Speaker 1: brought him in for the weekend and through this last
Speaker 1: since January. That's what he's proven to be. Same thing
Speaker 1: in this spring ball. You know, he kind of stepped up.
Speaker 1: And it's not easy to come in as a new
Speaker 1: guy and gain instant credibility with your teammates and respect
Speaker 1: for your team teammates. But he did that just in
Speaker 1: his words and his actions. So I'm really excited about him.
Speaker 1: So you're missaid last year's last year, but dose last
Speaker 1: year helped sell your message when you're looking, It absolutely does.
Speaker 1: So that's there. You know, if you're a put in
Speaker 1: in a word that or in a realm wasn't necessarily
Speaker 1: like the football part. There's more people that are willing
Speaker 1: to listen to us than they were in the past.
Speaker 1: Recruits transfers a little more attention on your program, and
Speaker 1: that's a real positive obviously because we we want to
Speaker 1: capitalize on that. But in terms of like resetting as
Speaker 1: a team, we don't do that. But yeah, it's been
Speaker 1: it's been different. You know, there's there's people that are
Speaker 1: making unofficial visits here, people that are you know, in
Speaker 1: con tack with us that maybe it was a little
Speaker 1: more difficult to get get their eyes last year. Look,
Speaker 1: especially defensive fronts. I'ven pillars are sort of the program.
Speaker 1: How hard is it to rebuild? It's hard. It's hard.
Speaker 1: You know, you stand out here and you see Val
Speaker 1: and Chase sitting over there. Of course I see him
Speaker 1: every day. They're both living at my house, which has
Speaker 1: been unbelievably awesome to have him there. Uh, I mean funny,
Speaker 1: fun fun I mean, you know, Val and my wife
Speaker 1: cook every night, the Vows cookies, zucchini bread, carrot cake,
Speaker 1: sourdough bread. I mean I walk in the other day,
Speaker 1: VAL's gotta he's got a bowl with a uh a
Speaker 1: towel over the top of them. I started to postle, coach,
Speaker 1: don't pull that back. That's my My dough is whatever
Speaker 1: rising And it's just awesome. But uh, you know, Val, Dal, Chase, Jilawnie,
Speaker 1: you know Malik two Wee Ronto. Those guys were here
Speaker 1: through the fifth in the fam and so there was
Speaker 1: just this there's this grit to them and they've been
Speaker 1: the guy. So they understood what we were all about,
Speaker 1: and they'd kind of kind of put some skins on
Speaker 1: the wall. They earned it, and it's hard to replace that.
Speaker 1: It really is and that's why one of the reasons
Speaker 1: that this spring is so demanding on these guys. You
Speaker 1: want to see who's going to emerge, you know, who's
Speaker 1: going to show up and when you put apply pressure
Speaker 1: to the team, you know, or things you're kind of
Speaker 1: going off off track a little which maybe you create
Speaker 1: on on purpose, who's going to try to get it
Speaker 1: back on track? And so those are really important things
Speaker 1: for us to have accomplished this spring. That's say, well,
Speaker 1: I got like a Taekwon and he kind of emerges,
Speaker 1: you know, and you they see things kind of going
Speaker 1: whack out of whack, he just kind of has the
Speaker 1: ability to bring it back in could on that note,
Speaker 1: who have been some of the people who have kept
Speaker 1: the leadership wise for those group You've us in so
Speaker 1: many of that, says Demon Brinson. Wes Ho, you know,
Speaker 1: I mentioned Taekwon, Donovan brand Carston and they're all in
Speaker 1: their own way. Some guys never say a word, but
Speaker 1: the way that they work and their attitude every single day, Uh,
Speaker 1: you know, they're just there. They're big time influencers on
Speaker 1: this team. And uh, Cam Chadwick in his own way,
Speaker 1: Joe Figiano obviously, so uh I think there's just a
Speaker 1: lot of potential. I think as important as leadership is
Speaker 1: just a connection, you know, and the team seems to
Speaker 1: be building a connection, and that's really important, really important
Speaker 1: as you go forward. You talk about people listening to
Speaker 1: maybe more and now more and more willing listening. You've
Speaker 1: had a few players that you know, went to the
Speaker 1: teams that you played against, right impressed them they went there.
