CBB: Tennessee @ Kentucky

Body transformation

When Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield showed up to Tennessee they both knew they needed to change their bodies and strength and conditioning coach Garrett Medenwald went to work creating a program for each player. 

Grant weighed about 265 & 18% body fat when arrived on campus and Medenwald said he had actually lost weight before arriving and thought that he was in very good shape! Grant jokes that he was a chunky Rollie Pollie but He is now down 30 pounds and is 10% body fat.

Admiral weighed 263lbs and was 15% body fat. He too has lost around 30 pounds and is about 6% body fat. 

Both players did 3 to 4 a days which included training before practice with Medenwald. They spent so much time on the treadmill that Admiral named it Jasmine. They were constantly doing movement training to condition while keeping the patterns of basketball, so lounges, shuffles, and leaps. Both players took pictures of every meal and sent it to Medenwald so that they could have instant feedback on nutrition. This extensive training didn’t end until both players reached 10% body fat which is a target percentage that most NBA teams what their players to stay under. 

Rick Barnes/Coach Cal
They have known each other since 1978 when Cal was a student and Barnes was working his first job in basketball at Davidson. When Barnes was coaching at Providence and Cal at UMASS, John would come and watch Rick’s practices. Rick Barnes said that before he even knew that he was going to be out at Texas Calipari called him and said And he said if Tennessee wants you, you should take that job." He said it can be a really really good job. And he said, because I want you to stay in the business I think it'd be great for all of us. So in a weird way Cal had a hand in creating his biggest conference challenge. 

Rick Barnes was working part time at UPS when he was invited to come and watch an ACC tournament in Greensboro. And he always wanted to be a PE teacher and high school basketball coach but when he left the tournament he asked his wife I wonder what it takes to coach on this level. She looked right back at him and said let’s just make it happen. Candy Barnes wrote countless letters on Rick’s behalf to college basketball programs asking if there were any openings. And he received countless rejection letters which he still keeps of reminders of his journey. One of those rejection letters is from Tennessee! 

Grant Williams from Under recruited to SEC POY 
Grant Williams is a self proclaimed 3 star. He said coming out of high school he was not getting many major D1 looks and before signing with Tennessee he was pretty sure he was headed to Yale to play basketball. But he remembers getting the call from Desmond Oliver who was once an assistant at UNC-Charlotte but was taking a job at Tennessee. Oliver said he wanted to recruit Williams to Tennessee too. Grant ultimately had to make his decision fairly quickly but since Coach Oliver recruited him since he was in the 8th grade he felt comfortable and Grant said as soon as he met Rick Barnes he knew that he was suppose to be at Tennessee.

3-Star Chip

Grant Williams says that as a team they embrace being under-recruited and doubted. He said last year even though they won the league no one was really paying any attention to this team. He said even though we are the number one team in the nation we still feel like there is always something to prove. Williams says that people always say that Tennessee works hard but what they don’t say is that we are talented and that is where the chip comes from. The Volunteers want everyone to know that they are not a fluke that they have talent and they will also out work you on both ends. This team embraces the underdog role and they also have their mind set on being a part of building a national power with staying power. 

Jordan Bowdan Playing for Hometown Team

Jordan grew up in Knoxville and says that he always went to games and loves supporting the Vols. His favorite player was Chris Lofton growing up and over the summer he got to spend time with him talking about the workouts he does and he works at his shooting. Jordan says it is a dream come true to be not only playing on his hometown team but to also be a part of the team that brought Tennessee back to #1. He also said that as far as coming off the bench is concerned he just wants to bring a different energy everytime he comes into the game. Coach Barnes never came to him and had a conversation with him about not starting anymore Coach just put Yves in with the starters during a shoot around and that was that. Bowdan said he didn’t pout or ask questions he just wanted to work towards being a solution for his team every game.

CBB: Virginia @ Duke

De’Andre Hunter’s Evolution 

Hunter said that it is crazy to see his game completely evolve. He said a season ago he felt out of place at some point in nearly every game. He was struggling to find his confidence and where his strengths fit best into the system. But he knew coming into this season that he needed to be a consistent contributor and did not want to let his team down and decided to play with confidence. The two NBA players that he likes to watch and emulate his game after are Paul George and Kwahi Leonard. He says that George is so smooth on offense but is really dedicated to being a two way player and playing defense and that is one of Hunter’s big focuses. Hunter also draws inspiration from the way that Kawhi has improved every season in the league. Over Leonards 8 seasons he has gone from averaging 7ppg to 27 this year with Toronto and become one of the top players in the league. 

Kyle Guy on Last Year’s Loss

Kyle said being the first 1 seed to go down to a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament has been haunting. Although he knows as a team they are over it and certainly not looking back on it. Guy admits that he uses it as fuel. "Every time I want to take a play off or rep off or even thinking about slowing up, I think about sitting at half court crying on my knees.”

Kyle Guy on Shooting 46% from 3pt

He said he has been working a lot with a machine called Noah that gives audio feedback real time as he shoots. Kyle says the technology can tell him to the centimeter how far to the left or right his shot is. Kyle says it has been transformational in making his shot even more consistent than it was  a season ago (when he was shooting 39% from 3) 

RJ Barrett, Oui, Oui

If you want to see him doing an interview in French…here you go:

RJ’s mom Kesha said that her son did not take English until he was in middle school. He went to a French elementary school: Jeunes San Frontiere. His nickname is the Maple Mamba.

Tre Jones and Brother Tyus Jones both Injured

Tre and Tyus are very close they talk almost every single day and are similar in so many ways. Unfortunately they are both sitting out injured right now. Tyus hurt his ankle Jan 15th playing for the Timberwolves in a game against the 76ers. But like his brother Tre what was originally thought to be a significant injury has now been lessened and his status is day to day as he works to get back on the court. The brothers will be supporting each other as they work to get healthy and even Mom Debbie Jones tweeted after the injury as she now has watched both sons go down in a 2 day span:

That is about enough... 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

— Debbie Jones (@Debbieddjones) January 16, 2019

CBB: Louisville @ North Carolina

Kenny Williams On His Shot
Kenny says that he has not been shooting the ball like he would like to but that he still has his confidence, but the shots just aren’t falling. He says it reminds him of a slump he had last year that started against Ohio State and went through the Pitt game. That is a slump that lasted from December 23rdto February 3rdand during that time Kenny was shooting 30% from 3. But he said he never lost his confidence and because of that he was able to knock down 6 threes against Duke and the slump was broken. Kenny did say that he usually goes to shoot around and then rests before games but that now he gets shots up before and after shoot around just to get some extra work in until his shot starts to fall again. He said he just told Hubert Davis that it is starting to feel better and that his shot is coming. Coach Davis said, “it’s already here”. 

The Freshmen
Kenny said the team is a lot different now without Joel and Theo and because there are younger players playing big minutes. Kenny said that each freshman can affect the game in different ways. He said Leaky Black will always come in a d get a deflection or a steal that provides energy and the whole team feeds off of it. Kenny said that he told Nassir Little this week to “just play big and be you”. Williams says he knows Nassir will come up big in a big game and he wants him to stay confident. And Kenny says that Coby has simply impressed from the start “he plays see bucket, go get bucket, no fear at all”. Williams says he is conscious of the fact that he has to keep the young guys encouraged because he remembers exactly what it was like to be in their shoes. 

Garrison Brooks
Garrison says that he feels so much more comfortable on the court this season, “a year ago when ACC play started my head was spinning”. He said during the offseason that he watched a lot of film of former Tar Heel big men. Here is what he took away from their game and wants to incorporate into his:

Deon Thompson- how he was a playmaker and glue guy 

Bryce Johnson- how he used his explosiveness

James McAdoo- how he finishes

Garrison also said that he put on about 15 pounds since his freshman year and that it has really helped him become more explosive and improved his strength for defending in the post. 

Jordan Nwora
I talked to Jordan on Thursday and he says he worked in the offseason on getting to the rim more and worked on his midrange game a lot so that he could be more than just a shooter he wants to be a scorer. Jordan said since the Indiana game he has noticed that teams are paying more attention to him on defense. He talked about Miami playing Box and 1 in the 2ndhalf after he scored 18 in the first. So he says he has been working on reading the defense so that he is always reacting to defenses in a way that will help his team.

