From High School to The NFL with Liam Anderson, Indianapolis Colts
From High School to The NFL with Liam Anderson, Indianapolis Colts
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All right what's going on Coach D we got Our special guest introduce them so Ladies and gentlemen uh Liam Anderson is With us today uh former player of mine Um went to on to uh Holy Cross and is Now currently with the Indianapolis Colts and looking to make a name for Himself so Liam thanks I appreciate you Coming on buddy yeah thanks for having Me guys yeah it's exciting I mean we uh We always talk about on this podcast Everything to do with prospects and and Recruiting and like the different things You know From uh from techniques and drills and Stuff that we think guys should be doing And and kind of like the myths of what We see out there to you know things that Are in the prospect World um and and Kids going through the recruiting Process and I mean that's obviously the Main thing to try and help young guys um Uh see someone like yourself and and hey What did what did he do um that that Helped him to get where he is um so we Really glad to have y on and and I mean The first question is obviously you know Kind of a background for everyone who May not know he played at Mount Olive High School um let them to the very Brink of the state championship I won't I won't rehash that because coach D Talks about it all the time so and uh You know and um uh but obviously let a
Pro a program you with a quarterback There and I think that's something we Should talk about because a lot of kids Play quarterback and they think that's Where they have to play in college and You end up playing linebacker in in College and now is on on to the to the NFL and um you know make it making those Dreams come true and uh and fighting Right fighting every day for uh um uh to To continue to stay continue to compete And be an NFL player um tell tell you Know everybody a little bit about kind Of your your journey yeah so I'd say It's a pretty unique one it's not like a Typical you know football story I was a I considered myself you know like a Baseball player first up until like my Senior year in high school Um I had like you know we didn't have The best of the seasons my junior year Um but like I showed some flashes on Tape and that's when like colleges Started to notice a little bit um and Then my senior year we kind of we had a Really good off season uh we really Bought into the program and bought into Each other and all the hard work and we Kind of had a a breakout year um Obviously yeah you said like we came up Short in the uh State final but um That's what kind of put me on the map as A prospect um particularly as a Quarterback I thought myself of first
But um when schools started reaching out And they said oh we like you at uh Safety um I didn't really care about Like what position I was going to be Playing I just love football and so for Me it was just deciding the best you Know uh situation the best school for me In terms of what I was prioritizing at That time which was you know great Football um and then just quality of Academics and so um came down to a Couple schools but in the end Holy Cross Was the best decision for me um they Wanted me to go in and play safety so um My freshman year I went in there and it Seemed like they kind of had a plan of Me all along moving to linebacker Because it wasn't long before I got Moved into that room and I was you know A skinny Buck 190 pounds and I was I Quickly had to put on some weight um but It was just you know U For the Love of The Game I didn't really care what Position I played um and I'm thankful For you know man all for putting me in The position to be able to be recruited By them um I think a lot of it had to Deal with that I played multiple Sports And not just I was you know like a a Quarterback first and foremost and then I also happen to play safety um the Reason why I got recruited there was Because you know they saw my athleticism ISM at on defense um as well as you know
Other sports that I played and so that's What kind of got my foot in the door and Then from there you know um the rest is History in terms of uh me getting to Play linebacker there right which is Something we talk about all the time Right and and being that you know guys Hey I want to be just a football player I'm gonna do this in the offseason I'm Gonna do that Liam you were the rare Full-blown thre sport athlete where you Know quarterback for football point Guard basketball shortstop baseball Where your off Seasons weren't off Seasons you were constantly in another Sport and it's something that we deal With a lot of the guys that we have that Maybe aren't you know hey I'm gonna stay One sport only you I think your path I Don't know if you'd be in the same Situation had you only done one sport You know yeah definitely Not and I think one other thing I would Say is uh like when I went to College Too like a lot of my teammates and guys In my classes are from Florida or Texas Where all they have is you know football In another sport you can't do three and It's like in that in that third season They're you know lifting or running four Football so I think that was one area Where like when I entered in my freshman Year I was like a little behind the Eightball in terms of lifting but like
It wasn't uh long cuz I was just you Know so determined to catch up with Everybody else Um it wasn't long for me to catch up but I feel like I had um experience in like For like basketball for like footwork or You know I feel like a lot of man Coverage techniques you get from playing One-on-one basketball and covering Somebody basketball or if like if you're Getting a release off the line and You're a gunner on punt like that's put A basketball in your hands it's the same Footwork so like there's a lot of like Carryovers from you know certain sports That carry over to football and it's Like You wouldn't get those skills if you Didn't play other sports so I feel like That's a huge Advantage at the end of The Day well that's the thing that I that I See the theme over and over again Especially guys that go to higher and Higher levels is that the three sport Athlete has a tremendous amount of Success I actually just saw something The other day it it was interesting that You said that baseball up until Basically your senior year you really Thought of baseball as your main sport Yeah just saw a a big thing that um the Majority of guys that um end up being uh College football players thought another
