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00:00 - We're gonna start the second row to your right with Ira.
00:02 - Sure.
00:03 - Hey Marvin, how you doing?
00:05 - Good, how are you?
00:06 - I'm good.
00:07 I didn't talk to you during your recruiting process.
00:09 I'm sure you talked about this a lot back in the,
00:11 during that the first time,
00:13 but you know, just,
00:15 could you just talk about how much you were around
00:17 Florida State growing up and,
00:18 and just kind of how important this program was
00:21 kind of growing up?
00:22 - Definitely was a lot of memories made here.
00:24 From being a kid,
00:26 just seeing the pictures of my dad and stuff.
00:29 Being a big fan of Jamis and all those guys,
00:31 to Alvin.
00:32 My cousin played here too,
00:34 so I got to come watch him play a few times.
00:36 So yeah, definitely a lot of time spent in this building,
00:38 for sure, growing up.
00:39 - We'll go to Brendan, front row on your left.
00:44 - You obviously had familiarity with Florida State
00:46 as a high school recruit.
00:47 After entering the transfer portal,
00:49 I guess, what was that relationship like with Florida State?
00:51 How did that help in kind of leading you here?
00:54 - Obviously a lot of great connections built here
00:57 during high school.
00:58 Obviously I didn't make the decision to come here
00:59 out of high school,
01:01 but I know what kind of guy,
01:02 Coach Norvell is,
01:04 I know what kind of guy JP was, Coach Fuller.
01:06 So it definitely helped,
01:07 having such a strong relationship with them in high school,
01:10 helped me make this decision a lot easier.
01:12 - You mentioned you didn't choose here out of high school,
01:17 you choose it out of portal.
01:18 What was different for you the second time around with FSU?
01:21 What had Coach Norvell done in his time here
01:24 that made it clear that this was a good place for you?
01:26 - Definitely made it clear that he was going to come in here
01:29 and make a change.
01:31 You guys seen by the record, obviously,
01:33 it definitely helped.
01:34 And then just seeing the production from guys on the edge,
01:37 Pat, Jared, Jermaine,
01:39 definitely made it a lot easier for me to pick
01:42 Florida State second time around.
01:44 - Next will be Essence, second row, if you want.
01:48 - Coming from a program that won a national championship
01:50 and reached SEC championship last year in your time there,
01:54 what can you bring to Florida State
01:56 to get them to the next level,
01:58 help them get that national championship?
01:59 - Well, I think I can bring a winning mindset.
02:03 I think Coach Smart has instilled a lot of those philosophies
02:06 in me and my time there.
02:07 So I think just being a leader, hardworking,
02:11 and I know what it takes to win.
02:12 So I think I could spread that information
02:14 to my teammates now.
02:15 - We'll come back to Ira on your right.
02:26 Yeah, I think your dad during the process
02:28 talked about not making it about him
02:30 and he was letting you make your decision.
02:32 And I guess how good was that for you
02:35 to not feel like pressure from him to follow in his footsteps?
02:38 - Yeah, I definitely appreciate him
02:40 not making a decision too hard on me.
02:42 He let me know it was my decision.
02:43 At the end of the day,
02:44 he's not the one waking up and going to class anymore.
02:46 So he definitely was helping, was very helpful,
02:51 allowing me to just be myself, obviously giving me advice.
02:54 I could tell he wanted me to come here
02:56 the first time around,
02:57 but he was definitely very helpful in my decision.
03:00 - What have your early impressions of Tour of Duty
03:05 and just the off-season program been?
03:07 - So this is my first winter workout.
03:10 So it's definitely, it feels like a fresh start
03:14 kind of being able to lift in the off-season.
03:16 Now Tour of Duty definitely isn't fun,
03:18 I mean, it's work.
03:21 I'm just happy to be here, honestly.
03:23 So anything I have to do to get better, I'll do.
03:25 - Seeing the success of Jermaine Johnson
03:32 and Jared Verse last year,
03:33 and then just some of the defensive ends
03:35 that have come through,
03:36 how much did that factor into seeing
03:38 that you wanted to come to Florida State
03:39 and get to the next level?
03:40 - Well, I never liked to just feel like,
03:44 because they came in here and did what they had to do,
03:46 that it's just going to be easy for me.
03:48 It's definitely cool seeing that a defensive end
03:51 will strive in this scheme.
03:54 So, I mean, just seeing those guys,
03:56 I talked to Jermaine a few times,
03:58 so he definitely has been helpful,
03:59 but seeing those guys' success
04:00 has definitely been most motivational.
04:03 - We'd like to, Brendan in the front row.
04:07 - You mentioned that you didn't have
04:08 the full off-season program previously.
04:11 I guess, what kind of detriment or difficulties
04:13 that can provide, and then kind of following up on that too,
04:16 like you got to play more and more as last season went on
04:19 or as past season went on.
04:20 I guess, how did that help you get those
04:22 important in-game reps?
04:24 - Well, I think me being able to work out
04:27 and lift an off-season, that helped me in every category.
