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<v Speaker 1>Coach customer, your fourth summer camp. Here thoughts tomorrow, maybe

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<v Speaker 1>just some quit thoughts and then we'll have some questions.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure.

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<v Speaker 3>So's we're going into year four and I think we've

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<v Speaker 3>made a lot of progress, but we believe that there's

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of progress still to be made and we're

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<v Speaker 3>looking forward to integrating some of the new additions, both

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<v Speaker 3>on the coaching staff and on the player side, and

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<v Speaker 3>trying to reach our potential. And we had a good

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<v Speaker 3>meeting this morning about you know, what our objectives are,

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<v Speaker 3>what our goals are, how we're going to attain those.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think that this is you know, I'm like

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<v Speaker 3>a broken record with a lot of the people that

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<v Speaker 3>have been here before. It's it's a unique group of

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<v Speaker 3>young men that we get to coach. The lack of entitlement,

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<v Speaker 3>the commitment that they made in the off season.

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<v Speaker 2>Was pretty rare.

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<v Speaker 3>When I wasn't here, I got reports from our strength

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<v Speaker 3>and conditioning coordinator, Tyson Brown and he, you know, he

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<v Speaker 3>sent me a text one day and he said, we

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<v Speaker 3>just had they called PRP player run practice, and he

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<v Speaker 3>happened to walk by it and he said it was

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<v Speaker 3>one of the most intense player run practice I've ever

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<v Speaker 3>seen in my career coaching, and he's been at some

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<v Speaker 3>pretty good stops. So, you know, if we can maintain

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<v Speaker 3>that type of attitude and learn how to handle the

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<v Speaker 3>success that will have and that the setbacks that will have,

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<v Speaker 3>stay together as a team, you know, I think we

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<v Speaker 3>have a chance to be very competitive. So it's it's

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<v Speaker 3>an exciting time, but there's a lot of hard work

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<v Speaker 3>in front of us, and fortunately feel like we've got

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<v Speaker 3>a crew that's that's ready to tackle the challenge.

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<v Speaker 4>How much does last year's success drive what happened this

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<v Speaker 4>offseason to just when you're hungry and he tasted.

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<v Speaker 2>You probably want more. I think that it helped us

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<v Speaker 2>in recruiting. Certainly in the portal.

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<v Speaker 3>We were able to get people to pay attention to

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<v Speaker 3>us and maybe wouldn't have in the past. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>at least get in a fight with him and win.

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<v Speaker 2>Some of those battles.

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<v Speaker 3>It gives you a little momentum, but you know, momentums fleeting.

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<v Speaker 3>So we won't spend any time thinking.

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<v Speaker 2>About last year at all.

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<v Speaker 3>Eyes are forward all the time, and we'll try to

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<v Speaker 3>build on what we've you know, accomplished and take steps forward.

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<v Speaker 3>But it won't be a rallying crying like that. But

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<v Speaker 3>I will tell you this, it did help us become

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<v Speaker 3>more attractive to prospective players, and that was, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>one of for us internally going forward, that was one

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<v Speaker 3>of the most positive things, you know, externally, Hopefully it

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<v Speaker 3>builds some excitement and you know, hopefully we can build

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<v Speaker 3>more trust amongst our fan base. I felt like that

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<v Speaker 3>first year we did, and then we let it go

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<v Speaker 3>the second year and hopefully we built it back. Now

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<v Speaker 3>we have to continue to build that trust so that

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<v Speaker 3>you know, people believe in what we're doing and they

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<v Speaker 3>want to come out and support us, and they want

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<v Speaker 3>to spend their saturdays at the Rent and that's on

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<v Speaker 3>us to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Exciting to have so many skilled players coming back.

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<v Speaker 2>With some talent.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it's a different looking team, I think in the

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<v Speaker 3>skill positions. If you want to start at quarterback, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>I think there's four players there that are all really

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<v Speaker 3>good football players, kind of different points in their career,

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<v Speaker 3>but all really talented football players. I look at the

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<v Speaker 3>running back room and it's a good looking room. You

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<v Speaker 3>look at the receiver room, it's a good looking room.

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<v Speaker 3>There's some depth, you know, as well as some talents.

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<v Speaker 3>There's some talented depth. You look at the tight end

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<v Speaker 3>room and it's big, physical, fast, you know, guys you

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<v Speaker 3>can catch and block, and defensively you know, coach Hillary

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<v Speaker 3>and now we're talking about today in the secondary is

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<v Speaker 3>you know, there's a lot more depth than we've had

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<v Speaker 3>in the past.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think there's a couple of things.