Sport were gonna was going to be their Main sport and they yeah but basically The theme was that they were multisport Athletes right and they had another Skill set that really translated over to Football and I think that uh I I think You know playing basketball and baseball That gives you two different types of Competition right too so it's you're Still competing but it's a different Type of compet I different strategy it's It's it's different skill sets you need To have that I think translate over into Football um but you know I'd love to I Love to know because obviously you're a Quarterback and now you you you started Out as a defensive back and quickly Moved quickly moved to to uh Linebacker what what did playing Quarterback how did that help you when It came to transitioning to play in Linebacker and and defense at the College level yeah so what I tell people Is uh like obviously we only got so Complicated in our offensive scheme at Mount ol um for quarterback you know Simple Zone reads you know one high two High safeties and then you kind of know What coverage you're getting or what Matchups you like what routes you like Versus man um but from the flip uh side Of that as a linebacker when we were Dropping in zone coverage and I got a Certain route you know in front of me
Like I'm knowing that all the Quarterback probably wanting me to take That drag up there so he can hit the de The Dig behind me you know so like Little things like that in zone coverage That gave me an advantage um I Understood you know route Concepts what The quarterback's trying to do what Their offense is trying to attack um Little things like that especially in Like you know in the college level you Get to RPO world you know so much more Than high school so um I understood what He was reading um but you know in Another world like Oh I know that you know when the Quarterbacks get pressure in his face He's going to be you know hesitant to Let go of the ball sometimes or stuff Like that so it gave me an advantage in Just like uh understanding what the Quarterback's thinking what you know uh Passing Concepts they could be trying to Do versus our particular style of Defense like we were a quarters team so I know what kind of Route concepts are Going to be able to beat that so um it Was it was pretty much in the zone Passing game is where I got my advantage Um it's it's really really interesting That you know you see and you you Probably seen this being a quarterback But you you were very humble because you Played multiple Sports and but I see
Today so many quarterbacks that like They're so locked in like I have to play Quarterback in college and that's that's The only you know and they missed the Boat because the skill sets of Quarterback lend you to play Any position basically on defense other Than interior defensive line yeah yeah Right other than D tackle those are big Huge boys uh but uh you could play tight End you could play wide receiver um some Guys who who are shorter quarterbacks Running quarterbacks can play running Back at the college level um but I see So many of these guys because like the Seven on seven ccum they're they're all Locked in like if I don't play Quarterback at College like what do I do Uh like what would what advice would you You give quarterbacks as they're going Through this whole entire process I Would probably just say stay open-minded I mean if you really love football and If you really want to play you know you Got to realize that in college football There's only one quarterback that plays On the field and you know a very you Know SL few times you'll get a two Quarterback system but even then the Reps are very limited so if you want to Play as much as possible and if you want To really utilize all of your Athleticism then you got to be Open-minded to play other position
And that's going to ultimately get you On the field Faster very cool right I think that Subed to I'm like you know you like I Can remember working with you as just a Puppy when you had just come to town and You were a sophomore and you were kind Of that the next like guy that was gonna Be it and your first Varsity start was At safety you know yeah like we got you On the field as soon as we could in a Position like that and knowing hey Eventually he's going to be this Quarterback but he's a competitor and an Overall athlete where now let's get him On the field to do this and then you Know coming down to senior year it's Like yeah he's the quarterback but I'll Tell you what buddy your best game uh That championship game you had a Phenomenal game on the defensive side of The ball and that was really where I Think you personally noticed like hey I Think safety might be you know that Place for me now you know I was pushing For it forever because it's like hey Dude you're a safety guy like you're Going to be a safety in college you're Going to go in there and whatever and You're going to be a safety for probably Five days and then they're moving you Down into the box and then you got on That whole all right now I need to Prepare to play safety at this or to
Play linebacker at this level that's Where you really took the off season World right you bulked up right you came Back you were on that college weight Room program that college meal plan and Now you fit yourself and I believe Originally you start as an outside Backer and then move to the interior Correct yeah so just that overall right Like just playing that stuff and doing That like you were open-minded about it I want to get on the field some guys you Know like coach was saying we with these Guys like I'm a quarterback only it's Like okay well all right even guys that Look we have we run these camps and we Got 80 receivers and 15 DBS nobody even Wants to go play DB it's like my man use Your skills your athleticism and embrace It but I think it's a Kudo to you and Kind of these guys that if you want to Be at this high level you have to not Only one you know embrace it but you Also have to have a passion and love it To a point where I don't care where I'm At as long as I'm on there that's I feel Like that's what um separates the guys That go to college football and then the Guys that play at college football is The ones that really love it and will Just buy because as a freshman pretty Much the only way you're going to play Is special teams you know and everybody Going into college football never played
