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00:00 [INAUDIBLE]
00:04 Pretty good so far.
00:05 Just taking on this new role of starting quarterback,
00:08 getting more reps every day.
00:10 But it's gone pretty good so far.
00:13 How different-- what kind of differences are there
00:15 in knowing you're going to the starting quarterback?
00:18 Just getting a lot more reps with the starters
00:22 at every other position, like a line, receiver, running backs,
00:25 all the starting positions.
00:28 So it's fun working with them.
00:30 We've got a lot of skilled players out there.
00:34 So it's really fun with them.
00:37 You've played in numerous games.
00:39 But you've had some, I'm sure, warning beforehand,
00:41 like, hey, we're going to try to get you involved in a game
00:44 this week.
00:44 But the fact you've got this entire week to kind of know
00:46 that you're going to be starting the game,
00:48 is that a good thing for you?
00:49 Yeah, I think-- yeah, I haven't had this since I've
00:52 been at Florida State.
00:53 So I think it's a lot easier on my nerves.
00:57 I know it's probably surprising.
00:58 But as the backup, I'm one play away.
01:01 And that happened, unfortunately, this week.
01:04 But you never know if you're going to play or not
01:07 as a backup.
01:07 But now I know I'm going to play.
01:09 So it's a lot easier to prepare.
01:11 So it's better.
01:13 I like it.
01:15 Growing up in such a football town,
01:16 playing for a school like Philadelphia,
01:18 do you feel like that upbringing kind of helped
01:21 prepare you for some of the pressures
01:23 of the college level?
01:24 Yeah, I think playing in front of 14,000 fans
01:26 every Friday was really--
01:30 it helped set up this.
01:32 It's a lot easier.
01:35 If I was playing in front of 1,000 fans,
01:37 it would probably be a lot more different.
01:39 But I feel like that it's not a big change.
01:42 Where do you feel like you've grown the most as a quarterback
01:45 since you were a kid?
01:48 I think just my poise and my confidence.
01:51 It's gotten a lot better over time here.
01:53 It wasn't the best my first year here.
01:56 My second year, but over time, it's gotten a lot better.
01:59 How much did that little game help you?
02:01 It helped a lot, just getting in there and showing
02:04 that I can actually play in a big game
02:06 and helping lead my team to a victory.
02:09 It helped my confidence a lot.
02:10 How have you generally gone about building your confidence
02:13 over the years?
02:15 Just in-game experience really helps me the most.
02:18 And I've gotten in a lot of games
02:20 this year, which is fun.
02:22 That means you're doing good.
02:24 I think just in-game reps helps my confidence
02:27 doing good in those games.
02:29 I feel like you're a fourth-year guy.
02:31 The content to wait has turned a rarity in today's day
02:34 of college football.
02:35 What's it been?
02:36 Why have you been so committed and never wavered
02:39 in considering going elsewhere and sticking out here?
02:42 I think Coach Norvell, he took a chance on me
02:45 when he first got the job here.
02:47 I was one of his first offers.
02:49 He really believed in me, so I'm going
02:51 to give the same back to him and stay committed and stay
02:54 true to where I'm at.
02:55 How big of a whirlwind was that when you were offered?
02:58 You were committed to South Florida.
02:59 And of course, Charlie Stapley and I
03:01 knew you were close with Kerwin.
03:02 But just walk us through kind of that week
03:04 and how Florida State ended up being deemed.
03:07 It was crazy.
03:09 I got offered on exactly one week before signing day.
03:14 I took the official visit the very next day,
03:16 and I committed on the day after that.
03:18 So that was a pretty crazy week.
03:21 Just my whole life changed in one week.
03:25 [INAUDIBLE]
03:26 How much have you talked to him since Saturday?
03:28 What's kind of been his message to you?
03:30 I've talked to him pretty much every day.
03:32 He's been helping me.
03:34 He's just-- he believes in me.
03:37 That helps my confidence out a lot,
03:39 that him, it's unfortunate what happened.
03:42 But I'm really glad he's behind me on this.
03:45 What have you learned from him, getting
03:46 to watch him for so many years as he's become the quarterback
03:49 he's become?
03:49 Just his growth as a leader and his confidence
03:53 getting a lot better over the years has helped mine
03:56 be the same way.
03:58 [INAUDIBLE]
04:00 He has a relationship with your dad.
04:02 How much do you know-- how well do you know him?
04:04 Yeah, he recruited me at Louisiana.
04:08 His dad and my dad were really close.
04:10 They worked at camp together every year.
04:12 And I got to know his dad very well, too.
04:15 He coached me a little bit at that camp.
04:17 So he recruited me some.
04:20 So I have a little bit of relationship with him.
04:23 All good?
04:24 Can you give us an idea of just how different you
04:26 are today than you were the kid that started against Jacksonville
04:29 State in 2020?
04:30 It's a lot different.
04:31 I've grown a lot since then.
04:33 I kind of want to forget that game.
04:34 But my confidence has really grown since then.
04:40 So it's a big difference.
04:44 All good?
04:45 Thanks, Tate.
04:45 Thank you, guys.
04:46 - They didn't mean to make you relive it.
04:47 - Nah, it's fine.
04:48 Okay.
04:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]