Vatikani on OC

Offensive guard Sioape Vatikani talks about the Cal O-line.

Transcript

00:00 >> So tell me what it feels like as an offensive lineman,

00:03 that your position coach is also the coordinator.

00:06 Does that give you guys an extra feeling of that we're pretty important?

00:11 >> Yeah, it gives us a lot of confidence knowing that our coordinator is gonna have

00:16 a lot of faith in the whole line.

00:17 So we have to really step up and really lead and be the engine of this team.

00:22 >> Is it different than when it's like a quarterback's coach who's the coordinator?

00:27 When you know that when you go to a big meeting that the guy who stands up in

00:30 front of everybody, the coordinator, he's your guy, right?

00:33 >> Yeah, definitely have a lot of pressure on us as a whole line in the meeting.

00:37 It's every day, even when we had Spav here last year, but

00:40 a lot of the team is gonna be looking up at us being the engine of the team.

00:45 Anytime they need a fire to be started, we're gonna be there with our fire.

00:48 >> I mean, is that what you want?

00:49 >> Yeah, big time.

00:50 >> I mean, you want the team to rely on you guys, right?

00:52 >> Yes, sir.

00:53 >> Yeah, what was his message when he came in a year ago,

00:56 as far as what he wanted from the offensive line?

00:58 >> We wanted to build an identity.

00:59 Cuz as a whole line, we just came in and

01:02 we weren't really sure of who we were as a whole line.

01:05 It was more individual stuff, but when Coach Busch came in,

01:09 it really brought us all together, all trying to be a group of a point, really.

01:12 >> And when TJ says five pennies, not five pennies, but a nickel.

01:15 >> Yeah. >> That means you're five guys

01:17 together, right?

01:17 >> Yes, sir.

01:18 >> And what is your identity, you think, as a group?

01:21 >> We wanna run that ball.

01:22 We wanna punch a hole in that defense, and

01:24 we wanna run that right down the middle.

01:26 We're not running around nobody, we're running through people.

01:28 >> How much better do you think you'll be as a unit than you were?

01:31 >> We're gonna be way better.

01:32 We're all tied together, tighter than I was my very first year here at Cal.

01:36 I was like, the whole line has been growing ever since I've been here, so

01:41 we're definitely gonna be- >> Are you pretty optimistic that your

01:43 unit is the group that's gonna power the offense?

01:46 >> Yeah, big time.