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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:04 >> Coach, I asked Jeff the same question, where Maurice Turner,
00:08 his status sounds like he's gonna be possibly available this weekend.
00:11 And what you saw from Keylon Brown, pretty impressive for his first time.
00:15 >> Yeah, I mean, Maurice is in good shape.
00:18 It was more of a coach's call to hold him out last week.
00:22 He was dealing with a little something, and
00:25 I just wanted to give him a few more days to kind of get back heel.
00:30 But he's in good shape, he's ready to rock and roll.
00:31 Definitely like what we saw from Keylon.
00:34 He's a special talent, and he accumulated a bunch of yards in the state of Georgia.
00:41 It's good football down there, and he was actually offered Mr.
00:45 Football and some other things.
00:47 So we knew that there was some advanced running skills.
00:51 I mean, obviously, he has to improve in his pass protection,
00:54 a little nuance to the position.
00:55 But definitely like where he is, he adds us and gives us mid-depth in position.
01:00 >> Coach, what do you wanna see more from Jarrad Jordan?
01:04 He's in the big plays, pretty well established guy.
01:07 But what would you like to see more of from him?
01:09 >> Just continue to elevate, continue to find ways to improve,
01:13 continue to challenge yourself to become more of a complete player.
01:17 In all facets, not just running the football.
01:20 He's done a tremendous job running the football, and
01:22 I think he takes pride in that.
01:24 But also, I've challenged him before the season to be a great pass protector.
01:28 And I think that he's shown vast improvement in that area as well.
01:32 I think he's doing a good job with his technique.
01:35 His eyes, hands, and feet are all coordinated as far as protection is
01:41 concerned, and he's really sticking it in there, stoning some guys.
01:45 So that's an area that I told him he needs to definitely excel in.
01:49 And he's been taking that to heart, as well as in the passing game,
01:52 just being a weapon that we can deploy in the passing game and
01:55 get him involved in that passing as well.
01:58 >> Yeah, Jarrad's not the biggest, most imposing guy, but
02:02 he runs like he doesn't know that.
02:04 And he'll go between the tackles, he'll take people on.
02:07 He's a threat to break longer runs.
02:09 What is it about his makeup that allows him to do that?
02:12 >> I think he's a fearless competitor.
02:16 He respects all of his opponents, but I don't think he fears anyone.
02:20 I think he embraces those opportunities, those moments.
02:23 I think he's a guy that's very comfortable in his own skin.
02:27 He understands who and what he is, his strengths, and
02:31 maybe some of his deficiencies, but he plays to his strengths.
02:34 And the best ones I've been around, they understand those components of the game.
02:39 And they're able to manipulate the defense.
02:42 They're able to pick and choose holes and
02:45 moments where they can really accentuate their skill set.
02:49 They're the things that they do well.
02:52 And I think that in those moments, he knows he's not a big guy.
02:55 So as far as running over a lot of people, that may not be his forte, but
03:00 what he does have is speed, elite speed.
03:03 So and I tell him all the time, I say, hey,
03:06 you don't have to be the biggest guy in the world to run over somebody.
03:09 What do you have?
03:09 You have velocity.
03:11 Use your velocity to make yourself bigger on the impact,
03:13 which means you need to embrace those moments.
03:15 Don't curl up, don't shy away.
03:17 Accelerate into those moments.
03:18 And then I think that's kind of what you saw against Georgia Tech and
03:21 maybe some other moments the other night.
03:23 But certainly excited about where he is.
03:26 >> Chris, kind of going down the list, running back to Isaac Brando,
03:28 talked to him about playing with Jonathan Taylor for two years at Wisconsin.
03:31 I guess, how does that kind of being in that room or playing with someone like
03:35 that affect someone like Isaac?
03:36 And what have you seen from him so far in these two games?
03:39 >> Tremendous growth.
03:41 I would say probably since the season started.
03:43 I told him probably since we started training camp.
03:45 I think I've seen the most growth from him in the room.
03:48 I mean, every day, it seems like he's growing before our eyes each week.
03:54 And like you said, I mean, coming from a program like Wisconsin,
03:57 they've run the ball quite a bit.
03:58 So we've seen quite a few pictures in the running game.
04:03 Surprisingly, I was pleasantly pleased that he's a really good pass protector.
04:07 I mean, it kind of suits his skill set, his body type.
04:12 I mean, he's a strong guy.
04:13 Very sharp, very cerebral kid, always asks questions.
04:17 Probably one of the most sharp guys in the program.