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<v Speaker 3>Number One, you're able to, you know, when you have

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<v Speaker 3>some success, like I said, draw more attention, get better players.

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<v Speaker 3>But it's also a testament to the way they've been

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<v Speaker 3>coached and the way they've especially taken the coaching, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>on the field and then in the weight room, the

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<v Speaker 3>strength and conditioning stuff. So we're a better looking team

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<v Speaker 3>than we've ever been since I've been in here.

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<v Speaker 1>Jimmy, I know that the goalpost is always moving around

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<v Speaker 1>on these things now, But what was the process? How

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<v Speaker 1>did to play out for Joe to get a seventh

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<v Speaker 1>year and come back again?

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<v Speaker 3>I don't even have a clue, all right, and I'm

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<v Speaker 3>not going to question it. Somebody told me it was

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<v Speaker 3>I think it was right before the Bowl game and

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<v Speaker 3>somebody said, you know, Joe has another year and I

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<v Speaker 3>was like, okay, great.

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't want to know what it was because I

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<v Speaker 2>didn't want to jinx it.

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<v Speaker 3>So, you know, I think with the COVID situation that

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<v Speaker 3>happened a few years back, there was just a lot

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<v Speaker 3>more fluidity and eligibility requirements. And I doubt he'll get

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<v Speaker 3>an eighth, but we'll take his seventh, that's for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>So I mean for somebody like him, you know, it's

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<v Speaker 1>an opportunity to make some money playing football he's probably

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<v Speaker 1>not going to have when he's done here, so it's

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<v Speaker 1>very much worth yeah while to come back and play

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<v Speaker 1>a seventh year.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, it's a chance for him to make some

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<v Speaker 3>money now and put himself in a position where he

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<v Speaker 3>can make some.

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<v Speaker 2>Money after here.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I would not write Joe off as a

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<v Speaker 3>guy that will finish his career at Yukon. I think

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<v Speaker 3>that Joe is pretty special. I think there's some real

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<v Speaker 3>qualities and certainly, you know, he's going to be a

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<v Speaker 3>mature player when he gets done playing here, And you know,

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<v Speaker 3>I think that he has a lot of value not

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<v Speaker 3>just at this level, but at the next level, whether

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<v Speaker 3>it's the NFL or the USFL or candidate. I think

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<v Speaker 3>he can continue to play. So I hope that you're right,

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<v Speaker 3>that he has a great year earning money here, and

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<v Speaker 3>I hope that he has a chance to go earn

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<v Speaker 3>money somewhere else.

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<v Speaker 2>When you lose.

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<v Speaker 5>So many guys on the front seven defense, is.

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<v Speaker 6>It easier Maybe not easier, but to get guys out

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<v Speaker 6>of the portal saying you know, we have spots opening.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, players in the portal a lot of times

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<v Speaker 3>are looking for opportunity, and whether that's someone coming from

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<v Speaker 3>a power for a conference team that wants more reps,

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<v Speaker 3>or it's a guy that's coming from a smaller school

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<v Speaker 3>that wants more exposure and maybe a higher level of competition.

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<v Speaker 3>When you have opportunities that are present and they see them,

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<v Speaker 3>it does make it easier to you know, to convince them.

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<v Speaker 2>To come to Yukon. And there's a lot of things

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<v Speaker 2>that convince them to come here, you.

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<v Speaker 3>Know, you know, kind of building up and try to

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<v Speaker 3>become successful. Obviously, our facilities in the fields they look

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<v Speaker 3>great that you know, the academics here, and the environment

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<v Speaker 3>of this campus is this city, it's there's a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of things that are going for us right now. So,

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<v Speaker 3>but opportunity is a thing that seems to drive most

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<v Speaker 3>of the decisions that the players make when they come here.

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<v Speaker 2>How would you describe what it's like to recruit in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty five. Everything you have to consider from nil

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<v Speaker 2>to portal to rep share.

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<v Speaker 3>It's chaos. Yeah, it's chaotic, but it's also fun. It's invigorating,

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<v Speaker 3>it's challenging. It takes a lot of work, a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of time. You have to stay on it, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>I think high school recruiting hasn't changed a lot, although

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<v Speaker 3>you might recruit fewer players and it's a longer process.

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<v Speaker 3>You're developing relationships with these young men and their families.

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<v Speaker 3>I think a portal is more like speed dating, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>along with you know, how much can we pay you

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<v Speaker 3>and what.

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<v Speaker 2>Are your opportunities?