Nwora working with Dino Gaudio
Nwora says that Dino has helped him a lot and is always talking to him about what it will take for him to go from being a good player to a great player. Jordan said they had a meeting and Dino talked to him about the guys at the next level that he would have to guard and explained that he has to be disciplined and dialed in on the defensive end. He has really been challenging Jordan there and Nwora says It is all about effort and locking in which is something that he is working on. They also work on his offense. Dino helps him before practice by recording him shooting from 5 spots on the court getting to the rack, shooting pull ups and shooting 3’s and telling him how he can be more efficient getting to his sports and shooting the ball better. Gaudio has been working with him to be consistent with his release, it can get low at times.

2018 Rose Bowl

Nick Harris

+ Only offered by New Hampshire and Cal Poly before Washington offered him. Nick says when he got to campus a lot of guys thought he was a walk on because of his size 

+ Nick moved from guard to center this season and is a 1st team all PAC-12 player

+ Before his official visit to Washington he had never been on an airplane or ever envisioned playing outside the state of California 

 Gaskins/Browning

+ Before they came to campus Jake sent a twitter to message to Myles that said let’s turn this program around. Jake said he wanted to reach out and let the entire recruiting class know that he was ready to work toward being a part of something special 

+ Myles says his relationship with Jake is like a brotherhood that they will be friends for the rest of their lives because they have been through so much together

+ They push each other, they hold each other accountable, they fight

+ Myles on Jake’s leadership style: ““Jake is going 100 percent,” Gaskin said. “And if you’re not, he’s yelling at you. Either you’re going to listen to him or he’s going to get annoying.”

WR Ty Jones 

+ Has a love for ballroom dancing, and says he used to get made fun of for it but that he really believes it has helped with his body control footwork on routes and sideline catches

+ His HS Provo, High has won 10 state championships in Ball room dancing 

+ Took classes in middle school and during his final semester in high school he doubled up on ballroom classes to satisfy a fine arts credit and graduated early to enroll at Washington early 

LB Tevis Bartlett 

+ Major is education, communities and organizations, He’s completing a student internship at a local Seattle HS, once his FB responsibilities are done around 11:30am he heads over to the HS and helps with a senior level US government and Econ class

+ Has also been an assistant wrestling coach at a local middle school

+ Tevis was a four-time state champion in wrestling but decided to play football in college

2018 Orange Bowl

Tua Nuggets

+ Dec. 3: Underwent minor ankle surgery  

+ Spent 4 days following the surgery completely immobilized

+ Dec 6-16: Head Football Athletic Trainer Jeff Allen describes Tua’s rehab as 24/7, he was undergoing treatment at all times, on the flight to the Heisman trophy ceremony, during classes with stem machine and even sleeping with a cryotherapy machine at night

+ Dec 12: Tua was throwing some and able to do some straight line running, Jeff Allen says that although it is counter intuitive, due to the surgery you should actually be aggressive as possible with mobility to prevent stiffness

+ Dec 14: Tua was able to participate in Alabama’s first bowl practice

This week, Tua’s rehab has reduced to 4-5x a day. At night he is still sleeping in the cryotherapy machine and that will continue all the way to Saturday. Jeff Allen says they are also doing some work in the hotel pool to work on his power, running motion, and do some plyometrics.

Jeff Allen says the difficult thing with Tua injuring his left ankle and being a left handed QB is that he has to generate power and rotation with his left leg, the rotation was bothering Tua at first.

Tua said after Wednesday’s practice that the last thing to come back was his lateral movement and that he did not feel that comfortable trusting his ankle with those movements until this week. He does still feel some pain when he drops back but he says that improves almost daily.

Jeff also mentioned that long term he believes these procedures ultimately protect athletes that have a previous ankle injury. He pointed to Jonah Williams, who underwent the surgery last year after the national championship, getting rolled up this season but walking away from it just fine. He said all of the trainers watched the film and said it should have been a bad sprain but it was his surgically stabilized ankle so he was okay.

CFB: Week 13

Ian Book Relationship with QB Coach Tommy Rees
When I asked Ian about who has played the biggest role in his development as the season has progressed he quickly responded “Coach Rees,he has improved my game, simplified the offense for me, and it is cool to learn from someone who did it like 7 years ago, I am really fortunate.” Tom Rees won his first 4 games as a 19 year old freshman starter for the Fighting Irish which included a win over rival USC and as a senior he was the team’s MVP becoming 1 of only 3 Notre Dame quarterbacks to pass for at least 3,000 yards. Tommy’s goal was always to come back and coach at his alma mater. He was a Graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015 and Ian says Rees is more than a Coach he is also a mentor that knows exactly what he is going through on a daily basis so there is a unique level of trust and comfort that he feels with his QB coach. Rees was the 7th and final hire for Brian Kelly during a staff overhaul this off season and according to Ian Book it was a very impactful hire.

Ian Book Random Notes

•      Says although he hated sitting out for a week, watching the game from the sideline helped him see a few things that you miss when you are playing in thegame

•      He tried out football in the 3rd grade and hated it and said he would never go back! Ian was not interested in getting hit. His older brother and dad had to convince him to return to the field and he’s glad they did because clearly the game

•      Ian says his older brother Nolan is the one who loved football first. Nolan is 18 months older and played linebacker at UC Davis until injuries forced him to stop. The brothers played together for 2 seasons in HS.

Drue Tranquill Evolving Leader
Brian Kelly says that although his senior’s status on the team has not changed it seems as though his impact has increased as a leader saying “His growth as a teammate from last year to this year has been amazing”. Kelly pointed to the fact that Drue sets the bar so high as a 4.0 student, great athlete, man of faith, that he can be hard to follow. Drue told me that he changed his leadership style this year and wanted to evolve into a relational leader. So he has spent a lot of time establishing deeper relationships with his teammates and letting them know that he really cares about them, “when you establish you care first, you open a space to speak tough love and encouragement” says Tranquill. Drue says that he has developed these relationships by doing small things like spending an extra 15 minutes at training table and making sure that he never eats alone. He also has teammates over to just watch Monday Night football or spend time together away from football. Since gettin his undergraduate degree Drue does have more time to spend with his teammates. He is only taking 3 classes and one is a directed reading course. Tranquill says during undergrad he would have class from 8am-1:45pm and then do problem sets after practice until11pm.

Random Drue Tranquill Facts

•      He has already graduated with a degree in engineering, his dad is an engineer so growing up he always thought that is what he wanted todo

•     He is now taking 3 graduate school courses

•      He has now developed a passion for teaching not sure he wants to be an engineer, he spendstime working at a local school that has a large population of low-incomestudents

•      One of his courses is a directed reading class which he uses to study one of his passions: The effects of poverty on upward mobility. He discussed some of the stories he has heard from teammates and their struggles at home. Drue wants to discover solutions for the causes of generational poverty.

Cameron Smith on Staying
Cameron Smith says that until halfway through the season last year he knew that he would be entering the NFL draft early. “I was done, over it, I wanted to move on and find myself in a new city”. But he says it was right around the Colorado game when he felt like he needed to humble himself and he took a step back to think about all that he could gain if he came back. Cameron says when he stopped being egotistical it was an easy decision to make and that ultimately “it was the best decision of my life”.

Cameron says that he has matured mentally and learned a lot through out the season despite the fact that it has not gone as planned. Over the offseason he lost 20 pounds by changing his entire lifestyle and now he says that he is moving much better.

JT Daniels Transition to College
JT says that the transition to college ball has had its ups and downs. “The toughest thing is no one is bad, everyone belongs on the field. A wide receiver may win the one on one battle but that doesn’t mean he will be wide open out there so my decision making has to be quicker and more precise”. Daniels says that playing at powerhouse Mater Dei High has helped prepare him. He believes his offensive coordinator Dave Money could be an OC anywhere. JT has worked with Dave since he was in 6th grade. The self proclaimed film geek says he is constantly watching tape. He says he probably gets on graduate assistant-Dane Stevens nerves because he is constantly asking him to watch film with him.