04:31 Strength, speed, reaction time,
04:35 just being able to move around,
04:36 like before the season starts,
04:38 I think is going to help me a lot.
04:40 And then, I'm sorry, what was your second question?
04:42 - To be able to get a more substantial role
04:44 as the season went on, in-game reps,
04:46 how did that help you?
04:47 - Yeah, for sure.
04:48 Definitely, I mean, everybody knows,
04:49 SEC schedule isn't ever a cakewalk.
04:52 So, being able to just get that experience
04:54 against the top guys, NFL guys every week,
04:57 definitely helped me, for sure.
04:58 - Hey Marvin, you talked about having
05:04 a lot of great memories of Florida State growing up.
05:06 I wonder if you remember offhand, I guess,
05:08 a first memory or an early memory of Florida State,
05:11 and I guess, what's it going to mean for you?
05:12 I'm sure you dreamed at times growing up
05:15 of wearing the garnet and gold,
05:16 getting to do that in a game.
05:17 - Yeah, I would say some of my earliest ones
05:20 were coming to watch my cousin Fred play here,
05:23 getting that picture with Dalvin,
05:26 'cause he was like my hero growing up.
05:28 But yeah, I mean, it's just,
05:30 I mean, he inspired, Dalvin inspired me growing up,
05:33 and I hope that I can do the same
05:34 for another fan of Florida State.
05:36 - We'll go back to Ira, second row.
05:38 - You know, they've, I think they've done some things
05:42 with their ends, letting them stand up sometimes.
05:43 I know you've stood up, and you know,
05:46 are you more comfortable either that way
05:47 or with your hand in the dirt?
05:49 And then also, you know, I guess,
05:51 coming out of high school,
05:52 what were some of the things you had to develop
05:54 to get ready to be able to contribute at the college level?
05:56 - For sure, well, I'd say the biggest difference
05:59 would be probably strength, you know,
06:01 working just my run technique,
06:03 'cause if you guys watch high school football down South,
06:06 it's not really like huge alignment,
06:08 it's a lot of, you know, speedy receivers and stuff.
06:10 So that wasn't something I didn't really go against,
06:12 you know, big offensive tacklers in high school.
06:14 So I'd say that was the biggest difference.
06:17 And then, what was your first question?
06:18 I'm sorry.
06:19 - You like standing up or being in the dirt?
06:20 - Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:20 So, I mean, it doesn't really make a difference for me.
06:23 Obviously, just depending on the scheme,
06:24 I'll do whatever I have to do.
06:25 Yeah, I don't really have a preference
06:26 with stand up or hand in the dirt.
06:28 - We'll go back to Brendan.
06:31 - You mentioned Dalvin, and the Cook inspiring you.
06:33 I guess, what about his play or watching him growing up
06:36 particularly stood out to you?
06:37 Do you remember that?
06:38 - I would just say, seeing how, you know,
06:39 the city kind of rallied around him, you know,
06:41 he was always just a positive figure.
06:44 I felt like a Tallahassee.
06:45 And then him being from Miami too, going to Central,
06:48 just, you know, kind of a local guy.
06:50 So that helped.
06:51 - Next will be Jordan, third row on your left.
06:54 - Marvin, you mentioned it a little bit already,
06:56 but what does it mean to see so many heritage guys
06:58 on the team, the connections you have with them,
07:00 and then also playing for Coach Luton?
07:01 - Yeah, you know, definitely cool, you know,
07:03 having my guys, Earl and Devontae with me,
07:06 just helps, you know, make this process
07:07 a lot easier, the transition.
07:10 You know, Coach Pat's always been there for me,
07:11 even, you know, before high school football,
07:13 he's always, you know, had a part in my life.
07:15 So it's definitely cool having people
07:17 that you're so comfortable with in the building every day.
07:20 - We'll come back to Kurt, front row.
07:23 - You're one of three defensive end transfers
07:28 they brought in this off season, I guess.
07:29 I know you haven't seen them in a football setting yet,
07:31 but seeing them in tour duty, seeing them in the weight room,
07:33 I guess, what are your early impressions
07:34 of the other two, Sione and Tomiwa?
07:36 And I guess, how impactful do you think
07:37 the defensive line can be this season,
07:39 even when replacing so many guys off last year's team?
07:41 - I mean, those guys are, you know, hard workers.
07:44 Definitely, you know, a blast to be around every day,
07:45 work out with, just, you know, talk to off the field.
07:49 And I can't say enough about, you know,
07:50 how those guys work already.
07:52 That's just my early first impressions.
07:53 And then I can't wait, I think we have athletes
07:56 all across the board on D-line.
07:58 Like I said, guys just wanting to work
08:00 and, you know, guys that have, you know,
08:01 had experience in play before, so it should be fun.
08:03 - Our next will be Aslan in the back row.
08:07 - Hey, Sione, Mark, what are some of the things
08:09 that kind of contribute into wanting to start over?
