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00:00 >> Finally not 95 degree, that's pretty sweet.
00:04 >> That's nice, right?
00:05 >> Sheesh.
00:05 >> I like it hot again.
00:08 >> I think we're doing much better than we were at camp, good lord.
00:11 Ready when you guys are.
00:13 >> Hell yeah, man.
00:14 >> Brad, what's an off week like for you, man?
00:16 >> An off week?
00:17 >> What was it like?
00:18 Was it such a thing?
00:18 >> Finally, well, I still came up here, got a couple workouts in, but
00:22 nothing crazy.
00:22 I tried to relax.
00:24 It was actually awesome.
00:24 I think this was the perfect time for off week.
00:27 You go four weeks of camp, you go four weeks throughout the season,
00:29 you get a little break, and now we kinda get the final stretch,
00:31 which I think is gonna be awesome, especially for my body and
00:34 going into my sixth year and whatnot, so especially for everybody else too.
00:38 >> Is there a different urgency?
00:38 I know coach doesn't want you guys to be up and down, but
00:40 does it feel like there's a different sort of sense of seizing the day,
00:43 I guess, now?
00:44 >> Yeah, I mean, we're back at it.
00:46 I think we got a little refresher, and I mean, we're a top five team in the country.
00:51 We're gonna be hunts.
00:52 The intensity's gotta keep ramping up every practice.
00:55 No matter what the situation is, you just gotta keep getting better.
00:58 >> What's this been like for you, man, coming from where you came from?
01:01 And no disrespect to where you came from,
01:02 but now you're on the top five team in the country.
01:04 You played at Death Valley.
01:06 You played LSU on that.
01:06 What has this last month been like for you as a football player,
01:10 all the football you've played in your life?
01:12 >> Honestly, it's been more fun than anything.
01:14 I think it's just, it's been awesome.
01:16 I mean, it's like the experiencing.
01:17 After every game, I go see my family, I'm just like, man, this is crazy.
01:21 It's cuz they get to experience it too.
01:22 I mean, they've never been in stadiums and in the situation I'm in either.
01:25 So it's like getting to experience that with them.
01:27 And just my teammates in general, it's like, man,
01:29 this is just an awesome, awesome experience.
01:31 Cuz I mean, I tell guys,
01:32 I've never been in stadiums where I have 80,000 cheering for me.
01:35 It's usually obviously we're the away team and it's a different situation.
01:39 But that past week at Clemson was amazing, man.
01:42 Just being in that atmosphere, that was probably the loudest I've been a part of.
01:45 It was awesome.
01:46 I mean, I can't be any more thankful, but yeah.
01:49 >> You're in the game, obviously, but do you allow yourself to,
01:52 in the middle of it or before in warm-ups, to take it in?
01:55 >> Yeah, definitely.
01:56 >> Right, and look at this venue that I'm playing in.
01:58 >> I think it's just added motivation, especially pre-game.
02:00 It's like, I take a good look around.
02:01 Once you're in the game, it's nothing.
02:03 You're playing ball again, but pre-game for sure.
02:06 It's awesome to look around, but man, this is the venues you're in.
02:09 You dream of this as a kid, and now you're standing on this grass.
02:12 You look at the players around you, the players you're going against.
02:15 I mean, you see scouts walking around the field.
02:16 Man, everything's coming together.
02:18 And it's just a little more motivation.
02:20 You're just like, man, not that you made it, but
02:22 you're on track to where you wanna go.
02:24 And it's a special feeling, it really is.
02:26 I mean, I'm very, very thankful.
02:29 >> What has been the biggest adjustment making the jump to the power five level?
02:33 Has it been the atmosphere?
02:34 Has it been level of competition?
02:35 I guess now that you're four games into, what's it been?
02:37 >> Yeah, I mean, week after week, competition's definitely ramped up.
02:40 But I got to see four weeks of that in camp.
02:43 I mean, I'm going against a really good old line here.
02:45 And yeah, I wouldn't say it's too much different.
02:49 But yeah, I mean, just extra level of preparation.
02:51 Work out a little harder, work a little harder in practice.
02:54 But yeah, I mean, you still got to show up and play at the end of the day.
02:57 It's not much changes.
03:00 >> You came here, a lot of these guys stuck around because you guys want to do
03:03 something special, but you mentioned that you guys are punted now.
03:07 How do you prepare for that?
03:08 I mean, you guys knew you were gonna be great, but
03:09 the fact that it's happening and falling into place.
03:11 How do you get that mindset?
03:13 >> That's the chess game you play each week is you play a good game, and
03:17 then it's like, all right, how do we take it to a new level?
03:19 You look at the adjustments you make, it's a lot of self scout too.
03:22 What are you giving away in a game that you got to prep for for the next week that
03:25 you're giving away for that team to scout on you?
03:27 So yeah, I mean, really it's just going harder in practice.
03:30 I mean, you can't let yourself dip.
03:31 I think there's been points where we have dip, we gotta ramp it up.
03:34 Cuz like you brought up, we are going to be hunting.