Amon-Ra St. Brown
Being the leading wide receiver during his freshman year of college is something that Amon-Ra has been training for his entire life. He says any success he may have is a culmination of his dad pushing him with specialized workouts, meal plans, and practicing with his brothers. He talks to his dad after every game and gets his feedback. He is also fluent in French and German and hopes to one day be an entrepreneur with an international business.

CFB: WEEK 12

Mckenzie Milton Family

I spoke with McKenzie’s mom Teresa and she said that her son has always had an ultra competitive edge. Teresa said that by the time he was 4 he was going through his older brothers drawers and pulling out pieces of their jerseys and putting them on because he wanted to go out and play on teams just like his siblings. Teresa said by the time he was 11 months old he was crawling right out of his crib and getting downstairs by himself. He has always been a strong kid that just doesn’t flinch. The brothers are very close and talk everyday. And Mom says that they are season ticket holders because they needed to make sure they have enough tickets for all of the family that comes in town to see McKenzie play. There will be about 20 family members in the stadium tonight and they always have a Hawaiian flag with them in the stands. Mom lives in Orlando now because it was getting too expensive to fly back and forth for the games. She said she also noticed that her son was homesick because his teammates could go home during long weekends and breaks but McKenzie couldn’t so she decided to move to be closer to her son.

Cincinnati Losing LB Perry Young

Perry was the said as soon as he felt the pain in his knee who knew something was really wrong because he had never felt this type of pain in his life. He tore his ACL against Navy and this is his first major injury. He had surgery last Monday. Young was a leader on and off the field and he has been trying to continue being a leader. Young says that he is keeping his energy positive and is finding ways to still be with his team mentally. He spent the week preparing with his team in the film room and he says he peppers his teammates with personnel questions and has made himself available to the younger guys who may have questions about the game plan. Perry has had a very positive attitude throughout this process and says as soon as he can walk again he plans on being an assistant coach on the sidelines. Perry also says that he loves watching Jarell White step up in his absence. Young said that. “We have a similar style of play he is a competitor and being the weight and height we are is not the most ideal size backer but we make up for it with effort and attitude”.

RB Michael Warren II

Michael turned 20 on Monday and it was a few days after setting UC’s single season TD record. Michael said that although he did not know that he was breaking a record he does remember feeling like he had a very slow start to the game. Micahel says that he is always extremely dialed into the task at hand and that he has been like that from a young age. When he started playing football he said he went to his dad and expressed interest and his dad said well if you are going to play we are not starting you off with flag football or two hand touch football, you are starting with tackle football. And Michael says that mentality has made him fall in love with contact and playing through it. Micahel says the first pair of cleats he ever owned were Michael Vicks but that his favorite player growing up was Marion Barber because he loved what a strong and powerful runner he was.

The Luke Fickell Effect

Players have told me that the bond created during the offseason has changed everything for this group. During the offseason the weight lifting groups were made up of guys from different position groups.So it could be 6-8 guys featuring a QB, OLINEMAN, RB, LB, 2 WRs,Safety. QB Desmond Ridder said his group was full of guys that he probably wouldn’t talk to on a regular basis. And each lifting group was given points based on reps and effort so that caused everyone to learn how to encourage one another for a common goal. The lifting group also had lockers next to each other with the idea that guys from different position groups would now be communicating and holding each other accountable and spending more time together so the overall team bond would be stronger. There was also team bonding during fall camp. Cincinnati went to Camp Higher ground and had a day full of random competitions: starting a fire, go in the woods and find something that would best slice a watermelon. (Desmond said they found a piece of sheet metal). But the idea again being that they would have to work together with teammates they do not always get to spend a lot of time with. Desmond says that it has made the team much closer across offense and defense and all position groups.

QB Desmond Ridder

Desmond said that his redshirt season was extremely helpful to his game because he was challenged by the speed of the game. Going up against the first team defense all last year in practice has helped him gain more confidence when he takes the field for games. Ridder is also very honest about being the guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder. He was a kid who grew up a Louisville fan, but was only offered scholarships by Cincinatti and Eastern Kentucky and he is out to prove to everyone that he is a good player that is intent on improving in any way that he can. He watches a ton of game film, and tries to prepare the way Peyton Manning does (he has read up on and watched a lot of specials on Peyton). He says he knows he has a long way to go but one thing that he can control is the way he prepares. Desmond says that one of the coolest moments for him this season was having Charlie Strong come up to him after the USF game and acknowledge him. He said it was just great to have a Coach that he always looked up to at Louisville know who he was.

CFB: Week 11

 AMARI ROGERS AND FATHER TEE MARTIN

Amari jokes that he didn’t know that his Dad was a big deal in the college football world until he was probably in middle school and that at first he didn’t believe it was his dad throwing bombs to Peerless Price. During Clemson’s back week back in October Amari flew out to LA to visit his dad at USC. Amari said he was on the west coast for about a day and a half. But he was able to be there Friday and Saturday. Amari said that he and his father talk all the time. At the beginning of the week they check in and talk about the games that they have coming up. They check in with each other again mid-week, around Wednesday and see how the week of preparation is going and discuss specific match ups. On Friday and Saturday they are sending each other their final good lucks. Amari said that the best advice he has ever received from his Dad is to never “let it tear you up if something doesn’t go your way, and to never get to confident when something is going your way”. Amari said that his Dad is always working and that he never gets complacent and that is the same work ethic he tries to attack his game with.

AMARI HAND ROUTINE

Amari is very superstitious and always does the exact same workout before every game and before most practices. He feels like its the best way to get his hands ready. It starts with a weighted football (about 3lbs) because he said it helps strengthen his fingers. (We have video)

• Dropping and catching 100x

• Turn to the tip of ball and do it 100x

• Then rotating hands dropping and catching it

• Then he has someone toss him a ball to get his hands warm

• And completes the warm up with 2 step dig routes and focuses on getting in and out of breaks.

WIDE RECEIVER THOUGHTS ON TREVOR

As the offense continues to roll Amari says a big part of it is Trevor Lawrence. Rogers said the true freshman is always hard on himself in practice he expects to perform just as well in practice as he does in games. Amari also says that Lawrence is a great communicator. His QB tells him exactly where he needs to be on his routes and that Lawrence’s ball placement is money. “He always throws it away from the DB so wide receivers can make plays,” says Rogers.

DEFENSE LINEMAN SCORING

Dexter said that after Christian scored his TD against Florida State, that he started complaining to coach. He told him he didn’t want to come in and block on offense he wanted to get a score too. So coach put a play in for Dexter and he got to score against Louisville. He did point out that he had a 2 yard score and that Christians was only one yard. He also said that they practice the play at least once a practice.

COMBATING COMPLACENCY

Dexter Lawrence said that they recognize they are rolling right now but they are also cautious because of the back slides have suffered the last two regular seasons. Every time they step on the field the goal is not only to defeat their opponent but also to have “flawless victories”. Dexter says it has been incredible “seeing us grow each week the focus and intensity it’s the best since I’ve been here and that is partially because we have a leader in every position group” Dexter also says that as a Dline they have a mindset it starts with us and that means it starts in practices and in meetings”.

BC FROM 3-9 to 7-2

When Wyatt Ray was a freshman the Eagles went 3-9 and he said their was a lot of selfish play on the field and selfish attitudes in the locker room but the culture has shifted and everyone has bought in. “It’s a mindset we all really really really love football. As a team we watch Thursday, and Friday games all of us really love football after practice we get together and actually talk about it and discuss ways we can be better next practice. We carry a different mindset into everything we do now”

AJ DILLON OFFSEASON

During the offseason AJ was hyper focused on making small improvements to his body and game because he remembers last seasons breakout game against Louisville. He said that he had 40 carries and was completely gassed towards the end game. He wanted to improve his stamina because he felt like there were times during that game that he wasn’t dependable. He managed to get his body fat down to 7%. Now he feels like he has an endless motor he just has to stay healthy.