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<v Speaker 3>So, you know, in the portal, you have to learn

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<v Speaker 3>about someone's character and their motivations very very quickly. And

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<v Speaker 3>we've been able to do that and I think be

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<v Speaker 3>pretty successful, because the.

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<v Speaker 2>Portal can be dangerous.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, you don't necessarily know what you're getting, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>because you don't have that chance to develop a relationship

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<v Speaker 3>like you're with a high school player, and when you're

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<v Speaker 3>trying to develop an environment or a culture, or an

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<v Speaker 3>attitude or you know, a system, you've got to make

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<v Speaker 3>sure that you're bringing the right people in and keeping

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<v Speaker 3>the right people out, and that can be challenging the portal.

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<v Speaker 3>But I think that from all indications, you know, at

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<v Speaker 3>least the last two years we've done, we've done a

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<v Speaker 3>pretty good job of that from the personality standpoint, the

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<v Speaker 3>character standpoint, and how they fit in the systems that

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<v Speaker 3>we run.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know exactly how many new players you have.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't either. I haven't. I haven't counted. It's in order.

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<v Speaker 4>It's so fluid, well, like everything, it's probably it's a lot.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a lot. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 4>Did you have a general idea for how many players

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<v Speaker 4>you'd be bringing into the program coming off of last year?

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<v Speaker 2>And does that fluctuate as.

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<v Speaker 1>You have a moment?

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<v Speaker 3>It fluctuates daily because you're not always sure who's going

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<v Speaker 3>to enter the portal from your team that you're going

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<v Speaker 3>to need to replace. You know, they don't necessarily tell you.

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<v Speaker 3>Some guys will tell you early. Some guys wait till

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<v Speaker 3>the end. Some guys are kind of back and forth.

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<v Speaker 2>You've seen that. We've had some guys that have gone

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<v Speaker 2>in the portal and then come back.

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<v Speaker 3>I think I've tried to be really flexible with the

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<v Speaker 3>players on our team. If they want to, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>go into the portal for a legitimate reason and maybe

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<v Speaker 3>extend what their value is or get closer to home

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<v Speaker 3>or things like that, and they're guys that we value,

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<v Speaker 3>then we're going to try to We're going to try

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<v Speaker 3>to recruit them back to our program. But yeah, it's

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<v Speaker 3>it's very very fluid. I guess you'd probably say it's

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<v Speaker 3>pretty locked in right now. And so we're excited about

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<v Speaker 3>the team that we've been able to put together and

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<v Speaker 3>really excited about the work that they've done. They've done

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<v Speaker 3>the offseason, it's been it's been different.

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<v Speaker 2>Guy like Skyler haven't been back.

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<v Speaker 4>I feel a lot of people are fishing and trying

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<v Speaker 4>to hook him. But what does it say for him

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<v Speaker 4>to come back about your program? About the loyalty he

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<v Speaker 4>is way to come back here?

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<v Speaker 3>It says I think a lot about our program, and

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<v Speaker 3>says even more about him and what motivates him. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>he's he understands that he has a chance to be

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<v Speaker 3>part of something special, you know, kind of building a

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<v Speaker 3>program back.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that the loyalty he's shown to the.

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<v Speaker 3>School and and and to his teammates, is it speaks volumes,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, because he is a prominent player. He had

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<v Speaker 3>to remember during the Bowl practices, you know, he missed

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<v Speaker 3>a couple of practices because he had a chance to

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<v Speaker 3>go to Michigan and they offered him a lot of money,

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<v Speaker 3>and he decided to stay here.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I don't know that this number is exactly accurate,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's pretty close.

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<v Speaker 3>Just in the spring portal alone, we had players that

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<v Speaker 3>were approached legally or illegally and offered three point three

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<v Speaker 3>million dollars that they left on the table to come

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<v Speaker 3>back to Connecticut. And I think that says a lot

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<v Speaker 3>about the program, the school, the community, you know, their team,

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<v Speaker 3>their teammates, and certainly about their characters.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's something we're excited about.