Special teams in high school you know so It's like you got to buy in and you have To like just try to develop yourself as An overall football player rather than Just one position and especially in the Position that I'm in right now like it's Kind of like you know a full like cycle You know I'm a special teams guy in the NFL that's what I do you know and it's Like if I didn't have those years of College and especially my freshman and Sophomore and even my junior of just Really being like a special teams Guru Type of guy like I wouldn't be in the Position where I am today and it's like That special teams experience and the Love of football that really like Carries you and will take you very far In Football coach D has been a huge Advocate since you were in high school I Remember him talking about you because I Was a the year before uh you guys went To the championship I was a coach I was An assistant at oldan and yeah so and we Had lost we lost the year before in Overtime to Riverdale and then then you Guys had that that that that that game But he was always a huge advocate for You even um even back then he would say You know I have this quarterback I think He's a defens defensive back at College You know we just got to find a spot for Him I remember this all the time and
Then when you got into uh Holy Cross you Playing and you were starting uh pretty Fairly early in your career he was a Like he's like I think he can be a pro Has you know he um I know it's you know FCS but obviously Holy Cross always has A great reputation uh in the football World and you know when you're good good Area there massachusett with where um New England uh Patriots are nearby so That begins to give you uh one scouting Group that will always know what you're Doing it's it's it's actually an Advantage at the pro level being near a Major city because those guys are always Reading about people in the paper and Stuff so um and the reason why I say That is because I I was an NFL agent for Six years and and so uh I'm curious About this process for yourself what it Was like who who Who's the uh agent that Represents you is are you still with Whoever yeah Matt Matt glos is his name Okay so when when you went with Matt um Like what was the process for you right Coming from FCS you know everybody Thinks oh I gotta go to these big hu you Know right to make to have a chance in The NFL so te tell a little bit about Your process um because when I was in Asia I used to represent players like Yourself guys that really had a a a Chance to make it but um either went to A big school and they were like uh a big
Tight end that didn't get the ball Thrown to them that much or like had Different attributes right but you Thought they could make it and uh so Tell a little bit about what your Process was like for you like when did You first realize that you had a chance To be able to get in there and then and Then what was the process for you uh Draft wise everything like that free Agent yeah so I really didn't if you would have told Me I would have been in the NFL my Freshman year I would have told you You're crazy you know like the whole my Whole like underclassman years I was Really just working as hard as possible Trying to make an impact on my team and Then just you know see what happens and Then I feel like I really had U uh an idea that I could play at the Next level was probably after the co Season um 2020 2021 season um just Because you guys didn't play that year Right like you had that Co year you Literally shut down you just took Classes came back to town I believe Right and helped coach the high school Team right yeah right and we had a Season after that in the spring which we Played four games and I think it was at That point where I knew I could play at The next level um just because I was Getting so much more confidence at
Linebacker and that was the first time Where I was playing not undersized but Like U adequately sized as an inside Linebacker and I was getting a lot more Confidence and understanding the scheme And making Plays um and I kind of just at that Point on I was kind of just you know you Know my Notch got turned up a little bit More and I was taking football a little Bit more seriously watching more film um You know just honing my craft as as much As I could and really working a lot more Harder or a lot harder in the weight Room um and then I had the decision After my senior year to like consider Grad transferring potentially do an FBS School um like power five school um play Linebacker or stay another uh fifth year At Holy Cross and the system just fit me So well and I was doing a lot of things That would help um elevate my status as A prospect because that season I was uh Before my fifth year my senior year I Was playing cornerback I was playing Safety I was playing D end I was playing Linebacker outside line overhang I was You know I was pretty much playing Everything and I had never had that fun Playing football in a very long time so Like I I decided to stay and it was you Know probably one of the best decisions I've ever made and came back um and we Were fortunate to have a really another
Great year um and then from there it Kind of just took off and it was uh a Question of trying to find an agent that Understood who I was as a prospect and As a player and um fortunately Matt Really um I feel like he he's got a Great you know idea of um what it takes For me to make it in the league and he's Had guys similar to me so that's what I Was looking for is somebody who had Other guys in the league who you know Had a similar path to me small school You know special teams type of guy um so It was a really no-brainer going with Him and then from there it was just work As hard as possible um for the combine In prod day and Um from that point on it was like eight Weeks training in Pittsburgh comeback Pro Day you know local days and then draft Day you know it's it's it's kind of Crazy how fast it moves but um it's Really been you know an amazing Experience and I'm definitely a better Person um from going through all of that What what did you run your 40 and I'm Curious uh 453 That's excellent we always say that 40 Is I'm sure your agent told you the same Thing right that's like yeah it's the Big it's the biggest thing it's the Biggest thing we say it all the time It's like and that was something like we
