The Chargers have received far more than they expected from linebacker Drue Tranquill during his rookie season.
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00:00But individually, you got to play a lot, you got to grow as a player.
00:06So how do you get evaluated individually than us as a team?
00:11Well, I think first and foremost as a team, I think the goal is to win
00:15a championship, win a world championship.
00:17And we're not in the position we wanna be to do that this year.
00:20I think we realize that, but
00:23I think we focus on controlling what we can control.
00:26I think individually, my idea, my goal was just to embrace my role,
00:30whatever that was, early on in the special teams.
00:33And so I did my best to make tackles, make plays, block kicks,
00:37do what I can do to help our team in that way.
00:38And it's kind of evolved a little bit more into a defensive role now.
00:42So I'm just trying to get calls, get the guys set up, make plays,
00:45TFLs, tackles, do what I can.
00:47And so I think when guys are embracing their roles, we operate at our best.
00:51And I think we did that in the XFL yesterday.
00:53I think that's why you saw team success.
00:55Who sort of helped you as that role has evolved, and how have they helped you?
00:59I assume there's a load of information as the role expands to try to sort of
01:04absorb and continue the process.
01:08Yeah, I mean, we've got a veteran group in the linebacker room.
01:11Obviously, starting out with Thomas, his 15 years of experience.
01:15And then even Denzel, his five or six years, he's our best run defender.
01:21And so to learn from him in the run game and
01:24be able to learn from Thomas in the pass game,
01:25Thomas being a former safety himself has been cool.
01:29And then obviously, Coach Smith has been in the league a long time.
01:33He's done it a really long time and
01:35is one of the best technical coaches I've ever had in regards to the detail,
01:39the position.
01:39And so I certainly appreciate his expertise and
01:43what he brings to the table in terms of learning the linebacker position.