AJ DILLON’S OBSESSION WITH FOURNETTE

AJ says that if you ask any of his teammates who his favorite running back is “they would tell you with disgust that its Leonard Fournette because I talk about him all the time” Dillon says that Fournette “does everything with a purpose he has something to prove he runs aggressive, and he runs angry” and Dillon says he can identify with that because he always feels like he has something to prove.

AJ DILLON’S SOMETHING TO PROVE

AJ says that talented people from his hometown don’t often make it out. He said that he has uncles that could have gone pro. AJ has been inspired to make something of himself and do it for his hometown. Dillon says that is why he chose to come to Boston College “I wanted to be someone that people from my town can see and know that their dreams are attainable if you chase them.” His mom had him when she was a junior in college and AJ says that they basically grew up together. “My mom worked 3 jobs to make sure I was taken care of and she still managed to take me to every practice. He plays for his family and his hometown. He writes his mom and sisters name on one wrist (Olivia and Jessica) and on the other wrist he writes NL Stand Up (New London, CT), when times get hard he looks at both wrists to remember who he plays for.

EAGLES ON FACING CLEMSON

AJ Dillon said “we are out to prove that we are not just the little engine that could, people think that we are just suppose to be happy to be here that we are just suppose to be happy that Gameday is here...these are the big game upsets you dream about”

CFB: Week 10

NICK SCOTT ON PSU LEARNING LESSONS

Nick said that the two things the team has learned in their losses to Ohio State and Michigan State are finishing games strong and taking the opportunities that present themselves throughout the course of a game. He said the team is not dwelling on past mistakes but have certainly spent time dissecting how each individual can always make one more play, but Nick says the key is that no one doubts themselves simply because they have suffered two losses.

NICK SCOTT ON MICHIGAN’S OFFENSE

Nick is a senior safety and he says this Michigan offense is unlike any Wolverine offense he has seen in the past. Scott says the key variable is the way Shea Patterson extends plays. He says they have been focusing on the front half of the defense having great pursuit angles, and the back half has been working on locking on their receivers when Shea takes off and trying to create really tight windows that he will have to throw into.

MICAH PARSONS EFFECT

Nick Scott describes Micah as still being a kid that makes grown man plays. He says the best part about Micah is that he gets excited about big plays and generates a lot of energy on the sidelines and for the team. Scott says it has been fun to watch the game slow down for Parsons and that he gets better with every single snap.

KJ HAMLER RETURNING TO MICHIGAN

KJ is excited about playing in his home state for the first time in his career. He says that he will have a ton of family and friends at the Big House. He says that a lot of his friends that he grew up playing with and against play for the wolverines. Wolverine Olineman Cesar Ruiz was Hamler’s roommate at IMG and the two are best friends. He grew up playing against CB Lavert Hill and now they will likely match up against one another during the game. KJ says he can’t wait to go up against Hill.

ZACH GENTRY ON SHEA PATTERSON

Zach Gentry and Shea Patterson had an instant connection off the field that has translated onto the field. Zach says that he actually grew up playing AAU basketball with one of Shea’s cousins--Brady Patterson. So Zach says that although he didn’t meet Shea until he arrived on campus that he has always known about Shea and kept tabs on his career. Zach says that one of the greatest things that Shea has brought to this offense is an added level of confidence and communication. Gentry says that when different defensive looks are thrown at the offense Shea always does a good job communicating and making sure the offense is in a position to be successful.

ZACH GENTRY ON POSITION CHANGE

Zach says that if you would have told him his freshman year that he would be a starting tight end on a top 10 team he would have ignored you. He says transitioning from a quarterback to a tight end has been a day-to-day process. And Zach says he is still learning something new every game. He says the biggest learning curve was staying lower. He had to train his body to be low when blocking and firing out. He also says he has worked hard on understanding all of the intricacies of the run game, attacking the ball with his hands (and he says his background as a basketball player has certainly helped with his hand eye coordination). Zach says he also spends a lot of time watching great TE’s play to see what he can add to his game.

Zach Gentry’s Favorite TE’s to Watch

• Gronk- loves the way he uses his body very physical TE

• Kelce- watches his route running

• Jake Butt- *before tearing his ACL at Denver* he is the guy who took Zach under his wing

• when he first transition to TE and taught him the basics of being a great tight end and won

• the John Mackey award his senior season 2016.

DEVIN BUSH AND DON BROWN RELATIONSHIP

Devin Bush says that he has an incredibly unique relationship with DC Don Brown. “We came in at the same time we were learning the ways of Michigan and have been through it all together and I love that man to death”. Devin says that he and Coach Brown are tied to the hip and that Coach empowers him to lead the team. Devin said when he has input and feedback Coach Brown listens and allows him to give it to his teammates. As the defensive leader Bush said it’s his responsibility to make sure that the defense dictates the outcome of the game.

DEVIN BUSH AND HIS DAD DEVIN BUSH SENIOR

Devin Bush says coming into the football facility everyday and looking to the left and seeing his dad there is special. “He really knows me and has been with me every step of the way... sometimes I see him and I am just like Wow”. During the Bye-week, they spent some extra time together away from the facility and watched football together. Devin says that growing up his dad would never tell him that he was doing a good job on the field. Even when Devin Sr was his high school coach. But after winning the state championship game as a senior he told his son he loved him and that he is proud of him. Devin says it was the first time he received praise from his father. Devin says that now before every game his Dad finds him and tells him that he loves him and he’s proud to be his father.

MICHIGAN FOOTBALL TEAM CONFIDENCE

Devin Bush said that he has seen it all since being at Michigan. But that right now the team’s “confidence is at its all time high and this is a team that believes that we have a chance at this going to the Big 10 championship and winning it all, we have a team that really believes it, we have veteran leaders that will hold teammates accountable, we know what needs to be done every time we take the field”

KARAN HIGDON MOST INTERESTING MAN IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL?

Karan says that he has always been interested in a wide array of subjects. He loves music and played the tuba throughout high school. He said he would practice at home after football practices. He has a pet bald python snake named Poncho. He is in a fraternity (Phi Beta Sigma), and claims that he and Jim Harbaugh are in the same secret society! Karan says that he has been focused all season on doing the little things better, whether that means hitting the hole harder, or staying after practice to do extra work on the jugs and work on his hands he wanted to make sure that this was his best season at Michigan.

CFB: Week 9

RODARIUS WILIAMS AND GREEDY WILLIAMS

Rodarius is the older brother of LSU cornerback Greedy Williams. Rodarius said that he has been inspired by the performance of his younger brother to perform at a high level because he wants to prove that “talent runs in the blood line”. Rodarius says that he and his brother train together at home during the offseason and that they have always been best friends that support one another. The Williams Brothers stepdad, Lonnie Bryant, FaceTime’s both brothers after every game and goes through game film with them. And they always do a 3 way call after every game to discuss what they are seeing in each other’s game. They played high school football together for 3 years both starting at cornerback and they also played basketball. The Parents drive cross country so that every week they will be at one of their sons games and they take turns trying to make sure they spend equal time with both sons. This week Rodarius says he gets the whole family since LSU is on a bye.

ENOCH SMITH JR’S JOURNEY TO STILLWATER

Smith started his collegiate football career at Michigan State redshirting in 2014 and played in just three games in 2015. And 2 days before the 2016 season, Smith announced that he would be leaving the program. So Enoch spent the 16-17 season at Kennedy-King College. But the junior college in Chicago did not have a football team. He worked on academics while also working out with his father and he also worked part time at Dick’s Sporting Goods as a cashier and in the clothing department. Enoch told me when he showed up for the first day of work he thought to himself “I will do whatever it takes to return to Power 5 football”. He says getting another chance to play is at Oklahoma State is a dream come true. He says he has found a home, a role, and he has a daughter on the way.

Enoch also has very altruistic goals set for when he is finished playing football. He hopes to start a foundation to help the homeless because he saw poverty growing up on the South Side of Chicago. And he wants to help people with Autism because his younger brother Trey is autistic. He says Trey has been the biggest impact on his life and that he works hard on the field to put a smile on Trey’s face. His younger brother is always happy when Enoch performs well.

