Garrett Greene Duke's Mayo Bowl Media Day
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 As an offense, we just have to stay true to who we are and
00:04 then as we get out there, we're kind of figuring out the players and all that.
00:10 >> You've spoken highly, obviously, of Frazier's intelligence.
00:14 >> Yeah. >> What kind of a role can he play?
00:16 >> Yeah, I think, I got hurt this year too, so you see the game differently
00:21 when you're off the field than when you're on the field.
00:25 So I think, after every drive, I'll probably come over and
00:30 talk to him about what the front's doing and all that.
00:34 But yeah, he sees the game really, really well, which I think is special.
00:38 >> Doug just said one of the best parts of the year for him was to see you take
00:42 ownership of the starting spot and really get your shine.
00:45 I think that was a turn of years.
00:46 >> Yeah. >> What's it been like personally for
00:49 you since you had to wait for your opportunity to finally get that chance and
00:53 to do so well this year?
00:54 >> Yeah, it's been cool.
00:56 I love this state.
00:57 Many people thought that I was probably gonna leave after last year or whatever.
01:02 But no, I love this state and I'm super, super,
01:05 super happy that I'm able to be their quarterback.
01:07 >> Mention this, to his point, you mentioned, I think it was last week,
01:12 about you being the worst quarterback in the Big 12.
01:16 >> Yeah.
01:16 >> Did you kind of use that a little bit as fuel this year?
01:19 >> Yeah, that was- >> Piss you off a little bit?
01:21 >> Yeah, that was my lock screen throughout the entire year.
01:24 That and then the 14 was my home screen.
01:29 So right when I opened my phone, it was me, the worst quarterback.
01:32 And then when I opened it, it was the 14th right team on the home screen.
01:38 And that was just kind of a daily reminder of what they thought of me and
01:41 what they thought of this team.
01:43 >> You feel like you've proven them all?
01:45 >> Yeah, I think, but I still think I have a lot more people to prove them all.
01:48 >> What do you gotta do to be the quarterback that you wanna be?
01:51 What's left of you?
01:52 >> I think just kind of continuing to work, not be satisfied.
01:57 Cuz I had a decent year this year, but not really to my expectation and
02:02 not really to what I'm fully capable of.
02:05 So I think just staying in the course, doing what's got me to this point.
02:10 And then kind of finding those few things that really make the difference
02:14 when it comes to huge steps in being a quarterback.
02:18 >> When you think about it, I mean, you've always been the guy since the opening.
02:22 I mean, you were in a quarterback battle all through spring, summertime or
02:26 whatnot.
02:27 So it's not really been that long in your career that you've been the guy.
02:32 >> Yeah, and it was kinda that way in high school too.
02:35 I was never really the guy until my junior year of high school, really.
02:39 I started off as a running back my sophomore year.
02:42 And then four games in or whatever, I became the quarterback.
02:48 So that's kind of been the story of my life, it's counted out and doubted, but
02:51 I embrace it.
02:52 >> So when you play Peewee football, you weren't really a quarterback,
02:57 you're just an athlete?
02:58 >> Yeah, I did.
02:58 >> A little library student or whatever?
03:00 >> Funny story, me and Jimbo Fisher's son, Trey Fisher,
03:03 we went to the same middle school.
03:05 So he was the quarterback and I was the running back for,
03:09 I think it was two years in middle school.
03:10 >> Yeah.
03:11 >> So they just wanted to put the athlete with the ball in the sands, I guess.
03:15 >> I was gonna say that Jimbo left, right?
03:16 >> Yeah. >> And the new coach came in.
03:18 I guess they talked to you like the day of signing day,
03:20 is that pretty much what it was?
03:21 >> Yeah, Florida State never really reached out to me, which-
03:25 >> Until the end, right?
03:26 >> I was perfectly fine with, yeah.
03:27 >> And by the time you were like- >> Yeah, I was signed, sealed, delivered,
03:30 yeah.
03:31 >> Right, right, right.
03:31 Your dad said to, grew up Miami, is that right?
03:35 He was a Miami fan.
03:36 >> Yeah, so my dad grew up and he went to Killian High School, he's from Miami.
03:39 And then my mom's from Canal Point,
03:41 which is just probably 100 feet from Lake Okeechobee.
03:46 >> Did you take your hurricane games?
03:48 >> No, I never really was a Dolphins fan.
03:53 >> Were Miami hurricanes?
03:54 >> Yeah, well, really growing up, NFL wasn't huge for us.
03:58 It was always college football.