Speaker 1: It's a must be nice to have somebody now like Taekwon,
Speaker 1: that you saw and you liked whatever you saw and
Speaker 1: we're able to pull him here. Yeah, no, it is,
Speaker 1: it is. It's just just uh, it's a good it's
Speaker 1: a good feeling to at least get in the game,
Speaker 1: you know, when there's been times in the past we
Speaker 1: couldn't even get in the game with a guy, and
Speaker 1: now we feel like, you know, people are willing to listen.
Speaker 1: It's there's a genuine interest. And then when they come
Speaker 1: here and they meet the people and they see the
Speaker 1: facilities and the way these kids treat each other. Geez,
Speaker 1: I didn't know what it was gonna be like this,
Speaker 1: you know, So at least we're getting to that point.
Speaker 1: And then we just got to pull a few victories
Speaker 1: out of that and we'll keep building this thing the
Speaker 1: right way. You know, character is so important to our team,
Speaker 1: you know, in that connection, and so we always have
Speaker 1: to be really careful that it's it's more than just
Speaker 1: about the football player, you know, it's about the person
Speaker 1: as well, because that's you know, that's what builds the
Speaker 1: strength of your team, is the is the character of
Speaker 1: your team. We kind of been Branch was a guy
Speaker 1: that had decommitted at leave and then you guys got
Speaker 1: it to come back and now he's in here four years. Yeah,
Speaker 1: what what was it that you saw them that made
Speaker 1: want him to stay? Well, he decommitted, Like I mean
Speaker 1: I said, right when I got here, I didn't know him,
Speaker 1: you know, but you watch the film and you saw trades.
Speaker 1: He's a guy I just done a tremendous job of
Speaker 1: developing himself physically and mentally, emotionally. I mean, he's just
Speaker 1: a he's a world class person and he's grounded. He
Speaker 1: takes it serious. He's been the same kind of since
Speaker 1: he got here, and now you're really starting to see
Speaker 1: it payoff. And the way he looks physically, his understanding
Speaker 1: of the defense is production. So if you look at
Speaker 1: his production. If you went off his pure stats, there's
Speaker 1: nothing to write home about. But you know, that's kind
Speaker 1: of those people outside that are looking the stats. Fortunately,
Speaker 1: we get to see him every day and meetings in
Speaker 1: the weight room, we get to see him at practice,
Speaker 1: and we know what he's becoming. Jim, I hate the
Speaker 1: thrower used to be out there, But it used to
Speaker 1: be these springs would end with a spring game or
Speaker 1: a scrimmage or something like that. Not anymore, it's cheaged. Well,
Speaker 1: we decided last year when we were out there on
Speaker 1: Maron at least, I decided that that was we weren't
Speaker 1: gonna do that again again. Number One, the turf isn't
Speaker 1: conducive to safety and opinion in football. It's okay for
Speaker 1: lacrosse and soccer and and the field if they ever
Speaker 1: play field hockey the things they do out there, but
Speaker 1: for our football team, that turf is not safe. Number two, Uh,
Speaker 1: it was cold and wet and rainy, and no one
Speaker 1: was there, and uh, it just wasn't the energy and
Speaker 1: the environment that we needed. And number three, I feel
Speaker 1: like in a practice like this, we can get a
Speaker 1: lot more done. You know, we can create more situations,
Speaker 1: We can create the energy we want, we can get
Speaker 1: the evaluations that we want, and so we just decided
Speaker 1: last year that we're not doing anymore. Now other people
Speaker 1: have their own reasons for us, it was really just
Speaker 1: a function of how can we have fifteen really really
Speaker 1: good practices where we can develop as a football team,
Speaker 1: irrelevant of what anyone else is doing. I'm so curious
Speaker 1: on your position on the state of sort of the