Always knew you had good numbers but it Was can he keep that speed increasing That size right because I mean listen You can talk about your I mean Le talk About your weight a little bit like you Went into college at what and graduated At what yeah so I uh graduating high school I was like 190 lbs and then I go into Holy Cross And they're like we're moving you Linebacker and I was like okay there's a Lot more food on my plate now so I just Uh was putting on as much weight as Possible and I think I played the next Year at 215 after that I was 220 and then I Finished my uh College season at like 230 but my heaviest was like 234 235 but Um now I'm sitting around 2:30 So it it's like 40 pounds which was like Ridiculous to me at the time but um After you gain that weight it's about Turning into good weight you know Getting rid of some body fat putting on Muscle and then just keeping the same Speed and getting faster at that same Weight well I think what's really Interesting uh and and smart I don't Know if you did it on purpose or just uh Um it just worked out that way but in in High school you just basically you Played and played it you didn't try to Gain weight in high school no I was I Was just playing there wasn't any time
There wasn't any time really because he Would go from I mean and we're not Talking like he was on the basketball Team right we're like no he was a Starter right like he wasn't on the Baseball team he was a start right so Every season and it's not like like so Summer was really the only time where Weit room lifting was a spot where we Could focus on it with him and look and Then you're getting at most what A month maybe of of hard work lifting so What are you really gonna get and then In season you're just trying to keep Whatever was there but for the type of Player you were like you know you Couldn't put on weight if we tried you Know even if we had you in that weight Room all those time I think that just Just embracing that in itself knowing I'm going from this position to this Position and this is what I have to do To get there right and this is the work I have to do and now maintain it and now Dial it up even more now at that at the Level you're at where you're at right Stay an athlete early on right staying An athlete when you're young being an Ath know you're also talking about the Ultimate competitor right like you know Chess Checkers don't matter like walking Down the hallway like Liam's got to be In the front but he's not the guy that's Like you know he's gonna do it like but
That's that's it like I'm going to win Like like so that's where I think adds To it as well is like you got to be a Competitor man yeah 100 per. I mean we Go into college and it's like first day Of camp you're doing a jrop Frontline Kickoff return block on another guy Who's trying to run through your face to Show the coaches that he's got it you Know what I mean like so there's got to Be a little like switch turned on where It's like okay I gotta lock in now I Gotta compete and then if you don't win You know you're not GNA play so it's Like it's simple as that you gota you Just got to win and compete in Everything you do and from that you'll Just Elevate as a player right but we've Seen like some of that right and that's The ultimate adjustment is right like Because everybody is the dude on their High school team right and now you go to College and you're just another dude Amongst dudes so where what at what Point does it for you say you know what I need to now kind of go and become Something else right and kind of go from There Absolutely I can't believe he ran a four Five that's that's incredible did we Lose Liam I think we lost him maybe but I it looks like it's he'll be back but I Mean think about right like and listen And this is something too because it's
Kind of cool for you because you were at That State semi-final game where this Kid's playing quarterback right so You've seen him like literally go Through this whole process and like with Our guys we talk about this all the time You know you got to love the sport right Like he you can just see that these guys And he he himself he like the passion For it loving football right doing all That stuff that's the difference you Know you're good Buddy sorry about Thaty Technology technology we no matter no Matter what Nevers all the Time be dere all the time Derek will be Talking to me and I'll be But we just don't stop right so we just Keep talking and it's like five minutes Before we even realize one of us is like Missing and it but but yeah man listen The the whole the whole thing like I Think you embracing that process of Being a competitor and also now taking It to another level once you're just There among the others right because Like you said those first couple years I Mean look you could have easily gotten Discouraged with just the position Change in general right you could have Just said you know what this isn't for Me I'm just going to play you know I'm
Going to go to School whatever but no You embraced the competition aspect of It and said you know what no I'm going To get better I'm going to continue to Improve I'm going to buy my time and you Know hey if I'm gonna only be on kick Return well I'm gonna be the best player On kick return right or I'm I gotta go Do it you know So it was like freshman year Camp I mean Everybody who's gone through college Football understands that freshman your Camp is you know a different beast and You walk in there we went and this was Before any sort of like rules from the NCAA I think we went like 18 days in a Row of like full practices so it's like You figure out very quick if football is For you or not and if if you decide That's it's not you know you're just GNA Be miserable so you know you gotta Buy In and buying in at that time you know I Was a quarterback I had no idea what I Was doing on defense I thought I was Terrible at football I was like I Couldn't learn anything I was like wow This is very hard but what did I do I Just you know I said okay I can buy into Frontline you know K that's something That doesn't take much to learn about or I can run down on kickoff with you know Your head on fire that doesn't take you Know much to think about it either so it Was exactly what you said just buying