04:00 College football was king, and obviously being in the South,
04:03 Florida State was right in my backyard.
04:05 So college football really was king.
04:07 But it was mainly just college football, and
04:10 then I would have to practice or stuff on Sundays, but never on Saturdays.
04:14 >> And were your grandpa disappointed when you didn't play baseball?
04:18 >> No, yeah, both my dad and my grandpa, they were super happy.
04:22 Cuz now they get to see another side of a highly competitive sport,
04:27 which I think has been cool, just the journey that they've been on with me.
04:31 >> Right, and you said your dad, what was the best piece of advice your dad or
04:36 your grandpa gave you about sports?
04:38 >> I see, I don't really think it was just something that they said, but
04:41 ever since I was five years old, I grew up in locker rooms.
04:45 Like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, I was running around no shirt on,
04:50 just running around having a good time with them.
04:52 So I really don't think it was what was said to me, but I think it was really just
04:57 what I observed and what I just absorbed through just being in that environment.
05:02 And I think that's a huge part of the man and the player I am today.
05:06 >> So the understanding of team sports, how everything works, I mean, how it's all-
05:10 >> Yeah, and my dad, so
05:12 I obviously play a lot of games in pro ball.
05:15 So I would ride the bus home with the players after.
05:18 And then he always said, after wins, you can laugh, giggle, have a good time.
05:23 But then after losses, you gotta shut the you know what up.
05:27 And so that kind of instilled in me the importance of winning.
05:30 And that winning really meant people's livelihood,
05:34 cuz you don't perform well, you don't get paid.
05:37 >> And being around those guys, you probably understood at a young age what
05:40 it takes to be good.
05:41 >> Yeah, yeah, for sure.
05:42 And that was like spring training.
05:43 I spent every spring break out there with him on spring training,
05:47 waking up at five in the morning, going to the field.
05:50 So it was awesome.
05:51 >> Right, obviously the work aspect.
05:52 >> Yeah, yeah, for sure.
05:54 >> Garrett, what has this week been like for players?
05:58 Coach Brown was talking about minimizing the activities that you guys do here in
06:02 Charlotte to try to get that family time while also practicing.
06:05 Just what have the past few days been like?
06:08 >> Yeah, it's been awesome.
06:08 Up here, this is really my second family.
06:11 So Christmas yesterday was awesome.
06:13 Just being able to spend it with all of them, having dinner with all of them.
06:16 It's been cool, but then he always says when it's work time, work time,
06:19 play time, it's play time.
06:20 So I think we've done a really good job of balancing that so far this week.
06:25 >> Over the two practices you guys have had down here so far,
06:28 just overall thoughts, how did things went?
06:31 >> Yeah, guys feel good.
06:33 We've really been practicing this game plan for two weeks now.
06:37 So now it's just getting to the point of sharpening it and
06:40 taking out stuff that we don't wanna run.
06:42 >> I was talking with Coach Brown about what the past month or so has looked like
06:46 for you and just working on your development.
06:48 He said you guys have been working more on your past game.
06:51 He thinks maybe more things that will show up next season with you.
06:53 But what has the past month been like for you and
06:57 what have those things you've been working on just for you personally?
06:59 >> Yeah, it's kind of been just fine tuning things.
07:05 They're not like, just a regular person walk down the street wouldn't notice
07:10 anything, but to people who know quarterbacks, know football, it's just
07:15 small incremental things that could lead to a really big jump next year.
07:20 >> So in those types of things, is that more just deep passes,
07:24 getting the ball farther down the field, just as far as the past game goes,
07:27 the next step?
07:28 >> I'd say it kind of translates to all throughout,
07:32 from the quick ones to the back, intermediate, short, and
07:37 then obviously deep balls, it kind of translates to all four, three or four levels.
07:42 >> Mechanics, obviously that's something new,
07:45 that's the next step for you, some of the different things.
07:48 What are some of those minute things that you gotta work on?
07:50 >> Yeah, I think it all starts with my feet, and especially throwing left.
07:53 Being a shorter guy, sometimes I try to fight to get my arm really high to get
08:00 the release point high, which you don't need.
08:04 And I don't really have the problem with it going right, but going left,
08:07 I kind of try to lean and get it high, and that leads to inaccuracy.
08:11 So that's pretty much the really big main one, and
08:14 then kind of tying my feet and my eyes together.
08:17 Cuz usually my eyes will be going through progression, but
08:19 then my feet will get stuck on my second read or something.
08:22 So it's really just marrying my feet and my eyes together.