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<v Speaker 4>You talk about the port of them, How shady can

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<v Speaker 4>that place be? You talk about it them like speed

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<v Speaker 4>Danny when you're trying to get in there. But how

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<v Speaker 4>there's some dark, weird stuff going on there too.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean, campering is rampant, and I've made my

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<v Speaker 3>statements pretty clear about how I feel about tampering. We

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<v Speaker 3>won't tamper, And if people do want to tamper with

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<v Speaker 3>our players, and we have a legitimate reason to believe

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<v Speaker 3>that it's that it's happening, and we're going to call

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<v Speaker 3>them out, you know, until the NCAA decides if they

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<v Speaker 3>want to do something about it, and we're going to

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<v Speaker 3>try to do something about it. It's just I think

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<v Speaker 3>it's you're teaching bad lessons. You're teaching the wrong lessons

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<v Speaker 3>to the players. You know, Hey, cheating is okay. Well,

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<v Speaker 3>cheating is not okay, and they're not going to get

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<v Speaker 3>far in life if they depend on cheating after the

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<v Speaker 3>leave college. So we want to teach the correct lessons,

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<v Speaker 3>you know. And we're not perfect in the stakes. We

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<v Speaker 3>make mistakes, but we try at least we try to

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<v Speaker 3>do it right all the time. And these teams that

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<v Speaker 3>flagrantly break the rules, it's it's difficult to respect those

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<v Speaker 3>programs for me, at least kind.

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<v Speaker 4>Of market and then to maintain the essence of what

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<v Speaker 4>you want to teach these guys when you're up against that.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, we just worry about what we do when we're

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<v Speaker 2>in this building.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, the things that we say, the way we act,

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<v Speaker 3>but we're not afraid to defend ourselves. Certainly, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>but not for us. It's just trying to be true

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<v Speaker 3>to what we are all about, you know, what we

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<v Speaker 3>value and and like I said, getting the right types

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<v Speaker 3>of young men in this program.

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<v Speaker 2>And we've been I believe fortunate to do that. But

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<v Speaker 2>you know the proofs in the putting.

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<v Speaker 3>This is all Every coach in America is standing here

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<v Speaker 3>today full of enthusiasm and optimism.

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<v Speaker 2>So we've got to make it happen. Kind But when

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<v Speaker 2>guys go too, you're always open them up on Twitter

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<v Speaker 2>and do other coaches you communicated with? I do when

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<v Speaker 2>I'm recruiting them. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, I think what's happened now is that coaches are

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<v Speaker 3>more likely to communicate with each other about what players

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<v Speaker 3>are actually being offered. You're seeing sometimes, and it's not

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<v Speaker 3>real prominent, but you'll see people that are acting as

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<v Speaker 3>agents for players, and they're not always truthful about what

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<v Speaker 3>other teams are offering. So I simply, you know, pick

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<v Speaker 3>up the phone and if we're in competition with somebody,

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<v Speaker 3>call them and say, hey.

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<v Speaker 2>This is what we're offering them, what do you offer them?

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<v Speaker 2>And that comes from my NFL background. You know, there

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<v Speaker 2>was disclosure of information.

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<v Speaker 3>Agents had to be certified so everybody knew what they

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<v Speaker 3>were competing against. I mean, college. I don't want to

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<v Speaker 3>compete against ghosts. I want to compete against the truth.

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<v Speaker 3>So I'm gonna call people and ask them what it is.

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<v Speaker 3>And then with regards to our players that want to leave,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, listen, I have to I have to live

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<v Speaker 3>what I preach to these guys, and so it's not

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<v Speaker 3>all about ball.

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<v Speaker 2>It's about their future.

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<v Speaker 3>So if they, you know, are adamant that they want

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<v Speaker 3>to leave, or maybe we've asked them maybe hey, there's

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<v Speaker 3>a better place for you, then I think it's my

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<v Speaker 3>responsible responsibility to help them get somewhere where they can

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<v Speaker 3>have that success that they're after.

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<v Speaker 5>Is there an area that you're really excited about the

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<v Speaker 5>jump maybe from spring to now that you're getting peked

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<v Speaker 5>up to see and actually when you're getting ready for

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<v Speaker 5>the season. I know you don't usually like to mention individuals,

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<v Speaker 5>but is there is it taking big jumps?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, there's guys that appear to have taken big jumps,

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<v Speaker 3>but we'll see when we get out here on the grass.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm really excited about, you know, the potential of the

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<v Speaker 3>wide receiver room. You know, I think it's it's it's deep,

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<v Speaker 3>and it's talented. At least that's my perception at this

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<v Speaker 3>point in time. You know, we're going to find out

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<v Speaker 3>and see how they hold up out here. But I

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<v Speaker 3>think that that's a group that that could excite people.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think there's playmakers. You know, we lost some guys,

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<v Speaker 3>but we added some real talented players.