04:21 He's like a coach on the field.
04:23 And it's funny because I was talking with my GA and
04:26 he was telling me that Jaws was telling him earlier this year that
04:31 Isaac was actually the one that kind of helped him learn to play ball.
04:34 And they came in together as far as the offense is concerned.
04:37 So I think that just kind of speaks to his ability to retain information process.
04:42 And so there's a big trust factor there with him.
04:45 And he's doing a great job, not just in pass protection and in the running game,
04:49 but I mean, he's got soft hands.
04:50 I mean, he's really making himself available in the passing game and
04:54 being a factor in that regard.
04:56 So we're just tickled to death with where he is.
04:58 He gives us great depth between he and Maurice and Jaws and
05:04 Bama, which key one is Bama, so they can help Bama.
05:07 But those four kids, we're just fired up about where they are.
05:12 >> Kind of coming into this season, a lot of people expected that with Bronx offense,
05:16 there'd be a lot more passing, but you guys have been this team's bread and
05:19 butter so far.
05:20 First of all, how proud are you of this running back's unit to be able to put
05:23 the numbers in and play golf?
05:24 How do you stay consistent throughout the years and they can keep getting on you guys?
05:28 >> I'm tickled to death.
05:29 I mean, as a running back, every time they make plays,
05:32 it's like I make plays with my spirit is out there on the field with them.
05:36 So it's just fun to see them embrace the games and
05:40 be able to step up in big moments for the team.
05:43 We just wanna win games, ultimately, whatever it takes to win, we're about that.
05:48 And I think it's one of the more unselfish units I've been a part of.
05:51 They just care about doing whatever's best for the football team.
05:54 If that requires that we need to pass the ball 40 times to win,
05:58 then we're gonna be great pass protection.
06:00 If that requires us to be a little bit more reliant on the run,
06:03 then we're certainly ready for that challenge as well.
06:05 So I think Jawar and Isaac, some of the older guys,
06:11 they kinda lead that room as far as setting the temperature of the room.
06:16 They're very unselfish guys.
06:17 And when you have your best players that are unselfish guys,
06:20 it kinda helps everyone else to understand their responsibility.
06:24 >> Chris, we don't talk about walk-ons a whole lot, but
06:28 Caden's kind of a different kinda guy.
06:30 He had offers and scholarship offers and was committed at one point.
06:34 What have you seen since he got here and
06:37 you got him in a couple times the other night, and he runs hard?
06:40 >> Yeah, Caden's gonna be a good player.
06:42 Think about Caden, I'll be joking, Caden's never had a bad day.
06:47 He comes in, he's a smile on his face, he's bouncing around.
06:51 He's always the first one out on the field.
06:52 He's all passion and fire and energy.
06:56 And the best guys I've been around, those guys that come in maybe as a walk-on,
06:59 they develop into good players, they're that way.
07:02 They just have a high care factor, they care about the football team.
07:06 He's an in-state guy, so
07:07 there's a little bit more of a sense of pride in the program.
07:10 And he wants to do all the little things,
07:12 he wants to try to help out on the scout team.
07:15 He's giving us a great look at practice.
07:18 The guys have a hard time blocking him when he's giving us a scout look on
07:21 the kickoff team, or whatever the case may be.
07:23 I mean, our coach is always rave about his energy and his effort every day.
07:28 And he asks questions.
07:30 He was a little silly when he first got here, so we had to kind of work through
07:33 that, but definitely I've seen some growth and maturity from him.
07:38 And since that's happened, he's been asking more questions, watching more video.
07:41 He's always texting me on the midnight, just asking questions about the game.
07:45 He'll be fine, he'll be fine.
07:46 He's got some good players in front of him right now, but
07:48 I'm excited about where he is in his future.
07:50 >> Chris, kind of asked you about this, but curious your perspective on,
07:55 obviously you guys had some success against Indiana at Purdue.
07:57 What do you think was the cause, or what did you guys do correct, right?
08:01 Things like four and one was the record against Indiana there.
08:04 And how do you kind of see that translating here in the personnel that you
08:07 have here?
08:08 >> Yeah, I think it's important to really try to create some matchup issues if we
08:14 can through motions and shifts, and maybe lining some guys up in some different
08:19 spots, but I mean, I think it just kind of goes back to the play caller.
08:23 I mean, I think Coach Brown calls a great game.
08:26 He does a good job of seeing the game, setting plays up,
08:30 setting play actions up off of runs, keeping the defense honest.
