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00:00 >> Justin, can you talk about that touch and catch you had over here?
00:04 Coach said that you have really good hands in that last year he had you
00:07 practicing with the receivers.
00:08 How do you feel like you've improved this off season?
00:11 >> Something I definitely focused on.
00:13 I mean, just trying to get all parts of my game better.
00:16 But just honing in on the details of the route running,
00:19 reading man versus zone, all that type of stuff.
00:22 Just so I could come out here and make plays, feel good,
00:24 trust me to be a viable option for him.
00:28 And I think I did a little bit of that last year trying to build on that this year.
00:31 >> What do you guys get out of doing practice?
00:35 >> It's fun, it's competitive.
00:36 It's just that environment, you're going and
00:40 it gets us out of the monotony right of going against each other all the time.
00:43 So it was a long practice as you guys saw, but just having that competition,
00:47 brings the best out of you and your competitive spirit and
00:51 it makes you out there and just wanna have fun, make plays.
00:53 And it's really good taste before that first preseason game,
00:56 especially for the younger guys.
00:58 I guess I consider myself somewhat of a veteran now.
01:01 But especially for the first year guys, kind of get a taste of what NFL game is
01:05 gonna be like cuz guys are coming out here and competing like it is a game.
01:09 >> Did it get chippy at all?
01:10 >> It didn't, it didn't really get too chippy and
01:12 I think everyone's really professional.
01:14 Just kept it between the whistles, which I think is a good thing.
01:17 I wasn't here two years ago, but I heard it was much different.
01:20 So I think both teams have matured a little bit.
01:22 And we're just both focused on keeping each other healthy,
01:25 no one's trying to get hurt out here, get anyone else hurt.
01:28 And just play between the whistles.
01:30 >> How are you different this year than you were last year?
01:32 >> Personally as a player?
01:34 >> Yeah.
01:34 >> I just feel more comfortable, more composed.
01:36 I know the offense much better.
01:37 I think everything's just slowed down a lot for me, my reads and everything.
01:43 And I feel healthier than I've been, more explosive, stronger.
01:46 And just more confident, really just go out there and have fun and
01:50 make plays and not think.
01:52 Especially the running back position, once you start thinking,
01:55 even if you think you're playing fast, you're playing much slower than you could be.
01:58 So that's what I tried to work on, is just getting the details of the game.
02:02 Even more down than I had it, really learning the offense to every single
02:06 detail, every single, even what my fullback's doing, what my line's doing.
02:10 So I could have a pre-snap read of, have an idea of where I might take the ball.
02:15 And then once the ball snapped, it's just instinct from there.
02:17 >> I know the running backs are pretty close.
02:20 Have you talked to Melvin?
02:22 >> Yeah, yeah, I mean all of us.
02:24 I mean, he's talked to us all separately.
02:26 He talked to us before camp.
02:28 Obviously, he's gotta do what he's gotta do.
02:32 We're holding it down until he gets back.
02:34 But we all love him.
02:36 He's a part of this room.
02:37 And he knows that, and we all know that.
02:40 We'll contact him or interact with him on social media too.
02:45 He's always keeping it light, keeping it funny.
02:48 That's just the type of guy he is.
02:50 He's a great leader.
02:51 And we're just, like I said, waiting on him to get back.
02:54 But until then, we're all just trying to carve out a piece of where we might fit
02:58 into this offense, each individually.
03:02 >> And then, being said, this is a pretty good opportunity for
03:04 you to get a lot of reps that you might not otherwise not get, right?
03:07 >> Definitely, I mean, for all of us.
03:10 Obviously, when Mel is here, he gets a majority of the first team reps.
03:14 So just for us to be able to mesh with Pounce and Russ is not out here, but
03:18 Sco and Feeney and Tevi and all those guys, Trent, and even Phil.
03:22 Just to have that mesh, kind of develop that trust is really important.
03:28 So you just go out there, and the more reps you get,
03:30 the more comfortable you feel playing with the guys around you.
03:33 And the better you can be as a player and as an offense.
03:35 So it's huge for me.
03:36 I know it's huge for Eck too.
03:38 And so I think we're all trying to expand our game.
03:41 Obviously, Mel is a bell cow, gets a lot of those inside runs and
03:45 just the runs in general.
03:46 So for all of us to be able to get some of those runs too and
03:49 kind of feel that out and get more experience with that,
03:51 I think it's really important.
03:52 >> Just for us and Eckler, you guys have a strong connection.
03:55 >> Yeah, that's my dude.
03:57 I mean, we're always out there almost every play we're talking,
04:00 giving each other advice, kind of just dissecting the play.
04:04 We both love the game like that.
04:05 We both study the game like that.
04:07 And we both really feed off each other's energy.
04:10 We're different types of backs, but we do some things similar to each other.
04:14 But like I said, we're different in other ways, but
04:16 I think we complement each other well.
04:18 And we just try and build off of each other.
04:20 We never tear each other down or anything like that.
04:23 The whole running back room, we're very tight knit group.
04:25 It's real, we have a lot of fun, a lot of fun in the meetings.
04:27 Coach Fredo keeps it light.
04:30 And I think that helps us to come out here and just play with freedom,
04:35 play with energy and not go out there being scared of making a mistake or anything.
04:39 And that's something that I really appreciate.
04:41 I know all the guys appreciate it as well.
04:42 >> When it comes to Melbourne, you see all these reports on social media that you
04:45 want to trade, you guys kind of just ignore that or is it part of the business?
04:48 >> Yeah, I mean, it's the business, it's the NFL.