Into those little roles and then trying To expand from there and just you know Get better as a player over time well Your willingness to humble yourself I Mean obviously for somebody um you know When you grow up in your town and you're The you know the the best athlete in in The town and you could do all these Different things um the willingness to Humble yourself when you go to college And play and it I would say the First First day that that I walked in uh to to The locker room uh you know I'm 6 foot One and uh I walked in I I grew up in a Small town and much like where Derek Grew up I grew up in s High School which Is like a tiny group one and and I went To Yukon scholarship there I walked in There I was always one of the if not the Tallest one of the tallest people in my Town I walked in and you know you're Around the lits of Live And they're all Everybody's six foot five yeah you're Like wait a minute I'm so you're you get Used to all of a sudden for four years Four or five years you are no long like You're not the tallest person you are Now among the shorter people so you're You're not much Derek is like 5'8 you But you're you're closer to the guys That are 5'8 than you are to those guys Who were six foot five you know I mean So exactly I wasn't I wasn't the biggest I wasn't the strongest I wasn't the
Fastest but you know you gotta find your Own little niche of who you are as a Player to fit in absolutely uh awesome Talk to you Derek you have any any uh Final thoughts before you let him go go Relax no I mean listen I think it's a uh Like you said I mean and you're talking About like guys really they a lot of the Guys we talk about get caught up in the Uh you know the power five this the FCS This or scholarship this or listen man Get your foot in the door work hard and And good things will come right and I Think you know Liam like you know I Couldn't be prouder you know as a coach And and all that stuff but like you know It's the other stuff too just how how You give back and you can talk to guys About it from your role and and you know Give them the this is what it is this is How you got to do it and and it'll all Work out in the long run because look at The end of the day my man like yeah You're living dreams right now but you Also got a hell of a from a hell of a University so you always that to fall Back on you know absolutely y we didn't Even talk about that as obviously one of The top academic schools in the Northeast so um no no listen Win there yeah I me and a winner on and Off the field right I think you had Right I think you have you guys won uh What in your four years there what how
Many Patriot League titles you have in My five years we won four four in a row And they're about to win five right now So it's just you know Testament to the Program they got going on right there The culture that we built and it was you Know just truly blessed to be a part of It it was just so much fun winning like That so never get B I appreciate Massachusetts accent After five years there no CH no not Talking not Me I will never I will never get into That Accent that Jersey that New Jersey but listen buddy I really appreciate you coming on Dropping knowled and some stuff for uh For the guys that we're looking to to to Help out and do things like that and you Know obviously if you need anything let Us know buddy but uh continue the Journey and and you know keep at it Absolutely thanks for having me guys all Right Apprciate it easy Bud see later my man That was great great on just a good dude And and I'm telling you it's listen what Am I in the NFL I'm a special teams guy Why because he embraced the role and he And he's athle you know I'm not just a Quarterback I can do other things right So I know we got I know we put you know Guys push this that listen be open be
Humble learn everything because listen You heard it in his I didn't want to be That I didn't want to do that but he Also you know he at the end of the day Like hey if I want to get to where I'm Going to go this is a path that I need To to do it this this way so I'm going To do it right like a very humble human Being yeah I the humbleness that was Like the overall you know so many times And we deal with it in obviously at high School a large basis over and over Again Quarterbacks uh are used to being the Guy and all that kind of thing and a lot Of them have a hard time I I I I the Word is humbling themselves because Their pride is so big as a quack I think That's what it is I think it's a pride Thing right like how do I because they Feel like if I can't be the quarterback Then I'm not good like right right it's Like I've failed no you're were just Better suited at another spot right so All right that didn't work out all right Now let me go Embrace this I mean think About it he went from 190 pounds to 215 Pounds to 220 to 234 to 230 I don't think people understand how Much work that takes to do that and then To run a 45 at 230 it's it's pretty incredible I mean Right I mean that's flying by the way 453 I mean that is flying and listen and
He wasn't I don't know if I to be honest I don't know if he would have been a I Don't know if he was a four or five guy In high school you know what I mean Because I don't think he I really don't Think he was I mean literally he was a Baseball player he probably didn't yeah Exactly when I say when I talk I mean Look and it's not just him personally It's like a lot of these guys that play Three sports right you full amount of Time to really get in there and work out And do all that kind of stuff because You're doing something else I mean look This was a guy too who he didn't really Do seven on sevens in the summer because He was playing in a baseball league Right so like you know that was the Whole thing about it and it was like L Like when you get to college and Football is the only thing just watch What's going to happen with that whole Process in in you know in general and Then I'll never forget that phone call I Think it was day five of Camp his Freshman year he was like yeah coach I'm Moving a linebacker and I'm like we That's what we said was gonna happen you Know and like you talk about him too Having an opportunity to transfer after His you know he graduated to play his Grad year at a power five school and he Said no this system fits what I do Better right let me use that to take the
