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00:00 >> Have spring back and rolling, it's a lot different than just being around
00:03 the complex, what's it like to be back on the field?
00:05 >> It feels good, having something to do, well, of course, there's always something
00:08 to do, but just using the weight training and everything we've been doing,
00:11 it's just everybody's getting antsy to get back into it.
00:14 So it feels great to be back, I'm not gonna lie.
00:16 >> The secondary's an area that's kind of being rebuilt a little bit,
00:19 lost some key additions at corner and at safety.
00:22 How is that group, obviously you've added some transfers,
00:24 how have you guys started to mesh?
00:26 >> I think we're meshing great.
00:27 Obviously, we brought in a lot of veteran guys and Wesley T Mac and
00:31 Blake Ruffin as well.
00:32 So I feel like it's a great addition to the safety room, a lot.
00:36 A lot of experience, a lot of depth, I like that.
00:39 >> What's it like with all the new, I mean, not just in your safety room, but
00:43 like in all over the roster with all the new guys and having to learn.
00:48 It's a different time and having to learn people.
00:50 You had to learn last year coming in as a new guy,
00:53 what's it like having all the new guys?
00:55 >> I feel like it's the same deal as last time, just rinse, repeat, and
00:59 just go through the process again.
01:02 And just looking at you better things this time.
01:05 I feel like it's a great thing, just looking at certain people,
01:07 you feel like you look just like a familiar.
01:09 Now I feel like, wait, you're like somebody else, but
01:11 I'm just somebody different.
01:12 >> It's a safe, you gotta learn faces, don't you?
01:14 >> Yeah.
01:16 >> What do you kinda, after last year and what you guys accomplished as a team,
01:21 how do you, you said rinse and repeat, but
01:24 how do you reset the goals or do you, in this spring without it?
01:28 >> For the goals, it's really just higher expectations than last time.
01:34 Just trying to bring a focus to practice every day, not trying to miss a beat,
01:39 just trying to achieve perfection really is what we're trying to do, I feel like.
01:43 So, yeah.
01:45 >> You lost one of your teammates for a while there to injury, and MJ,
01:48 how's his progression?
01:49 And how are you guys, I guess, working, helping him get back on the field?
01:53 >> His progression's been great.
01:54 He's been recovering really fast, and I'm impressed at his recovery.
01:57 And we're working him back into it.
01:59 He's been doing bangs on the side, just getting back into it.
02:02 He's definitely gonna be back better than ever, I think so.
02:04 I'm looking forward to it.
02:06 >> In the secondary as a whole, and especially in the safety room,
02:08 you guys added a lot of newcomers, especially through the transfer portal.
02:12 What are some of your overall thoughts on kind of the competition and
02:15 the depth that you guys have at safety right now?
02:18 >> About the competition, I honestly like it.
02:19 I feel like competition's a great thing.
02:21 It's definitely, the way I see it, it's gonna make everybody improve.
02:23 It's gonna make everybody become the best version of themselves that they could
02:27 possibly be.
02:28 So I feel like this is gonna bring out a new version and
02:31 everybody's full potential out to the best of their capacity.
02:35 So I like it.
02:36 >> Kind of going back to having a lot of new guys again this year,
02:39 does it make it easier for you to be able to talk to some of those new guys that,
02:42 hey, I've been in your shoes before, and kind of show them the ropes around here?
02:46 >> Well, I feel like not really necessarily being new, but just,
02:49 we all got experience.
02:50 We all been here, we all played football.
02:52 Just all coming together collectively, just talking to guys.
02:55 We all just bounce knowledge off of each other and just see how we saw things.
03:00 Just talk about what we could have done better or
03:03 how we could have done something differently.
03:04 So I like it, I like the feel for everything.
03:07 >> What's the mindset around the complex kind of been like this off season after
03:11 losing in the ACC championship game in the Holly Bowl?
03:13 What's it been like around here?
03:15 >> The mindset's just been getting better.
03:17 It's just a lot of things left on the table, bad taste in our mouths.
03:21 Don't like the feeling, we just don't wanna feel like that again.
03:23 That's the way I see it.
03:24 I don't wanna have that feeling again.
03:26 A lot of bad moments.
03:27 So I just wanna erase that and just fix it and just make history, to be honest.
03:33 >> Talking about those transfers, a lot of them do have starting experience.
03:35 How much does that even factor into just kind of the vibe or
03:38 the experience level of the room?
03:41 >> It plays a major part.
03:42 Having people that started at different places,
03:44 really you just have that true experience in the game.
03:49 And knowing the wear and tear, the exhaustion you feel throughout the game.
03:52 So I feel like just everybody understanding and relating to that really just sets
03:57 a tone for the season, cuz everybody's prepared.
03:59 You got that experience, like just being war ready.
04:02 So I like it a lot.
04:04 >> You mentioned Wesley and T-Mack.
04:05 What are your first thoughts on them playing wise, personalities?
04:10 What's kind of that relationship been like developing?
04:12 >> Their relationship's great.
04:13 They got wonderful personalities.
04:15 Of course, they got a lot of chemistry.
04:16 I noticed that since playing together, which I like that.
04:18 I feel like guys that have chemistry really just boost the team overall.
04:21 They're both really smart, knowledgeable guys and tough.
04:26 I feel like they're definitely gonna be great.
04:27 And I'm looking forward to it, to be honest, to see what this takes us.
04:30 I'm really looking forward to it.
04:34 >> For yourself, what did you and Coach Angles talk about you needed to work on?
04:39 What did you try to do?
04:41 From the end of the season until the beginning of spring and
04:44 now here in spring, the ball is a different.
04:47 >> For me personally, I think we talked about I need to work on really my body
04:50 mechanics and just playing faster overall.
04:53 Don't leave any place on the table and just be locked in 100% of the time and
04:56 just stay focused throughout the duration of the game and just everything in general.
05:02 Just improving my focus, maintaining things, keeping everybody poised and ready.
05:06 I wanna do the best I can to just put my team at ease and just make plays.
05:10 >> Is it hard to have, or is maybe on the flip side,
05:13 maybe it's easy with so many older guys who've been here.
05:18 And then the guys that are coming in, a lot of them are older.
05:21 Is it easy to have leaders or
05:22 is it hard to have leaders because you got so many new faces and new guys?
05:26 >> I feel like it's easier, so the way you see leadership, of course,
05:30 there's your guys that talk every now and then, the main thing you expect.
05:33 But I feel like you got an older crowd, everybody can pitch in and
05:36 give their words, say a thing or two.
05:38 Cuz nobody minds us, we all been there, we all done that.
05:41 So just whatever has to be said, say it.
05:44 We love it, we love all the input cuz everybody knows what we're talking about,
05:48 I feel like, so it's great.
05:49 >> Yeah.
05:51 >> Well, after the first day of practice,
05:53 your impression on the quarterbacks, what did you think of their throwing yesterday?
05:56 >> I feel like they were definitely testing us, I'm not gonna lie.
05:59 They're making some throws, a lot of deep shots being taken.
06:03 I like to see, I wonder how it's gonna be improving in the future,
06:07 how they read our coverages and our disguises and everything.
06:11 So the impression's been great so far.
06:13 I've seen Tyler make some good throws, I've seen Pierce and
06:15 everybody make great throws.
06:16 So I'm looking forward to it, to be honest.
06:18 Great spring.
06:18 All right, thank you.
06:21 >> Thank you.