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00:00Joining us now as a part of Patriots Monday, it is New England Patriots defensive end pass rusher Josh Ucce
00:08brought to us by Shaw's and Star Market perfecting the art of fresh and
00:12Drains by James Eastern Mass is top provider of drain and sewer cleaning and repair
00:18Josh, it's Gresh and Andy Hart. How are you this morning?
00:22Doing good. How are you guys? Good. Good. I know Josh
00:26There was a lot of talk of your return coming back to New England
00:30You saw opportunity here where maybe others didn't
00:35Can you just sort of shed some light on that now and have you been proven right?
00:40Even more in your thought process now that we're almost through training camp
00:47Yeah, my thought process on coming back to New England was based on the sole fact that this is the team that drafted me
00:55You know, they believe they believed in me from the start and have developed me and this is where I've grown and
01:01This is where I want to be and now that was a big factor in me coming back and you know
01:06As training camp has progressed, you know
01:08You know
01:09The coaches are buying in they invest a lot into their players time effort energy everything and you know
01:15We're seeing that unfold right now. We always hear my god
01:19Sorry, we always hear players say, you know, it's a business when we ask them about trades or free agent departures or cuts
01:25I'm wondering how does the trade of Matthew Judon who was a big fan of yours supporter of yours mentor for you?
01:31How does that affect you personally? And how does that affect the defense as a whole?
01:37you know, I feel like it's the judo was an integral part of our team, but the
01:43The infrastructure of the Patriots is we treat everything like a game-based scenario from practices to everything
01:49So we were prepared and we're gonna work hard every day to go out there and put our best foot forward
01:54You know regardless of you know, whoever who's on the field and you know, it's the next man up, you know
02:00We love judan as a person as a player as everything, but it's the next man up mentality and it's our responsibility
02:06You know pick it up
02:08Josh where do you see yourself fitting in on this defense? Are you just a third down guy?
02:15Do you have to continue to work hard to get on the field in the earlier downs?
02:19How do you see your role within this defense?
02:23You know, I see my role as someone who can help in many different facets from whether it be third down to early downs to
02:32Coordination you name it, you know
02:34So it's really, you know what's needed at the moment at the time and um, you know
02:39That's what the mantra here in New England is do your job and that can change from week to week day to day
02:45But you just have to be able to do your job at the end of the day
02:48You mentioned Mayo and everything that's kind of transpiring under Mayo
02:51But as a defense you guys have DeMarcus Covington as the coordinator the new play caller
02:56We've seen a decent amount of blitzing for whatever it's worth in preseason games
03:00How do you how do you see the way DeMarcus is handling things and and how do you think he's putting sort of his
03:06Stamp on his defense now
03:09Yeah, the Marcus's philosophy is definitely very interesting. I mean, um, we've added a couple, you know
03:16Interesting things into the playbook, you know, we got some new faces, you know in the different position rooms and it's been it's been great
03:23You know, there's there's been a lot of things that have we put into place that hasn't been shown during the preseason
03:28But um, you know, it's it's all about applying pressure and um, you know, that's one thing about the Marcus
03:33He's all gas no break. So, you know, it's been it's been fun
03:37Josh as you see this defense year to year
03:41Where do you think this group will have to work?
03:45To be able to maintain the level that you played at at last season. Is it an overall thing?
03:52Is there a group that needs to step up kind of how do you see this defense?
03:57Trying to get better from some of the great numbers that you put up last year. I
04:02Mean, it's over awesome, you know ever-evolving process
04:06We can get better in all phases and you know, that's how that's how we become better as a team is
04:12Everyone tries to find an area they can improve on and we just do it together
04:17We all know the quarterback is the focal point of fans talk radio everything and you have a rookie quarterback
04:23You face on the practice field Drake May number three pick just wondering from your vantage point on the defensive side of the ball
04:29What you've seen from the young quarterback you go against on the practice field
04:34You know, I've seen some good things from Drake made Joe Milton, you know
04:40Jacoby Zappi, I've seen great things from all those guys and it's just it's something that they're gonna have to be hashing up throughout
04:47You know throughout training camps as we come here to a close and you know
04:52That's what it is. I mean, you know my my job description is a
04:57You know defense, you know, I'm not a quarterback
05:02My job is go get those guys honestly, but um, you know, I'm sure you know their coach are doing a great job evaluating
05:09I'll leave that up to them
05:11Have you seen because obviously you talk about your job is to go get quarterbacks and you see quarterbacks that are tough to get Josh
05:17Allen or young, you know Patrick Mahomes guys that can run a little bit can throw from weird angles and weird spots
05:24Hell, we saw Patrick Mahomes go behind the back the other day in a preseason game
05:27Do you how challenging is that when there is a quarterback like Drake May who can?
05:32Run a little bit and maybe roll left and throw right sidearm and some of the things that he's shown the ability to do
05:37Does that does that add plant a seed in the back of your mind as you are rushing a guy?
05:44Definitely, I mean just the versatility of a guy, you know, it definitely changes your approach at times but um, you know
05:52Personally, I think that makes it that much more fun and or you have to get that much more creative and in your attack
05:59Your attack approach, but definitely guys that are able to do, you know things that are outside of the box, you know
06:06definitely, you know can
06:08Put different defenses in different positions. So having a guy with versatility is definitely important
06:14All right
06:15now I do want to ask you I'm looking at a tweet from the Red Sox on June 5th of this year and
06:22It says Joshua J in the house for a ceremonial first pitch. However, Josh I must ask
06:29Did you bring your own glove to your own ceremonial first pitch?
06:34No, no, I did not I was definitely borrowed
06:40Because I was gonna say I think you know better but when I saw the glove on the hand
06:45I was like, whoa, wait a minute
06:46They don't really don't give the ceremonial guys a glove to be able to catch the ball
06:50So I thought y'all you went all Doug Flutie and like went to a game and brought your own glove
06:56No, sir. No, sir. They definitely lent that to me. I appreciate it. Appreciate the Red Sox for that
07:02Appreciate it. Appreciate the Red Sox for that. I had a great time. Shout out to that organization great guys
07:07Did you play like baseball growing up or anything?
07:10was it like riding a bike or did you have to kind of like get out there and sort of warm it up a
07:15Little bit like you're one of your quarterbacks that you're chasing down
07:19Yeah, definitely had to warm it up there on the sideline a couple couple games of catch and you know
07:25Just they gave me some pointers. They just don't throw it short
07:29You know if you're gonna do anything make sure you overthrow it instead of under throwing it
07:32So I was you know a little bit nervous felt like third down definitely
07:36But um, you know, I made sure I threw it over his head way over his head
07:40Yeah
07:42Who would have it? Had you completely botched that who would have been the one teammate that you know?
07:49Would have been texting you maybe just moments after you might have air mailed it into the stands or something
07:56I'm on to me. That would have been chirping at me about that. Yeah, I
08:03Would have to go
08:05Definitely Anthony Jennings. Definitely. There we go. I like it
08:10All right, Josh. Thanks for the time this morning. Have a good practice get in some good work and we'll catch you down the road
08:18Awesome. Appreciate you guys. All right, there we go
08:20There goes Josh Uche and he is also brought to us by Verizon the official 5g network of the Patriots