Next step I think NFL teams especially a Guy that's a free aging guy like like he Uh really really look at that when he Like that the word humble keeps coming To my mind like it just obviously you Know him really well and I don't right So I'm listen to him talk and as a coach I'm like yeah youw yeah that's a you Want he's a he's a he's a once in A-lifetime kid that you have on your Team because he checks every box you Know what do they always say when you're When your best player is your hardest Worker then you got something you know What I'm saying he's also a kid that if You ask anybody about him there wouldn't Be one bad thing said you know what I Mean like it's just across the board you Know and he uh I mean look that year When covid and they shut down the Program he came home and rather than Just sit around and do whatever he went Back to the high school and helped them Coach their Season right while taking classes like He doesn't even talk about that stuff I Mean he's a four-year academic All-American he's got an MBA from Holy Cross like on top of it like he's Sitting pretty he doesn't have to be Doing what he's doing but and I love it He would never say it but his quote to Me was coach I got one shot to be in the NFL I'm going after it and if it works
Awesome if it doesn't I'll go do what I'm supposed to do you know So but I just think his whole process Where guys like everybody looks at it Like hey you got to do this you gotta do That like no look at here's your example Of a guy who right not a power five School went to went to college to play a Position that you know he didn't really Wasn't his position and ultimately ends Up you know I mean listen he didn't even Step on the field as a on offense or Defense in college until you know as a Start until he was a junior right so Embracing the whole I'm a special teams Guy I can play my role and ultimately Helping his team to you know two League Titles right as a special teams guy only Embracing embracing his roles and three I wrote down three things you tell me These were the like I wrote down the Three things that came to mind when I Thought of Him humble was the first open-minded And Love of the Game like he really T That passion yeah like he was Open-minded he was willing to learn to Become better at where wherever they Were gonna put Him and listen it was one of those Things like he had so he actually moved And he doesn't go into this much but Because he was young when it happened But he originally he was born in Texas
Okay so he was born in Texas moved here So when he came to high school he was Like the next what ever and I can Remember his freshman year he had like a Back injury so he didn't really play and As a sophomore he came in and it was Like we got to get this guy on the field Somehow sh or form we were an older team Right so I'm like give me him at safety Because he's athletic he's long he's Gonna be there eventually let's put him There and you could see as a sophomore Him start to embrace that and he never Thought of himself he that's that's the Truth he never thought of himself as a Football guy he was like I'm going to College to play baseball I'm going to do That I'm going to have a long career Throw and doing all this kind of stuff And then after his junior year you know And I I think I can pinpoint it to a Play where he pulled an RPO and he took Off down the shoot and he split two Safeties as a junior like for a 60- yard Touchdown I think that's the play where He was like I might be able to play this Sport right and then you just build he Built off his own confidence he has his Own fuel that fuels his fire right like He even talked about hey if I'm the First you know I know this guy across From me on kickoff is trying to run Through my face to get on the field so You know what I have to stop it in order
To get on the field myself right so Competition like and that's the you Wrote down those things right I wrote Down like I wrote down the same things Right the open-mindedness thing Absolutely right willing to play another Position willing to trust like look even When he's talking about his agent right Like I'm look I looked for a guy who had Guys like me Before smart he's smart guy I mean he's He he he but the hum I I mean and Obviously he's a fierce competitor I Could I like you don't want to like yeah comes Through which I think is is an attribute That you need if you want I think it's Amazing how he balances okay and this I Mean listen if he get If he if he gets The right opportunity he's you know he's Definitely a pro because he balances Being humble and being a competitor like A fierce competitor being that is hard For people to balance like Right because if you do it too much one Way you come off as cocky arrogant and Everybody kind of like uh whatever like If people knew like it's the stuff you Say to yourself right or the stuff you Say under your breath that like like I Know what he's thinking in his head like That competitive nature coming out that Fire of what he would love to express Outwardly but that's what like that's