CADEN STERNS VS OKLAHOMA STATE

This is a game that Freshman Caden Sterns circled on the calendar before the season started. He said he has been looking forward to playing Oklahoma State because it is his older brother’s Alma Mater. Former first team All Big 12 Safety Jordan Sterns. Caden says that although he grew up a Texas fan, when his brother went to Oklahoma State the family became OSU supporters and that Stillwater became a home away from home. OSU did recruit him and he is very familiar with the coaching staff. His brother Jordan will be at the game in Texas gear. Caden says he has no choice because he wore Oklahoma State gear for him for 4 years. Caden says he and his brother are very close. Jordan always sends halftime adjustments which he never sees until the end of the game. But he loves having a brother that has a football mind that can help push him to be great.

CADEN STERNS INSTANT IMPACT

Caden says that as soon as he got on campus at Texas he went to coaches searching for game film and the playbook. He said he knew that there were a lot of talented DB’s on the roster and he wanted to be prepared to have an instant impact. He has always been a huge Longhorn fan growing up in Texas. Caden said he wants to bring back the days of 2005 Texas and get the Longhorns back to the top of the college football conversation for all of the right reasons. Caden did say that his brother has warned him to also find hobbies and interests away from football. He is a self proclaimed gym rat that loves being around the game but he is trying to do a better job at finding some balance.

COLLIN JOHNSON THE PRODUCER

Collin Johnson and his brother, Texas running back Kirk Collins, have a unique off field hobby. They both have an interest in video production and have their own YouTube channel. The brothers create their own graphics, shoot and edit their own video and post content on their Vlog (mostly during the offseason). Collin says that his channel is dedicated to inspiring younger student athletes. He says he tries to post things that he wishes he could have seen from college athletes while hews in high school. In one video he had a contest. He asked athletes to send him a video about their goals. He surprised high school kid who was trying to make his school’s team for the first time. He Also loves to share his workout routines which include gymnastics (he can backflip in sand), boxing (to help him get better at getting off of press coverage), and yoga (to help prevent injury, and recover) 

CFB: Week 8

 DWAYNE HASKINS & DESHAUN WATKINS

Dwayne Haskins has a favorite college quarterback and his name is Deshaun Watson. Dwayne says that he has been training with Deshaun since his Sophomore year in high school. Both Dwayne and Deshaun work with quarterback coach Quincy Avery. Dwayne said that watching Deshaun “dominate college football inspires me, because I have been on the same field with him, throwing the same routes, and learning the same mechanics”. Dwayne said that Deshaun has a “cool and laid back demeanor”. Dwayne says that he too has a very laid back personality and that you will rarely see him yelling or emotional on the sidelines. Watson told Haskins that he doesn’t have to be anything that he is not. That he does not have to be JT, or anyone else. Watson told him that ultimately studying and putting the work in will earn the trust of the locker room. Here’s what Deshaun says he told Dwayne before the season started:

“I just told him, be who you are and don’t let anyone change that. Every time you step on that field.. you have that Kobe mentality. “Nobody will stop me!” And just play 1 play at a time. It’s a long and up/down season. Everything you do matters”

I have video of the two working out together this summer;

KJ Hill’s Improvements

KJ already has more receiving yards this season than he had all of last year. said that coming into the season he still felt like he had plenty to improve upon. He wanted to get in and out of his breaks faster, he’s been focused on not getting touched. He said that one of the reasons why he wanted to come to Ohio State was because Coach Meyer spends a lot of time with the wide receivers and Coach “likes perfection”. He said now when he goes back and watches tape of himself as a freshman he cringes and wonders why he would ever do some of the things he did and says he could never get away with that on the field now.

How KJ Hill Get’s His Legs ready for Gameday

KJ has a very interesting routine the night before games. It starts with acupuncture, and then 15 minutes in the NormaTec recovery boots, followed by a massage with a portable massage gun. He then drinks a peanut butter and chocolate ice cream shake with cheddar popcorn. He does this every night before games around 7-8pm. He says if he doesn’t do all of it (including the shake and popcorn) that he does not feel prepared for the game.

KJ Hill The Hunter

KJ is from Little Rock, Arkansas and he is quick to say that he is not country but that he is southern. His Dad, Keith Hill, taught him how to hunt and fish when he was young. He is an avid hunter and fisher that tries to make time for his outdoor hobby during his offseason. It is something that KJ says he does to relax and take his mind off of things. Here’s a picture from one of his hunting outings:

BLOUGH & SINDELAR QB RELATIONSHIP
Elijah describes the relationship he has with David as an unbreakable bond. They were roommates on the road the first 2 years of their careers together and have been best friends ever since. David is a year older and he says they have been through the ups and downs of each QB playing well and playing poorly, of winning 2 games in a season and winning 7. Elijah says the only thing they differ on is that David always wanted to watch football on the road and Elijah always wanted to watch How It’s Made(because of his Engineer mindset)

DAVID BLOUGH RESILIENCE

David said that it was a very good quarterback battle during camp and that when he didn’t get the starting job he knew he just had to prepare and be ready for the moment when his team needed him. David says the adversity that he has dealt with during his Purdue career allows him to play free now. “As a sophomore I led the country in interceptions (21), I dealt with failure and had to get up the next day and go to work”. Blough says I am not “defined by if I throw 5 TDs or 5 INTs” so he feels free to play relaxed. Blough also believes that the coaching staff has empowered him with aggressive play calling and Coach Brohm told him to “go out there and cut it loose” before the Missouri game and that’s what he is trying to do in every match up.

RONDALE MOORE MATURITY

David Blough says that he has been around many different types of players but that Rondale Moore is the most professional and mature player he has ever seen arrive on campus as a freshman. Blough says the story that best illustrates how Moore handles business occurred before a summer workout. David said he got a call at 11:30pm one night before a player led workout that the 5thyear quarterback was expected to run. It was RondaleMoore calling and he wanted his QB to draw up every play that was on the script for the team to run. David said be pulled out a marker and white board and drew up every play on Facetime and answered all of Rondale’squestions. David said he came to college attacking every practice and workout with the kind of dedication and effort that only a few players possess.

JACOB AND BRENNAN THIENEMAN

Senior safety Jacob Thieneman said that he and his younger brother sophomore Brennan Thieneman use to talk about playing college football together like it was a fantasy. The brothers are best friends although while they were growing up they were always in competition. Jake said even going up the stairs was a race. They have competed in everything together from basketball and football and they loved extreme sports like roller blading, dirt biking and skiing/snowboarding. But now that they are taking snaps together at Purdue, Jacob calls it surreal. Jake has gone from walk on to team captain. He has undergone 5 surgeries in 4 years (2 foot, 2 shoulder, 1 hand). He is now trying to use his experience at Purdue to help his brother through the process of earning a scholarship. He said “you have to know what you are getting into and come out every day looking to earn your spot”. Pictures of the Thieneman brothers growing up provided by mother, Shannon.

CFB: Week 7

FAION HICKS GOING AGAINST HS TEAMMATES

Hicks played with Josh Metellus, Devin Gil, Devin Bush Jr, and Devin Bush Sr was one of his coaches when he won a state championship. Hicks said that they talk all the time and have been joking back and forth all week and since he has the bragging rights from the Wisconsin win last year he doesn’t want to lose them this season. Hicks said that he spoke to Michigan but was never offered a scholarship and has really enjoyed the opportunities to play early that he has had received at Wisconsin.

FAION HICKS THE CHESS PLAYER

Faion is an avid chess player. His dad taught him how to play when he was in third grade and he has not stopped playing since. During elementary school Hicks competed in chess tournaments and won a couple of trophies. And in High School there was not a chess team so Faiondecided he wanted to start one. Hicks spoke with the principal and got approval and worked with one of his teachers who supplied the chess boards and a classroom for the team. Faion recruited his chess teammates by tweeting out the new afterschool activity on Twitter. He said that there were about 15 athletes total and that they played after school for an hour before he would go to football practice. Faion says that chess has helped him process football better. He says in both football and chess you always have to consider what will be your next move. And as a corner you have to think about how you will counter a receiver’s move. He says he will always keep his football mind sharp by playing chess.