Speaker 1: transfer portal and all that stuff where we're seeing at
Speaker 1: least one player, you know, show that you can kind
Speaker 1: of hold out. Yeah, And I mean I don't, I
Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know. There's there's there's really no
Speaker 1: rules that are being followed. Tampering is rampant. The NCAA
Speaker 1: refuses to step in and do anything about it. I
Speaker 1: know this. If one of our players that I don't
Speaker 1: think is gonna leave all of a sudden leaves, I'm
Speaker 1: calling that team out. If I have any inkling that
Speaker 1: there's tampering, I'm naming names. I'm not gonna be one
Speaker 1: of those coaches says, hey, we the NCAA's got to
Speaker 1: do something about tampering. I'm gonna say no school X,
Speaker 1: just like get I did in the winter school X
Speaker 1: did this, and then the NCAAs to decide if they
Speaker 1: want to do something about it, which so far doesn't
Speaker 1: appear they're going to. I think it's chaos. I think
Speaker 1: it's unfortunate. I think it's horrible for the players. I
Speaker 1: don't think it's the player's fault at all. I mean,
Speaker 1: these players, they see the money out there, they want
Speaker 1: to go get it. There's no contracts, there's nothing holding
Speaker 1: them back from them. They're young, impressionable kids. I don't
Speaker 1: blame them at all. It's it's it is what it is.
Speaker 1: You're just the I mean, I consider I'm not bitching.
Speaker 1: I'm just telling you the facts. It's just it is
Speaker 1: what it is. I mean, you kind of get a
Speaker 1: little adrenaline rush out of it. At the same time,
Speaker 1: you know, I know the positives it. It gives us
Speaker 1: a chance to go out and you know, better our team,
Speaker 1: and it gives players a chance to got and better
Speaker 1: their situation. But at some point in time, at some
Speaker 1: point in time, the people that govern this have to
Speaker 1: have some parameters that they enforce and they stick to,
Speaker 1: otherwise it's going to implode. You didn't hear anything. You
Speaker 1: didn't hear anything. At all after anybody mentioned more. It's
Speaker 1: like Mike Gandhi said, you know, go and look consider
Speaker 1: my Gundy said about spring games. You know, I'm not
Speaker 1: going to repeat what he said, but tell somebody's willing
Speaker 1: to actually hold somebody accountable. People are just going to
Speaker 1: do what they want regardless of the this what the
Speaker 1: rules say, and that is exactly what's happening. But I'm
Speaker 1: not going to be afraid to call it out because
Speaker 1: I don't care. You know what I'm saying, because what
Speaker 1: are the players on your spring roster? Is du Khan? Define?
Speaker 1: Can you talk about him at all? I don't know
Speaker 1: how it work. Is this some sort of kind of
Speaker 1: tryout or how hard if nearly try? He impressed us
Speaker 1: now he you know, Coach Penders talked about him a
Speaker 1: lot to me, and Drew expressed an interest in coming
Speaker 1: out and playing football again. And you would not have
Speaker 1: known that it had been a while since he played.
Speaker 1: And when he stepped right in and he was really
Speaker 1: good and he understood the game, and he's competitive, and
Speaker 1: he's tough, and he catches the ball consistently, he learns well.
Speaker 1: I don't know what his plans are going forward. I
Speaker 1: mean if if tomorrow he's out there, you know, hitting
Speaker 1: clean up for our baseball team, I'm all for it.
Speaker 1: You know. I'd love to have him back in the
Speaker 1: in the summer, in the in the fallback. So whatever
Speaker 1: he wants to do, you know, and whatever coach Penders
Speaker 1: thinks is best for him. I like him, you know.
Speaker 1: I like dual sport guys like I wouldn't mind our
Speaker 1: guys running track, you know, I'd be great. He just
Speaker 1: go out there and compete. That's the best thing we
Speaker 1: can do is go compete. So all right, hey, thanks,