What fuels him in here and he but the Fact that he can keep it inside and use It right is I think what separates guys From being a college player and being an NFL player right I know you're Competitive because you took the Racket And you fired it at like oh as soon I Was like H and I never do it and then When it slipped out of my hand and went Over the net I was like shot I thought I I thought I thought someone took a Hammer to my shoulder Joe was like Joe Was like oh my God I think you just da I Was like I was like I told you it was Getting wet we got to get out of here It's getting slippery I'm like oh damn I Was like oh man I was like that's a Whole different level like like but even Something like that like I would see Like if you put him on a pickle ball Court and said hey let's buy this like He would but he would play like once and It wouldn't be something like like he Would go back and now he would probably Like Google like pickle ball right and Start to do the research and that type Of stuff because he was also that type You heard him talk about it too and I Think our our guys that need to hear This they need to know the off the- Field stuff that it takes the studying Of More film right the knowing body type Of stuff that he embraced in order to Take that next step I mean you said
Listen a coach doesn't put a guy uh in Multiple positions at that level unless It's somebody that can do it not only Physically but think about mentally Being asked to play safety linebacker Corner you heard him say he was on he's Like I was on the edge I was coming from Here I was coming from that which all of That stuff at the time feels like wow This is a lot this is whatever like and I'm playing special teams but now it's Like hey man look at what you're doing In the NFL that is all that is why you Are probably signed with the team you Were signed with and have an opportunity To play is because you have and embraced Doing all of those intangibles because We know in the NFL it's you know you Can't be a one- trick pony unless you're Literally the tops of the tops he loves Sports like just sport like I mean he May not love every sport but he enjoys Sports like I think that's a big deal Right a competitor man like he's a Competitor in like but he he Embraces The the other stuff right like you guys Who love sport you you know if you only Lo if you only play one sport your whole Life but you're don't necessarily love Sports if all of a sudden the sport you Think you love rejects you maybe your Position or something they sometimes Those guys bagging in but guys who love Sports they just love to to play like
All like old school play so you're Basically taking all right yeah I'm a Quarterback safety and you know you're Going to go play this position now okay Wow all right once you embrace it you go You know what this is just playing this Is another thing to play right and Another thing to learn and that that was Um I think what what made there's a lot To learn from you know especially the Modern athlete F this is a guy that's go That's in the NFL like a lot of guys are Like him in the NFL three sport athletes Played another position in high SCH I Bet you if you pulled a lot of his Teammates on and I I gu look I guarantee You 90% say they played two sports right But I bet you a very few right and like He talked about it when when hey and Look what were the two states he Mentioned first right Florida Texas guys On my team from Florida and Texas right First thing he said Florida and Texas Right he those guys were you know they Were ahead of me because they did that They had foot all year round right but What did he say but he felt you know That third sport took gave me a little Bit of an edge when it came here so it's A healthy balance right so wherever you Are Embrace that and he ran with that You know and I think that's what set him Up to be you know where he's at right Now you know he can run down on kickoff
He can get on kick return he can be a Gunner he can do all that stuff and he Talked about you know I think the other Thing that was great is for guys to like When he talked about coming from being a Quarterback to that defensive side of The ball how much that helped him with The quarterback's thinking this so I can Play it this way or this route Combination does this i' know what I Would be looking for I can do this that Type of stuff where he looked at it you Know and said I'm gonna use that side to Help here I don't know if guys today Like do that as much you know well well There are guys like him and guys like Him probably have a great success and Guys who don't have that thought process This was a great interview because it it Really gets kids the opportunity to see Someone um he he didn't go to a power Five School Holy Cross Patriot League Man patriot League he's made he he's Getting the opportunity at the NFL um Obviously it's it's always a tough road But he has the opportunity there right And I think that was the thing for me Like right that was his whole thing was Look I just want an Opportunity yep and that's you can the Very different than high school where You know schools recruit you for Different reasons from different places And NFL it's about how many things can
You do for me because we only get 53 of You correct unless you are you know the Qu the quarterback right like you know Or the or Justin Jefferson right or like One of the guys know like those yeah Like those guys right you got to be able To do you you you gotta be vers even Like Lyman when we used to recuit Lineman um look we used to look for guys That could you know because we were we Would recruit uh what I would call like The second tier group guys right um we Would look for lineman that could play Multiple positions so right just in yeah Even if they were a tackle were like is He a big enough body to be a guard can He move right can can he need to can he Do this can he you know what can he do Right like hey if we do if if if I'm a System where I'm a three-back punt team Can he be that that personal protector Back there can he go on the second line Of kick return where we're running you Know pseudo counter on and that type of Stuff like guys have to be able to do More and look at the end of the day it Really is about versatility right so he Can do a lot of things and he's been Coached up to do a lot of things but It's also he embraced that opportunity To do it and ran with it and it's also It's ultimately set him up to where now He's in a great position and you know Hopefully it works out but you can also