08:25 >> And I know, again, from talking to your dad yesterday,
08:28 he said you've always been kind of the home run kind of guy.
08:31 >> Yeah. >> Singles are good too.
08:32 I think that's something he tells you.
08:33 >> Yeah. >> Take a check down,
08:35 take an easy shot if you got it.
08:36 >> Yeah, he texts me all the time, or on game day, he texts me,
08:41 he said don't be afraid to take crumbs.
08:43 You don't need to hold damn low sometimes.
08:46 Crumbs are good, and that's something I'm continuing to learn.
08:49 >> That's just your style, though, right?
08:51 >> Yeah. >> Since you were a little kid,
08:52 just the way you always played.
08:54 >> Yeah, that's how I've always played.
08:57 I'm always wanting to have the big one, and
09:00 it's sometimes not to my advantage.
09:03 >> And the last thing here, why are you so good at the table?
09:08 Why does that just fit what you do, whether it's the end of the half,
09:10 end of the game, or any time?
09:13 >> Yeah, I think our wideouts do a really good job of kind of getting the signal and
09:16 getting the line fast.
09:18 So a lot of times when they start their route, the defense,
09:21 they don't even have their cleats in the turf.
09:24 They just got their call, and they're still trying to line up.
09:27 So I think that's a testament to them getting a line fast, and
09:31 then the offensive line getting the mic IDs right and keeping it clean.
09:34 And then I think just two minute drills, you don't really have to think too much.
09:38 You just react.
09:40 We've practiced these plays so many times that we know exactly what to do on every
09:46 play, so then it's kind of just, this is the play?
09:48 All right, this is what we're doing.
09:49 >> Is it slow down for you?
09:50 You listen to great players, and they always say that the key moment is the game, so
09:54 it's not.
09:55 Do you understand?
09:56 You get an idea of what they're talking about when they're having a conversation?
09:59 >> Yeah, I think Baylor really, the last time I saw Baylor,
10:04 I saw it the entire way.
10:06 And when the ball left my hands,
10:09 there was never a doubt that Gene was gonna come down with it.
10:14 >> Garrett, along the lines of the receivers,
10:17 Traylon Ray is a guy who's really come on in the last half of the season.
10:20 What have you seen from him in his development?
10:23 >> Yeah, I think he's finally learning how to practice and
10:26 learning how to really compete at a very, very high level.
10:30 And he's still a true freshman, so he's still really, really young.
10:35 But everything you could want in a wide receiver is there.
10:39 See the way he tracks the ball, if you see the way he catches the ball,
10:42 it just looks different than really anybody that I've kind of been around.
10:46 It's aside from a few guys, but I think here in the next two,
10:50 three years, he's gonna be a phenomenal, phenomenal player.
10:53 >> Along those lines, obviously, we know what Gene can do on the ground.
10:56 He's also come up with some big catches for you.
10:58 It seems his past game is coming along, his receiving is coming along as well.
11:02 >> Yeah, no, he's just a damn athlete.
11:04 So any way that me and Coach Brown can get him the ball, get the ball in his hands,
11:09 we're gonna try to do that.
11:11 Whether that's throwing him a corner ball or handing him the ball off.
11:17 We're just trying to get him the ball in open space.
11:19 >> What has this past month been like for
11:22 probably the first time since you've really been here without Zach Frazier?
11:27 >> Yeah, it's kind of sucked, for lack of a better term.
11:32 He's one of my best friends.
11:34 I miss him out there.
11:36 But he's been around the building, he's been to every practice.
11:39 He's been talking with me.
11:42 And then I know we'll continue to do that on the game Wednesday night.
11:45 >> What have you seen from Brandon and his role in filling everyone?
11:49 >> Yeah, well, he stepped in in a really big, really,
11:51 really big moment at the Baylor game.
11:54 And so I have all the confidence in the world that he's gonna call a great game.
11:58 Snaps are gonna be good.
12:00 And that it's gonna be smooth sailing.
12:02 >> Last one for you, for the game coming up tomorrow, Coach Brown talked about
12:06 one of the challenges being North Carolina's pass rush.
12:09 What have you seen from them in that aspect?
12:11 And just what are you expecting?
12:12 >> Yeah, I think they have one of the top edge guys that we've played against this
12:17 year, he's really fast off the edge.
12:20 He bends the corner well, he's big.
12:23 And they've gotten after the quarterback.
12:26 And I think that's what their defensive coordinator wants to do is pressure
12:30 the quarterback and get him to make mistakes.
12:32 But I have all the confidence in the world and in my off the line, so
12:36 should be a good one.