04:51 I've seen reports the other day about, not about Mel, but
04:55 about somebody else on the team that's just completely untrue.
04:58 So you never know, some people are just talking out of their ass or whatever.
05:04 But you just gotta come out here and play the game.
05:07 We're out here in training camp.
05:09 We're all trying to get better.
05:10 You can't really focus on other stuff that's happening off the field.
05:13 What's happening between these lines is what's important right now.
05:16 That's what we're all focused on.
05:17 >> Would you guys be okay with a running back by committee?
05:20 >> I think we're all just trying to come out here and, like I said,
05:25 carve a spot out for ourselves on this team, on this offense.
05:28 By committee, one person getting the majority of the rest.
05:32 I don't think anybody's thinking about that right now.
05:35 It's all about what can you do to get yourself prepared for the season?
05:39 What can you do each day to improve your game?
05:42 And I think that's what I love just about this team and
05:44 about each player individually is everyone is trying to build on their own game.
05:49 So that you can add more value to the team.
05:52 And I know that's what I'm trying to do every single day out here.
05:54 And I can pretty confidently say that's what the other guys are thinking too.
05:59 >> Austin, your head coach Anthony Lin is often seen as a running back.
06:02 What do you think you learned from him in the past few seasons?
06:06 >> He comes in the room a lot, gives us a lot of nuggets of wisdom.
06:08 Obviously, like you said, he played the position.
06:13 So he's got a passion for the spot.
06:18 Our running back coach always jokes that he's the assistant running backs coach.
06:24 Because when Coach Lin comes in there, he kind of just comes in there and
06:27 he wants it a certain way.
06:28 We're all like, all right, we're gonna do it that way.
06:30 So, but like I said, I think it's important for us to take that advice and
06:36 to take his wisdom and just apply it to the field.
06:38 Because he's been in the position so long.
06:41 So he really obviously knows what he's talking about.
06:43 And those little details is what can take a running back from here to the next level.
06:47 So that's what I've tried to just take all that in when he gives us those little
06:51 nuggets of wisdom.
06:51 >> Do you feel any pressure having your head coach being a former running back?
06:56 >> Not really.
06:58 Obviously, he has high expectations for us.
07:00 He wants things done a certain way.
07:03 But at the end of the day, I think you just go out there and
07:06 be confident and play your game.
07:08 And as a running back, you know that each running back is different.
07:12 Each running back has a different type of set of moves or
07:15 set of strengths and weaknesses.
07:18 So you just gotta go out there and be yourself.
07:20 And if you try and go out there and be a robot,
07:23 that's the exact opposite of what the running back position is.
07:25 You gotta go out there, be instinctual, don't think, just go out there and play.
07:28 And I think he understands that.
07:29 >> You mentioned earlier that everybody out here is trying to improve their game.
07:32 >> Yeah.
07:33 >> One bit at a time.
07:34 >> Yeah. >> What is it about your game that you're
07:36 focused on improving?
07:38 >> Definitely pass pro.
07:39 I mean, I think all of us are working on that.
07:41 It's something that obviously you don't really sign up to go out there and
07:46 be basically turn into an offensive lineman when someone's blitzing.
07:48 But you gotta go out there and step up and protect the quarterback.
07:52 So that's something that not a lot of us did a lot in college.
07:56 I did a good amount, but other guys barely did it at all in college.
07:58 So I think that's something we're all trying to build upon.
08:01 And like I said, just working on the details, reads,
08:04 steps, being efficient with your feet.
08:05 Cuz in the NFL, I think so fast, cuz a split second can really make the difference
08:10 between a three yard run and a 40 yard run.
08:12 So I'm just trying to focus in on those details,
08:14 watching a lot of tape on other backs in the league, Melvin, even our guys too.
08:18 I'm just trying to take little parts of their game, add them to my game, and
08:21 just trying to be a complete back.
08:23 >> What about just the emotional excitement?
08:25 Last year you were living the dream, this year you're in the mix.
08:29 >> Yeah. >> Do you give yourself any time for
08:30 that or is that later?
08:31 >> I love, like I said, I love coming out here every single day.
08:35 I wake up every single day with a chip on my shoulder,
08:37 like I'm trying to come out here, make this team, be a part of this offense.
08:42 Make my plays when I can.
08:45 And I think just trying to build upon myself and build upon last year and
08:50 build upon each day.
08:51 When you have that mindset, I think it gives you a certain type of energy,
08:56 where even if you're tired, your legs hurt, whatever, you come out here.
08:59 And when you get in between those lines and you got Phillip Rivers standing next to
09:03 you, you're like, all right, I'm ready to go.
09:04 I'm ready to go out here and make a play.
09:06 So that's always been my mindset.
09:08 And I just think this year I'm just more confident in that,
09:11 more confident in my abilities, and just more composed and not as rushed out there.
09:15 >> Let's talk about you being a fantasy football kind of dark horse or sleeper.
09:19 How does that make you feel that you're being discussed about fantasy football?
09:23 >> I know it's a huge thing for the fans.
09:26 And it's fun.
09:29 Now, I used to do fantasy football before last year.
09:31 It's fun.
09:33 You feel like you have your own team, your GM, all that type of stuff.
09:36 But honestly, when you're out there, you're just trying to do your best.
09:40 And you're not really too worried, am I gonna get eight fantasy points?
09:44 You don't worry about that.
09:45 You're trying to go out there and win a game.
09:47 It's a good way for the fans to connect with us.
09:50 But like I said at the end of the day, we don't think too much about it.
09:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]