See like hey if it doesn't I'm good I Got a degree from you know Holy Cross so We're good to go he's he rindes me of um He played in the NFL for many years as a Special teams Vinnie remember Vinnie Chur uh was it chur churchu churchu I Think it was he played for uh Carolina Played like eight years and he was Mostly special teams and that's the Thing if you Develop listen he may good he may you Make the roster all right you're a Special teams guy that's your role wello We you things happen all the time this Guy's hurt that guy's hurt all of a Sudden now he's the Starter who knows opportunities present Thems when you continue to work and do The right things so I think it's a Credit to him and and I think it's look I think it's a it's a great lesson for The guys that are that listen to this or That we're trying to influence and do Things that look yeah we all want those You guys to get those power five offers But there's another way around it and if You do these certain things you can Still be put yourself in a good Situation on a a different note from With the kids that were working with the Young Guys man in three weeks I can't Believe I'm like and it's not even a True three weeks because a lot of those
Guys only once a week yes yes so you're You're talking once a week for an hour With extreme attention to detail on Technique learning what the you know Like some of the little little tidbits The intangibles that a lot of guys might Not teach or or dive into and we've seen These kids get better and we're not Talking like oh okay you know he's Getting it we're talking like whoa like On a different level and then you can Also now start to see they get a little Bit of confidence to them and we're Talking about guys that are first second Third grade right like going from like To now hey like oh hey coach like I Hitched on that one like okay dude yeah Yeah you did good job like Self-correcting and enjoying themselves It really it's it's amazing how uh you Know they are sponges at that age so if They can learn it right right pretty Early and then you develop those habits Those good positive habits that now you Know even the like I just think even Like putting them into something like That where now like we have a structure To each session that we do right like Your quarterbacks you're doing this when You're coming to receiver you're doing This and teaching that type of structure This is how it's done this is whatever Now they go to their other teams and That's what they're expecting right so
Then when they don't get it they still Holds to that and conduct it and now the People around them start to see it a Little bit and say all right well let's Do it like him because he seems to be a Little bit better than us so why don't We follow that right so not only are you Developing skill sets and better players But you're developing overall like guys You know that are going to be your Leaders your captains your the way you Want to help conduct practice right like They're going to look at those guys so And then you see it with their Confidence levels like and now they're Going to take that and then they're Going to turn that into whatever else They want to do um but it really has Been an eye openening experience in These first three weeks yeah it's Interesting it really is I me the Receivers they're starting to get a Stance the quarterbacks Are developing quickly their arms are Like all of a sudden now because they're Starting to throw it more correctly it's Like coming out of their hands the Receivers have to catch up because that Takes and that's one of the things like We've talked about with the receivers It's like hey dude you're not sitting in The backyard throwing with Daddy Lobbying lobing lobbing balls to you now Like you're legit getting guys like hey
You got to catch on the move and do what You're supposed to do and you can see Them even though still and this is my Thing too like look I don't care if You're dropping passes right now that's All right I want you to make sure that The technique that you're going with is Going and you're you're constantly doing Your stance is the same every time your Takeoff is the same every time your now Your action now look and now that all The rest of that stuff will come with Time so now you're teaching them a Little bit more you know just like Humbleness about themselves to hey I'm Not going to get this right now but Eventually if I keep going and keep Going and keep going I will and that's Tough for these kids because they're Young man and they're growing up in an Age of instant gratification where I Need it right now so they're trusting This process and now they're learning to Be you know patient but also DW push it At the same time there's absolutely Right that's absolutely right Um all right well let's that this was a Great podcast I think we we we should Try to get some someone on for a few Minutes each week um yeah I don't know We might have screwed up though and set The bar a little high with the first one Dam it that's all right it's gonna come And go that's how it is but I think I
Think right right way to do it because You know you get to hear a different Perspective beond totally different Right like guys like oh he's you know You look at first off if you looked at Him you would say like all right well What ever right you know like I mean Yeah he's he's okay he kind of looks the Part but you wouldn't think he's like an NFL Linebacker Right like that wait that guy is on the Colts like yeah he's wearing number 49 And he's running down with a freaking Johnny U here we Go how how tall is he by the way six1 Six I think he's six2 and a half oh six Oh he's tall he's tall yeah I think yeah Yeah he's taller than uh he might Actually be yeah he's taller than you Would think but he he carries it Different you know because when he was When he was in high school like he was The long lean type of whatever and then When he got there he uh yeah he's 63 yeah so then when he he's like but he Was like that 63 right like 6'2 is Whatever so his speed is obviously like What took him they were like who kid I Mean and he obviously at a four five on His Pro Day 63 230 63 230 running a 4540 good NFL pretty pretty pretty and that's a Guy who's on the cusp of it right like
He's trying to continue to make it right Like he's got to work to get where it's At so but all right well awesome let's Do it I'll hit you up we we'll we'll end The podcast good one there real good one Great job all right buddy all right
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