LACK OF DEPTH IN THE SECONDARY

Faion says that the secondary as a whole has discussed the challenge that stands before them because of the injuries and suspension plaguing their group. Hicks says that the one thing they have been harping on during this week of preparations is GREAT not just GOOD communication. The goal is to eliminate any pre-snap/alignment mistakes. Hicks also said that the secondary just has to focus on not panicking if something does not go right or Michigan makes one good play.

HICKS VS PEOPLES-JONES

Hicks says that he will probably line up against Donovan Peoples-Jones a fair share during the game. Hicks says he wants to be really physical with Peoples-Jones, press him and really challenge him. Faion says when he watched film that not people have tried to be physical with him because he is such a physical receiver.

JOHNATHAN TAYLOR STAYING HEALTHY

Taylor is averaging 25 attempts per game and when I spoke to him this week he says his body is feeling great despite the pounding. He takes his recovery habits very seriously because he understands that he can only be as good as he is healthy. The first 30 minutes after a game are the most important to him. He says he immediately gets into a cold tub, has treatment on anything that is aggravating him and has treatment and puts on recovery tights, socks, and shirts to contract his muscles.

JONATHAN TAYLOR ON IMPROVING

He said that he spent the offseason “looking into the nooks and crannies” to see where he could improve. He says that right now running backs Coach John Settle has been hounding him to go back to the basics and “trust the run and trust the plays”. They watched film together of JT and Coach Settles would show him when he was improvising and doing his own thing. Taylor calls it “going off on a tangent”. And then Coach Settle would show him times when he would take the 4 yards that the play was designed to get. Taylor realized that taking what the defense gives you when it is only 3 or 4 yards can be what sets you up for the big explosive play like the 75 yarder vs Nebraska.

JONATHAN TAYLOR AND RON DAYNE

If Jonathan Taylor kept pace with his rushing and  stayedall 4 years at Wisconsin he could break former Badger Ron Dayne’s all time record. And as it turns out Dayne and Taylor have forged a close bond. Jonathan says that Ron is often around the facility and they talk on the phone sometimes when they want to check in with each other. Jonathan says Ron Dayne is a big help to the mental part of his game and always reminds him to “take the game with a smile, the good and the bad”.

WHAT WISCONSIN LEARNED FROM BYU

LB TJ Edward told me that the team learned that you cannot assume you are going to win any game just by walking out onto the field. Edwards said that the entire team was doing uncharacteristic things. Defensively they were not lining up right, missing tackles, not playing their gaps. And as a whole the team was not playing with a sense of urgency.

ALEX HORNIBROOK’S MUSICAL TALENT

Is a self-taught guitar player. He played for the first time in front of an audience at the Buckinghams in April, which is the student athlete banquet. He said his own Mom had never heard him play and he wouldn’t let her come up to see him in person so she had to watch online.

CHASE WINOVICH FAMILY

Chase is the youngest of 4. I spoke to his brother Peter who is 10 years older than him and he says that Chase has always been fighting to prove something. Peter says Chase would be the youngest playing pick up basketball or hanging with his friends but it caused him to mature faster and love competing. He told childhood stories of Chase being a rambunctious 3 year old that would scale a backyard fence. Or times when he would be left at a stadium where Peter was playing his HS game because he was off somewhere playing flag football. Peter says that Chase was born with a chip on his shoulder because he is the youngest. But he says that’s why he has able to work through playing 3 positions in 3 years before finding his home at defensive end.

CFB: Week 6

Ryan Willis Taking Over
Ryan Willis’ birthday was last Friday and he also started and a game for the first time since 2016. Willis said that he had lost some of his love for the game at Kansas. He said being on a losing team means you are consistently being criticized and everyone thinks that you are not trying or working hard. But Ryan says that growing up in a competitive household has helped prepared him for this moment. Willis comes from a very athletic family. His Father Steve played football at Kansas State. His Mother Lois competed in track and field at Iowa State, his sister Lauren played basketball at Oklahoma and his other sister Abby played basketball at Saint Louis University. Here’s an example of the athleticism in action, Mom Lois competing at Iowa State:

Damon Hazelton and Ryan Willis Connection
Ryan Willis and Damon Hazelton are roommates and best friends. They came in as transfers together and all last season they ran the scout team offense together. They went back to Ryan’s home in Kansas City before the summer session began. “I threw it to him every time and that’s when we had a ton of NFL talent on the defense”. Willis is referencing S Terrell Edmunds (1stround Steelers Draft Pick). CB Greg Stroman (7thround Redskins draft pick) and DT Adonis Alexander. Willis says Hazelton is a security blanket but that he is also like a brother that he loves seeing have success. 

Ian Book Taking Over
I spoke to Miles Boykin about the transition from Wimbush to Book at quarterback and he said that it has been very smooth. Boykin reiterated that everyone loves Brandon Wimbush and that he has always been a great teammate. The senior wide receiver describes his new starting quarterback as extremely poised and a guy who only yells when making a check at the line of scrimmage (and that he always makes the right decision). Boykin also says that he feels like the game has slowed down for the team with Book under center. Ian says that he has been “preparing his whole life for it” and wants to bring his style of ball to the team. Book recognizes his growth as a football player. He points to the fact that he gets the ball out earlier, he is not taking as many sacks, he knows when to run out of bounds, and situational awareness as areas where he has seen the most improvement. 

Houshun Gaines losses His Mom
Houshun Gaines wrote his mothers initials under his eyes last week because Tardra Hilliard was in the hospital dealing with health issues. She passed away on Monday. Gaines returned to North Carolina to be with family and returned to practice on Wednesday. The coaching staff told Gaines that he could do whatever he wants to do and Houshun said he wants to play with his team. Notre Dame fans showed support for Gaines by lighting a candle for his mother at the grotto this week.

Gaines responded to the gesture on Twitter:

God bless whoever did this. Thank you so much. ❤️ https://t.co/LTvWO8OYgq

— "House" Gaines (@HZGfrom252) October 4, 2018

Miles Boykin Productive Senior Year
Miles Boykin already has more receptions this season than 2016 and 2017 combined. Boykin said that he always knew that he could perform at an elite level so he has always worked on not losing any confidence in his game. Before winning MVP honors in the Citrus Bowl last season he says he remembers Brian Kelly telling him that it was going to be his game and his moment and he took that to heart and never looked back. Boykin focused on route discipline, understanding defenses, and mastering all of the offenses concepts. He wants to see what quarterbacks see when they are watching film. Boykin says he can see the offseason work and extra film study paying off this season. 

Jerry Tillery World Traveler
Jerry Tillery traveled a long way from Shreveport, Louisiana to South Bend, Indiana but he has been racking up miles ever since. Tillery’s freshman year at ND he applied to study abroad in South Africa where he studied institutionalized racism. It turns out being accepted into the program would change his life. He says that ever since that summer he has had the travel bug. Jerry has been to 17 countries. South Africa and Japan are two of his favorites. South Africa because it started his love affair with traveling and Japan because he actually understands Japanese. He has studied Japanese history, culture, and language at Notre Dame and that has grown his love for the Asian country. And traveling is only the tip of a fascinating iceberg of interests for the senior D-Lineman. He is an economics major that has interned at an Irish hedge fund in Dublin. And his Twitter Bio reads “Solo se vive una vez” which means “you only live once”. 

