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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:05 >> Maurice, can you just kinda talk about what the offensive line did,
00:09 no tackles for a loss for you guys, no negative play.
00:13 What the offensive line did and how you kinda have to be patient.
00:16 With Juar and with Isaac, the three of you always really kinda have to be patient
00:21 on who gives you touches.
00:23 >> On today's game, I feel like we already knew how the line game was gonna go.
00:29 Cuz we have a great offensive line, we had a lot of transfers come in.
00:34 And to me, I feel like this is the best offensive line I had since I've been here,
00:39 since my second year.
00:41 But going into that game, we started off slow after a while.
00:44 But we picked it up in the second half, and
00:46 that's when we started to really move the ball downfield with our line.
00:49 And even the pass blocking with our line,
00:53 started making some big plays downfield.
00:55 And Juar had that big run at the end.
00:58 The line was blocked up pretty well, he was the one I wanted with safety.
01:01 And made him miss, ran him over, and got him missing.
01:03 >> TJ, there was a play, I forgot exactly what happened, but
01:10 you put a really nasty hit on a guy, and your father flashed before my eyes.
01:15 Is that something that kinda, is it ingrained in you to play that way?
01:19 >> Yeah, he always told me about how he used to play, and
01:24 I think that's what he was known for, being a hard hitter.
01:27 And then after the game, he was like, when I made that hit,
01:30 he had some flashbacks, so that was nice.
01:32 [BLANK_AUDIO]
01:38 >> TJ, Coach Aiken was just talking, and Coach Bromberg talked about the second
01:42 quarter, and for you as a player out there,
01:45 what was different in that second quarter than maybe the rest of the game?
01:49 >> I feel like in the second quarter, it was just mistakes.
01:55 One person messed up, and it resulted in a big play, and that's what happened.
01:59 But we just had to get back together, make some adjustments, and
02:03 that's what we all seen in the second half.
02:05 >> Kinda sticking with that, from a defensive, well, from both of you,
02:09 I guess, but I'll start with TJ.
02:11 Obviously, there was a huge difference after halftime.
02:13 We've heard from some of the guys after the game about things that Brom might have
02:17 said, or what the halftime experience was like.
02:20 From your perspective, what was that like for the team,
02:23 going into the locker room after such a poor quarter, hearing from your coach, and
02:27 then coming out and performing the way you did?
02:29 >> Well, coming out in the second half, we knew we had to get some stops in order to
02:32 get our offense back in the game.
02:33 We knew that offense was gonna make plays, and so just coming out,
02:37 we just knew we had to play hard and just play our brand of football,
02:41 how we did in the first quarter, and we just showed that in the second half.
02:46 >> Yeah, going into halftime, we knew we wasn't playing how we were supposed to
02:50 play, how we've been practicing in the summer, up until the game.
02:55 So we had just regrouped, come together, and stick together, and
02:59 that's when we showed up in the second half.
03:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:05 >> For both you guys, what do you kind of expect the atmosphere to be like on
03:09 Thursday night, and being the home opener?
03:12 There's a lot of energy around the program right now, and a blockout.
03:15 What do you kind of expect it to be on Thursday?
03:17 >> For the first home game, I expect the crowd to be in the story.
03:24 There's been a lot of hype around the city, with Coach Brown coming back, so
03:28 with that and the blackout, I feel like it'll be a great experience for everybody.
03:31 >> Yeah, I'm very excited for this first home game, since the Browns being back.
03:36 I got respect for Mercer State, but I feel like we're gonna execute,
03:41 have a better game than we did versus Georgia Tech, and
03:44 give the fans what they came to see.
03:45 >> TJ, obviously the linebacker room has had a lot of loss, and
03:52 just kind of different things, and being a little bit unpredictable in what
03:55 actually was gonna happen.
03:56 I guess, what's that been like for you, and earning the spot, and
04:00 just being able to do what you've been able to do,
04:01 because you've been one that the coach has talked about since the spring?
04:04 >> As far as the linebackers, I feel like we had that chip on our shoulder
04:10 all season, because we heard what's been said.
04:13 We have had a lot of people that have left, and went other places, but
04:17 we just feel like that we can get the job done.
04:20 And I think that's what we had to show, that we can get it done.
04:23 And as far as me, being able to earn that starting role, I feel like that just shows
04:28 I need to be more of a leader, and a step up some more.
04:31 >> Marty's Coach Brown's teams have been known primarily as passing teams.
04:42 How much do you think the success from the Georgia Tech game, and
04:47 the running game, you actually had more running plays than pass plays,
04:50 which is also different, generally speaking, from Bronx teams.
04:55 How much do you think you guys can make this a quote unquote running team?
04:59 >> Well, I feel like the passing game is gonna lead us on to that.
05:01 Having defenses being scared about passing, and
05:05 we'll open up the box a little bit more for them, so we can run the ball.
05:08 And we had a lot of success with that.
05:10 Starting in summer, we're gonna get value here and stuff, and
05:14 I feel like it's gonna be a great season with the running game because of our
05:16 passing game.
05:17 >> TJ, how does it make you feel to be compared to your father when you make
05:23 plays, and how important is it for you to play where your father was from?
05:26 >> I mean, it was important, that went to my decision,
05:31 him going here, that influenced me a little bit.
05:34 I had one of my father's pushups, and
05:38 just by me making plays, it just reminds a lot of people that when he was here,
05:44 it just reminds them of how he used to play, and they say they see that in me.
05:48 So that's a big thing, I just wanna keep that going.
05:51 >> Anything else?