08:11 And are you starting to maybe see some of the things
08:13 that you wanted to in your decision kind of playing out now?
08:16 - I wouldn't say I'm starting over.
08:20 I would just say, you know,
08:22 not everybody's path is the same.
08:23 I feel like I had to do what was best for me.
08:25 And I just, I can't say enough about how excited I am
08:30 for this season.
08:30 You know, I'm adding on more weight,
08:33 just looking to have the impact that, you know,
08:35 I know I can't have.
08:38 - We'll go back to Ira on the second row.
08:40 - You mentioned, you know,
08:41 Florida State was in it the first time.
08:43 So obviously they were on your mind
08:44 when you went in the portal.
08:45 How many schools came at you when you went in the portal
08:48 and were you even listening to a lot of them
08:50 or did you just, did you already have an idea
08:52 of which ones you would even listen to?
08:53 - I'm gonna be honest.
08:54 I was like logged out of my Twitter forever.
08:57 So any DMs that I may have gotten
08:59 just weren't seen until way after.
09:01 So, I mean, I kinda, I kinda knew I wanted to come
09:04 to Florida State either way.
09:05 So, I mean, yeah, I wasn't really much of a decision.
09:09 Honestly, I knew what I seen with Coach Norval's done.
09:11 I know what kind of man he is.
09:12 So it wasn't a hard decision, honestly.
09:14 - Yeah, you mentioned, you know,
09:29 that your dad was excited that you can make the force,
09:31 but what was his exact reaction when you mentioned,
09:33 you know, you're coming, what was that conversation like?
09:35 What was the excitement level?
09:37 - You know, he's not gonna ever give me too much emotion.
09:40 He doesn't ever want to feel like, you know,
09:42 he's biased towards a certain situation
09:43 'cause I knew he wants what's best for me.
09:46 But I can tell in his tone that, you know,
09:47 he was excited just asking me about this little stuff,
09:50 you know, my house, how I'm moving, whatever,
09:53 going out to dinner and stuff.
09:54 He just couldn't wait to really get, you know,
09:56 me settled in here, so, yeah.
09:57 (silence)
10:00 - Ira?
10:08 - I'm sure living with high expectations
10:11 is something you've done your whole life with your name,
10:14 but, and then the hype came out,
10:15 coming out of high school and then the hype now,
10:17 Florida State fans are expecting of you now.
10:19 How have you always dealt with that?
10:21 Not be either being bothered
10:23 or feeling pressured by those expectations?
10:27 - Well, I think the high expectations come from,
10:30 you know, the outside, like those aren't really,
10:32 I mean, obviously I have high expectations for myself,
10:34 but other people's, you know,
10:36 thoughts or questions about me
10:39 have never really ever crossed my mind.
10:41 I don't really think about what anybody else
10:43 has to say about me, whether it's good or bad.
10:46 You know, I don't think that helps me 'cause,
10:48 I mean, I don't know, I just,
10:51 my mom always taught me to stay humble.
10:53 Really, I mean, it's her doing, you know,
10:56 she's kind of kept me on the right track.
10:59 Yeah, I just don't really feed into anything outside.
11:03 It doesn't really do any good, I feel like.
11:05 - All right, we're going to come to Zoom
11:08 for a question from Logan Robinson.
11:10 - Hey Marvin, real quick,
11:14 you said that you were doing,
11:15 adding some weight on,
11:17 what is the plan with Coach Storms this spring?
11:19 - As far as my weight, you know,
11:22 Coach Storms and I have talked about getting me
11:24 into like the 260, 263 range,
11:27 just to add more strength,
11:30 helping me run game.
11:32 And obviously, you know, it's a different scheme,
11:33 so my hand will be down a lot more.
11:35 So I feel like the added weight will definitely help.
11:37 - Did you know Pat at all coming up, Patrick Payton,
11:45 and how have the older guys accepted
11:47 the new guys in that room?
11:49 - Yeah, I mean, me and Pat,
11:50 we played against each other one time in high school.
11:54 Thankfully, you know, I gave him his last high school game.
11:58 I gave him his last loss in the playoffs.
12:00 (laughing)
12:01 But yeah, and I mean, we, you know,
12:03 we've talked back and forth,
12:05 but yeah, and I mean, we didn't really, you know,
12:07 connect, I guess, after that game or whatever,
12:09 but, and what was the second question?
12:11 - How have the older guys have accepted
12:12 the younger guys in that room?
12:14 - Yeah, I mean, yeah, everybody,
12:16 yeah, the newer guys.
12:17 I mean, everybody, like I said,
12:18 has been extremely, you know, accepting.
12:20 Just, just feel like I'm, you know,
12:23 I'm part of a new family already.
12:24 I know I can go to Pat, you know,
12:25 with any questions, you know, Darryl, Josh, anybody.
12:28 And I've seen the same,
12:29 I've seen them give the same treatment,
12:31 you know, Lucy is homie, so.
12:32 - You good?
12:36 All right, thanks, man.
12:37 - Well, appreciate y'all.
12:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]