CFB: Week 5

KJ HAMLER PARENTS RAP
When KJ’s 18th birthday was coming up two years ago, his parents wanted to do something special for him because for the first time in his life his parents would not be able to be by his side. Thomas Hamler said that he wanted to call up his son and sing happy birthday. But his Mom, Latonya Gooding said she wanted to do something better than just sing. She wanted to rap. At first both Dad and Mom were suppose to spit a verse. But Latonya told me that it Dad’s verse wasn’t coming along very easily so it became a solo rap featuring an awesome hype man. KJ says that he literally started tearing up when he first watched the video and knew that he had to post it. The parental birthday rap went viral and KJ now jokes that he is trying to find his Mom a record deal because she is a great MC. It looks like the birthday rap is a tradition now. Here is the video from KJ’s 19th Birthday: 

The Moment I’ve been waiting for ever since my last bday man really shed a tear on this one. Momma spittin bars and pops in the back doing his thang man I love my mother goose and my father smurf #blessedtosee19💯🎁🎁🎂🎂🎂🎁🎁🎁🎂❤️bet bday gift love y’all pic.twitter.com/4iwvM7vu5L

— SLIDE1🐍 (@Kj_hamler) July 8, 2018

KJ RETURNING FROM INJURY
The last time KJ Hamler competed in a game before this season was his junior year in High School. He tore his left ACL during the first game of his senior season at IMG Academy. KJ said when he got to campus he really thought that he would be able to play his true freshman season but he was still healing and dealing with a lot of swelling. He took it really hard when he found out that he would be redshirting but now he says it was the best thing for him because it was humbling and gave him time to grow. KJ had to focus on getting healthy and preparing for this season as guys like his roommate played as a true freshman. KJ’s mother Latonya said that they came to every home game to let him know that they still supported their son and let him know the importance of a redshirt season. His parents stressed to him “Everyone has a season, and when yours comes, you will shine.”

JAN JOHNSON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLER
Johnson is currently a walk-on middle linebacker for Penn State. But he has already won a national championship during his time in Happy Valley. During his first season at Penn State he was redshirting for the football team when wrestling coach Cael Sanderson reached out to James Franklin about borrowing Jan for the 2015-16 season. Coach Sanderson lost both of his heavy weight wrestlers to injury and Jan was a two time High School AAA State Champion. Coach Franklin didn’t have a problem with it so Jan Johnson joined the wrestling team in late October. Jan wrestled in 10 matches and was a fan favorite because he would escape guys that weighed 40 pounds more than him. Penn State wrestling went 16-0 in dual meets and went on to win the national championship in OKC. The following season Jan focused only on football but Coach Sanderson kept Johnson on the roster just in case he wanted to come back and spar with his old teammates.

MILES SANDERS ON WAITING HIS TURN
Miles says that it takes a lot of patience and maturity to wait your turn to play. Sanders said he focused on learning from Saquon when he was not on the field. He would watch how he handled 2 minute drills before the half and talking through what he saw on the field. Coming into the season Sanders said he was not going to try and be something that he is not. He is not trying to be extraordinary and fill Saquon’s shoes. He just wants to be himself. Sanders has also been working hard to expand his game by staying after practices and working with the wide receivers on the jugs and also getting extra work in catching with Trace McSorley. 

SANDER’S FAVORITE RUNNING BACKS

• Ezekial Elliott: for his ability to run very down hill takes what should be 2-3 yards and makes it 6-7 just from continuing to attack defenses.

• Todd Gurley & Le’Veon Bell: for their versatility they can catch out back field or run stiff arm you and run right through you

SAQUON BARKLEY ON MILES SANDERS
Saquon Barkley said that there is no better back in college football right now than Miles Sanders. He said he has the work ethic, speed, and talent and that he was always supportive throughout his time in Happy Valley. Saquon said that words cannot even describe how happy it makes him to see a his friend and former teammate getting his chance. Barkley remembers last season when he was dealing with a back issues leading up to the Nebraska game and he jokingly said that he had to fight through it and play because if Miles took the field everyone would forget that there was a Saquon Barkley. 

SAQUON ON HIS FORMER TEAM
Saquon says that he loves the way Coach Ricky Rahne is calling plays. And he has really enjoyed watching KJ Hamler step into the spotlight and become one of the most electrifying players in college football. Barkley said that Hamler was absolutely spectacular on scout team last year but that you never know how players will execute when they enter games so he has been very impressed. Barkley also mentioned that this season is all about proving that they are not the Penn State of old, the Nittany Lions with sanctions that are rebuilding for a future. He says the way you prove that is by reloading when you lose players and he feels like this is the season that Penn State will really showcase its depth and arrival at the top of college football. He also has a lot riding on this game. He and Giants teammate and former Buckeye Eli Apple have a bet, if Saquon loses he has to wear an Ohio State shirt.

CFB: Week 3

Nick and Joey Bosa Relationship
Joey was a two time All-American at Ohio State and has 23 sacks in 28 games with the Los Angeles Chargers. Nick says that he talks to Joey every day they are always FaceTiming and texting. Lately Nick has been making sure Joey stays up as he rehabs from a bone bruise in his foot. Nick says growing up they were rough with each other. Nick says his older brother was constantly bullying him and picking on him. But when he got to his Freshman year of High School which was Joey’s senior year, the two brothers really started to bond. The two brothers enjoy talking through the little details of football like skill techniques. (ex: Joey asking Nick during camp about his side scissor move “do you throw your hands up or do you club with your outside hand first”). During their off season they still find time to be together and look for unique ways to relax. This summer they spent a week on the island of Exuma in the Bahamas. Nick sent me these pictures of him and his brother playing with the wild pigs who inhabit Big Major Cay in Exuma.   

*** P.S. Get well soon Nick!

 Without Urban Meyer
Nick Bosa said that he did not notice Urban Meyer was gone during camp because as a defense they usually spend most of their time with their position coach. Nick said that the one thing that stood out to him was on game day not having Coach Meyer in the locker room. “He is a great motivator and I miss that voice” but Bosa said Meyer has already set a culture of execution and expectations on the field that do not just crumble because he cannot travel. Bosa said that his team is taking every game seriously despite their off the field situation. Bosa brought up last season’s big win vs Penn State that was followed up by a loss to Iowa. He says that last season’s disappointments are keeping them focused through the distractions. 

Dwayne Haskins and Deshaun Watson

Courtesy of QB Coach Avery Quincy

Dwayne Haskins has a favorite college quarterback and his name is Deshaun Watson. Dwayne says that he has been training with Deshaun since his Sophomore year in high school. Both Dwayne and Deshaun work with quarterback coach Quincy Avery. Dwayne said that watching Deshaun “dominate college football inspires me, because I have been on the same field with him, throwing the same routes, and learning the same mechanics”. Dwayne said that Deshaun has a “cool and laid back demeanor”. Dwayne says that he too has a very laid back personality and that you will rarely see him yelling or emotional on the sidelines. Watson told Haskins that he doesn’t have to be anything that he is not. That he does not have to be JT, or anyone else. Watson told him that ultimately studying and putting the work in will earn the trust of the locker room.

“What stands out is just his presence! When he steps on the field you notice him. And people may think that’s not a good word for a quarterback but not every quarterback steps on the field and the other team and the fans are all locked in and on their toes every play! He makes guys around him better. He loves the game and is always ready to learn.

I just told him, be who you are and don’t let anyone change that. Every time you step on that field.. you have that Kobe mentality. “Nobody will stop me!” And just play 1 play at a time. It’s a long and up/down season. Everything you do matters”

— Deshaun Watson, Texans Quaterback on Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne on Waiting His Turn
Dwayne Haskins has already been named a Big 10 Offensive Player of the week and he says that being able to sit and learn has helped him immensely going into his first season as a starter. He said he watched how JT Barrett “handled the media and adversity handled the good times and the bad times”. He said it is priceless to be able to watch someone like JT instead of just being thrown into the fire at a young age and having to learn as you burn. He said that being the starting quarterback at Ohio State has been everything and then some. He is trying to maintain his same schedule, one that factors in 2-3 additional hours of film study a day. Haskins says that having a coach like Ryan Day is really helpful because “coach day is so talented and puts in a lot of work” to get him ready. Dwayne says Coach Day has been putting the pressure on him to execute better in practice, stressing the fact that “if you get one look in the game, you may never get it again so you have to be ready to capitalize on the opportunity.”  