08:34 And we've run a few trick plays over the years that have been,
08:37 I think, successful for us.
08:39 But I think overall, it's just the guys playing hard, executing the calls, and
08:44 being a little bit unpredictable as far as where we're lining up,
08:47 where we might be possibly going, as far as where the ball's going,
08:52 whether it's through the air or on the ground.
08:54 Just trying to be a little bit unpredictable.
08:55 But there's a few plays that we feel good about, that we've had success on them,
09:01 but they're always well coached, disciplined.
09:03 Tom Allen is a defensive guy, so they take pride in that side of the football, and
09:08 we understand that.
09:09 And so we understand we need to be even more sharp and
09:12 attentive to detail this week, and just like every week, but
09:15 to make sure that we can do the things necessary to really create some
09:20 angst and get them off balance defensively.
09:25 >> I wonder if you could speak to your philosophy of workload.
09:29 You've got three running backs, between 11 and 17 carries.
09:34 Do you expect to narrow the rotation as you get into the tougher parts of the schedule?
09:40 >> It depends.
09:41 It depends.
09:42 I mean, I'm open.
09:42 Over the course of my career, I've played one running back the whole season.
09:47 You rarely see that anymore.
09:49 It's a dying breed.
09:51 I mean, unless you're Derrick Henry, you're 250 pounds.
09:53 And I don't really see many guys that really can take 250 carries every season.
09:59 I think it's more of a committee approach these days.
10:03 You see it in the NFL.
10:04 I mean, that's just kind of the way it is now.
10:07 And in the way we play, I think you have to have an understanding of
10:12 the personnel you have.
10:14 It's not just, you can't just be a cookie cutter coach.
10:18 And I think that Jowar in particular, I feel like I saw him
10:23 have fresh legs against Georgia Tech on the fourth quarter.
10:26 And maybe that wasn't the case if he's 45, 60, 50 plays in.
10:30 You know what I mean?
10:32 There's something to the math of it as well.
10:34 And I think that kind of comes with having played the position,
10:38 me being a smaller guy.
10:39 I mean, you have to be cognizant of reps, the rep count over the course of the season.
10:45 And I think when you have three good backs, I mean, you can keep them fresh.
10:48 That's kind of the benefit of having three backs.
10:51 So I think that they all three present different challenges to the defense.
10:57 I've got some speed and Jaws and Maurice, and
11:00 I've got some physicality and Isaac and Key one, if we go that direction.
11:05 So I think it's important to have different types of tools in the toolbox.
11:09 I don't wanna have all wrenches.
11:10 I need a hammer.
11:11 I need to have a screwdriver every now and then.
11:13 So I think it's important to have different types of tools in the toolbox,
11:16 but also know when those tools need to be utilized.
11:19 And they need to understand their skill sets and how they fit best with what we do.
11:23 So definitely, I think it's an every model process.
11:27 >> You have a flathead screwdriver hand in your home center?
11:30 >> I do.
11:31 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, great.
11:33 >> Yeah, Chris, you played against Indiana's defense the last few years.
11:37 This is the same 425, but other than Aaron Casey and Noah Pierre,
11:41 it's a different group of guys, a lot of transfer portal guys.
11:45 Watching them in the first two games,
11:46 what have you seen differently about them from maybe last year's defense?
11:50 >> Definitely a lot of new faces, for sure.
11:52 They kinda like we did, they hit the transfer portal.
11:55 And we've gotten some good players in there along the defensive line.
11:59 We've gotten a couple guys that have caused some havoc,
12:01 creating and causing some double team issues, movement.
12:07 They're moving a little bit more.
12:09 I think they're playing hard.
12:11 You saw how hard they played against Ohio State.
12:13 They had Ohio State on the ropes for three quarters.
12:16 That's one thing you can expect from a timeout on the team,
12:18 is a tough defensive team.
12:19 You're gonna have to earn it.
12:21 And the other thing that we're cognizant of is,
12:23 as we went back and watched the cut-ups, is not a lot of plays.
12:27 Not a lot of plays.
12:28 They're holding the ball offensively.
12:30 And even last year, I don't know, but we had 60 plays in the game.
12:34 So that's something that we've gotta be prepared for,
12:36 really take advantage of our opportunities.
12:38 But we expect pressure.
12:41 We expect them to play tight coverage and try to move around on us and
12:45 cause us to communicate some.
12:46 So we're definitely prepared for everything I think that we could possibly see.
12:51 >> All right, coach, thanks.