03:37 It doesn't matter what school we're facing, the logo, the record,
03:40 they're going to bring their all when you're facing the top five team.
03:43 I've been in that situation before playing for a smaller school.
03:45 When you go and play these big schools, you're like, yeah, this is my game.
03:48 This is my game to get noticed.
03:49 So this is a game every team we play is gonna be that similar situation.
03:52 So yeah, I mean, you gotta ramp it up.
03:54 You gotta be prepared.
03:55 You gotta, everyone's gonna give you their best shot.
03:57 >> Your former teammates, do you text them at all and be like, man,
03:59 you wouldn't believe what this feeling was like or what this game was like or
04:03 this player had to play against?
04:05 Do you keep in contact with these people?
04:07 >> Yeah, I mean, coaches, players, I mean, a lot of guys I play with have moved on
04:10 as well.
04:11 My roommates are both NFL players now, but- >> On and back.
04:15 >> Yeah, I try not to show or gloat too much about it, but it's hard to be like,
04:19 man, cuz I know where I was at.
04:21 >> Right. >> I was playing in front of five,
04:22 I had the 10,000 fans, and then you run out and see you got 80,000 cheering,
04:25 which it's a big difference, it really is.
04:27 But yeah, we talk, I just tell them, man, I'm grateful.
04:31 I never expected to be in this situation.
04:35 A year ago, I mean, I was thinking this was it.
04:38 I was thinking, it's my last year, and then eight months later,
04:41 I'm playing in front of 80,000, top five team in the nation.
04:44 I mean, it's just unbelievable.
04:46 >> In that game, two things.
04:48 Number one, what happened with the helmet?
04:51 >> Yeah, so I originally got a hands-to-face, my helmet was knocked off.
04:55 >> You didn't call that, right?
04:57 >> It was not called, which happens, part of the game.
05:00 The game moves fast, I understand that.
05:02 So they told me to get off the field, I was being waved off the field,
05:05 cuz when your helmet goes off, you gotta sub out.
05:07 But they were going tempo, and my thought was, this was on me,
05:11 I should have taken the knee, but the game wasn't stopped,
05:13 because there was supposed to be a substitution,
05:15 which is what I thought was supposed to happen, but it just messed up.
05:17 And then as they were going tempo, I ran back on the field as things were going.
05:21 It was just a hectic play.
05:23 The game is moving fast, things happen like that,
05:25 I just gotta be prepared for the situation.
05:26 I should have taken a knee, though, I gotta take accountability for that.
05:29 >> And on the fumble, we've seen you run.
05:31 I mean, there's a good chance you still score on that, right?
05:34 >> Yeah, 100%.
05:35 >> Are you telling?
05:35 >> I'm taking that to the crib, yeah.
05:37 I don't like the narrative that's out there saying I wouldn't score.
05:41 That's a little, come on, you guys all been at practice, what's going on?
05:44 You guys are supposed to back me up, but nah, yeah.
05:47 No, but D'Lo, I think maybe the better option, I was a little gassed.
05:50 I needed a couple series off after that, but I'm glad we scored.
05:53 That was probably the biggest play I've ever been a part of.
05:55 That was insane.
05:56 >> I know how high you were talking preseason about this defensive tackle room,
06:00 the defensive line as a whole.
06:01 How have you seen that?
06:02 I mean, how has it been in game seeing how it played out?
06:05 How impressed have you been with the rotation, the impact that group has made?
06:08 >> Rotation's awesome.
06:09 I mean, I don't have to play 85 snaps a game anymore.
06:12 But no, I think we're growing each day.
06:14 I think we're learning each other as we're on the field playing together.
06:17 I think each day we're getting better.
06:18 Yeah, I couldn't be more proud of the work that we've put in.
06:21 I think we're growing closer as a brotherhood more than anything.
06:25 Just watch the film together, studying together, make a plays out there,
06:28 seeing what we gotta do.
06:29 And yeah, no, rotation's been great.
06:32 I love the guys I get to work with.
06:34 >> Anything unique or anything that stands out when you look at that
06:36 Kyron Jones kid, the quarterback for Virginia Tech right now?
06:38 >> Yeah, that's a big kid.
06:40 He can move.
06:40 I mean, I think he brings a lot of versatility to their offense.
06:44 They're gonna be physical.
06:45 I expect their best shot.
06:47 I don't think their record speaks for what they are.
06:49 I think they're a pretty good football team, and
06:50 I think he's gonna bring his all.
06:52 He's a really good player.
06:53 >> And I know fundamentals are always important, but
06:57 is it that much more important to stay keyed in when you've got a kid that's
07:00 able to bounce it out or- >> Yeah,
07:01 it's not shy away from it this season.
07:05 We've given up a quarterback to run the ball this season.
07:07 I think we have to dial it in.
07:09 We know what to expect from a guy like this.
07:10 He's gonna run.
07:12 I mean, it's kinda what it is.
07:14 A guy, you attack what you're good at, and
07:16 I think that's what we're gonna expect.
07:17 And yeah, we'll get after it.
07:20 Fundamentals for sure.
07:21 >> Anything else?