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<v Speaker 6>Can you look at the coaches room and you see

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<v Speaker 6>at Jackson Mitchell and Johnnie Stafford. Does that give you

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<v Speaker 6>an extra sense of pride to know that they want

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<v Speaker 6>to get into coaching after being under you and they

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<v Speaker 6>want to start here.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, and I want them here. You know, you look

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<v Speaker 3>at Deronte's here. You know he's in scouting, but he

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<v Speaker 3>helps him coaching. And you mentioned Jelani and Jackson Mitchell,

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<v Speaker 3>who's you know, living at my house with me. And

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<v Speaker 3>then Caleb Anthony is on our staff, My son's on

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<v Speaker 3>our staff.

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<v Speaker 2>Now Johnny Pagano's son's on our staff.

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<v Speaker 3>Now you know, people that have a football background, but

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<v Speaker 3>primarily Yukon players that want to get started in this

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<v Speaker 3>business and need a jump start. We're going to do

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<v Speaker 3>all we can to help them, you know, because in

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<v Speaker 3>college football that is so important. You know in the

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<v Speaker 3>recruiting rooms, you know, with the parents being able to

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<v Speaker 3>sit there as an next player and tell them exactly

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<v Speaker 3>what it's like here from their mouth is really important.

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<v Speaker 3>The pride that they take in doing a great job

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<v Speaker 3>because they're representing the school that they played for, that's

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<v Speaker 3>really important. You know, you look around the country and

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of the successful head coaches are guys that

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<v Speaker 3>have gone back to their alma mater. You know, it

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<v Speaker 3>would be really cool one day for me. I know

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<v Speaker 3>from a personal base standpoint, if one of our ex

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<v Speaker 3>players that I was able to coach became the head

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<v Speaker 3>coach at University Connecticut. You know, that'd be really really neat,

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<v Speaker 3>And so you want to give those guys opportunities.

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<v Speaker 1>With so many new new faces.

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<v Speaker 2>It excites me.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I'm looking behind me and I see them

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<v Speaker 3>on there and and uh, you know, I know that

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<v Speaker 3>Donovan Branch, you know, those guys returners, they know what

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<v Speaker 3>to expect, they know what expect of them. And then

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<v Speaker 3>I have great confidence in the defensive coaching staff.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, they're tremendous coaches and they have a group

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<v Speaker 2>of players that just soak up everything that they say

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<v Speaker 2>and apply it to the best of their ability. So

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<v Speaker 2>I'm excited about it. Yeah, I'm not nervous about it.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, I got great faith in Coach Brocking those

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<v Speaker 3>guys and the players.

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<v Speaker 1>And do you see any value or anything positive in

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<v Speaker 1>any of the legislation that's been proposed or the executive

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<v Speaker 1>order that was issued regarding college sports? College football?

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<v Speaker 3>I don't pay a lot of attention to it. I

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<v Speaker 3>just don't have the bandwidth to do it. And it's

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<v Speaker 3>it's so fluid, it changes so often. I kind of

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<v Speaker 3>feel like I don't want to get in that emotional

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<v Speaker 3>game of going back and forth. I don't think there's

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<v Speaker 3>much that I can do to control it right now.

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<v Speaker 3>So I think the best thing for me to do

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<v Speaker 3>is just concentrate on Connecticut football and these players, and

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<v Speaker 3>there's much smarter people out there that understand it better

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<v Speaker 3>than me, and let them do their job, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, Yeah, ask one more.

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<v Speaker 5>You had to plug in three new guys up front

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<v Speaker 5>in the middle on the offensive line. Now this year

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<v Speaker 5>it's the two guys on the outside. Yeah, it seems

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<v Speaker 5>like you got a lot of depth able to do that.

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<v Speaker 2>Well.

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<v Speaker 3>We lost some really good men up front and have

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<v Speaker 3>gone on and you know, you got Val who's in Phoenix,

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<v Speaker 3>And you got Chase who's in Buffalo, and you got

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<v Speaker 3>we got Noel.

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<v Speaker 2>Who's who in camp?

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<v Speaker 3>Chris Chris Forton was the fifth pick of the Canadian

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<v Speaker 3>League Draft for fifth or eighth, So those are big

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<v Speaker 3>shoes to fill. But you know, Ben Morosse, he's coming

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<v Speaker 3>back healthy and he's a good player. And we brought

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<v Speaker 3>in some guys that can help. And you know, one

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<v Speaker 3>of us walking by us right there, Ty Chan on

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<v Speaker 3>the inside, allows us to move guys outside. I think

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<v Speaker 3>we've got a lot of flexibility and versatility upfront. It's

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<v Speaker 3>just a matter of gelling. But you know they're coach

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<v Speaker 3>by Gordy and and Uh and coach Pace and those

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<v Speaker 3>are a pretty couple of pretty good coaches that will

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<v Speaker 3>get it right all right.