Dwayne’s Dogs 
Random fact. Dwayne loves dogs and he has 3. He told me that he is a fan of small dogs and enjoys the fact that they like to cuddle. Haskins has two Yorki Poo’s but his girlfriend Savhana made him get a Dobermann Pinscher (but he says its like having a big lap dog). Dog names: Princeton & Coco Chanel

Ben Banogou’s Story
Ben told me that coming out of High School no one was interested in recruiting him. He sent his tapes out to everyone in the state of Texas. The two star ended up at Louisiana Monroe. When he finally became a starter he actually registered his first sack in a game against Alabama’s Jake Coker. He said after a great season he started looking again for a Power 5 school. When he received interest from TCU he said “it was not about weighing my option, it was when do I need to be there”. Ben said that his journey through mid-majors has made him appreciate the opportunity that he has at TCU. Ben treated his redshirt year as the perfect opportunity to improve his body and football IQ. Last year, Ben was “grinding like a freshman that wanted to prove himself but operating with the maturity of a senior”. Banogu says he views TCU as one of the best places on earth he called it his “oasis” so when it was time to decide if he should come back for his senior season, Banogou said the answer was a no brainer.

CFB: Week 2

Texas A&M

#5 RB Traveyon Williams
Traveyon became the 4th Aggie to register multiple 200 yard rushing games in Week 1. He told me that it was a very emotional game for him because last year at this time his family was in serious danger in his hometown of Houston during Hurricane Harvey. His mother Joyce Davis told me that her family walked through waist deep water, were picked up by a boat, taken to a gas station, then rode in the back of a dump truck to a Wal-Mart parking lot, where they waited for a school bus to drive them 6 hours to a shelter, and once they were there they had to sleep outside. On Monday of week one a season ago the extended family of 10 made it to a hotel where they were forced to stay for 4 months. When they arrived, they FaceTimed Trayveon and told him that they were okay and that they wanted him to focus on the week of preparation. Trayveon says he still thinks about what his family went through every time he takes the field because the emotions still come rushing back. Here are pictures of his family making their way to safety and  eventually FaceTiming Trayveon from their hotel room: 

#11 Kellon Mond Adjusting to Pro Style Offense
Kellon Mond said when he heard that Jimbo Fisher was going to be his new head coach he called some of his former high school teammates that played for Jimbo at FSU. Seminole Tre McKitty told him that Fisher was going to coach him hard and have high expectations. This is Kellon’s first season ever taking snaps under center and he said he is treating learning this offense like taking a class and learning a new subject. He said the biggest change he has had to make doesn’t even come on the field. It comes in the film room. He said his new nightly routine involves 2-3 hours of film study he also always has his iPad with him. He said Coach Fisher has taught him how to break the game down to smallest detail. And Kellon said that he is much more confident this season because he really feels like his knowledge of the game has grown and that he will be able to rely on that when times get tough. 

Kellon Mond and Deshaun Watson
Kellon said it will be surreal playing Clemson because Deshaun Watson has always been an idol of his and someone that he looks up too. They met once in Houston at a concert and he also met him in Clemson during his sophomore year of high school. Mond says he loves his accuracy and ability to make plays out of the pocket. But what Kellon wants to model his game after is the way Watson processes the game. Mond says he envies what an intelligent quarterback Watson is and the way nothing rattles him. “He seems confident 24/7”. Mond says that’s what he wants defenses and his team to see in his demeanor.

Team’s First Impression of Jimbo
Kellon Mond told me that when Jimbo first met with the whole team that it was the quietest he has ever heard the meeting room. He said “it is something we will all remember”. Coach explained to the players that it would take “blind trust”. Trayveon Williams said when he first found out that Sumlin was leaving he was mad. But now he thinks having Jimbo as a head coach “is the best thing that could have happened”. Williams said Coach has brought toughness, effort, and discipline. Williams said Coach Fisher told the team that he has won championships and he fully expects to win them in College Station and that the process starts now so everyone better buy in or get left behind. 

Clemson

#8 Justyn Ross and Clemson WR Legacy
Ross says the reason why he wanted to play for Clemson is because of the Wide Receiver tradition. He says that his favorite wide receiver and the guy who he believes he is the most similar to is Mike Williams. He said Williams is big strong and quick for his size. Ross has put on about 15 pounds since arriving on campus and he has already made some great one-handed catches in HS, and during the spring at Clemson. Justyn says he doesn’t practice the one-handed catch and that he honestly surprises himself sometimes.

His catch during Clemson’s camp got the attention of former WR Deandre Hopkins:

Everybody, this is Justyn.

Justyn, this is everybody.

Welcome to #Clemson. #ALLIN #WRU pic.twitter.com/xtpE42f3p1

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) August 12, 2018

One of Justyn Ross’s catches in HS was an SC top 10 play:

What. A. Catch. #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/kXz2AbMr9i

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 18, 2017

Justyn Ross and Military Mom
Justyn’s mom Charay Franklin enlisted I the Navy in 2000. She has been on 4 tours of duty. One to Kuwait and 3 to Iraq for Operation Enduring Freedom. Justyn says that when his mother was on tour his grandmother Annetta Franklin would keep him. Charay is currently a Sergeant in the Army, serving as a reservist in the Alabama National Guard. Mom says that during the recruiting process she did not know how good her son was. She knew that a lot of programs were interested in him but that it did not all click until he signed his letter of intent.  

Kelly Bryant on Sharing QB Snaps
Kelly said that coach sat them down and said that he would be the starter in game one and that Trevor would also play. Bryant said that he already knew that he would be sharing snaps with Lawrence because he knew that the true freshman had an amazing camp and you “can’t take anything away from him he has learned the whole offense”. Kelly says that he had the right mindset going into the first game. “When I am out there I am doing my job, when I am not I am being Trevor’s biggest supporter and talking about what we have seen, I will always be engaged.” I love the maturity he shows when answering questions about how his career has progressed at Clemson and what he would tell a younger player who may go through the same thing: 

I want every young player to hear what @ClemsonFB @KellyB125 has to say about playing behind @deshaunwatson and now sharing snaps with Trevor Lawrence. “I’ve always felt like I’m more than enough” pic.twitter.com/OXJQi3L5bQ

— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor7) September 6, 2018

Substitute Teacher Christian Wilkins
During the Spring Christian Wilkins decided to become a substitute teacher. He has already graduated and all of his master’s classes are online so he had some extra time on his hand. One of his brothers is a full-time teacher and another brother is a sub and Christian thought it would be a great way to make extra money. He went through the interview process and actually subbed about 10-15 times. He has done elementary school and high school, but has filled in for Kindergarten and pre-k classes more than anything. Christian said he felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten cop because they would swarm him and want to play. Principal Ashley Robertson of James M. Brown Elementary said that the number one thing that stood out to her about wilkins was that he was very professional. She said when she walked him down to the room he was a little nervous before entering. She said it was adorable to see him sitting in tiny kindergarten chairs, or laying on the floor playing bingo games with the kinds. She said the one picture she wishes she could have taken was Christian walking with one student who was sick holding their hand and leading them down the hall. James M. Brown is a title 1 school with a high poverty level, 88% of the students are on free or reduced lunch, Robertson said having the kids around Wilkins was an invaluable experience for the students. Picture of Christian at James M. Brown Elementary.

CFB: Week 1

Virginia Tech

Caleb Farley’s First Game
Caleb said he knew that he would not play quarterback at the collegiate level even though he played the position in high school. Caleb enrolled in January before his true freshman year and practiced at both DB and receiver throughout the spring. But then he tore his ACL just 2 days into camp last season. Caleb said it was his first major injury but what he learned throughout the process was that he was not in control. He returned to summer workouts about 7 months ago. Caleb said in high school he was a big FSU fan because they were winning everything. So he can’t believe that he will begin his collegiate career playing against the Noles. Caleb says he dreams about the big stage and he is ready for this moment. 

Caleb Farley Losing His Mother
Caleb Farly lost his mother to cancer in January. Robin Farley was diagnosed with breast cancer when Caleb was in 8th grade. She beat the disease into remission by his sophomore year. But the following year the family found out that Robin’s cancer metastasized to her bones. Justin Fuente has praised Caleb’s outlook on life and ability to process the loss of his mother. And Caleb also gives a lot of credit to his Virginia Tech family for making sure that he stayed motivated and never got down. Caleb says he wants to take a kickoff return for a touchdown and then point to the stars for his mom. 

(Instagram: @cr_farley)

QB Josh Jackson Falling In Love With the Process
After Virginia Tech’s spring game Justin Fuente said this about his starting QB “I think there’s another level of detail that he can reach in his preparation” Coach wants his quarterback to “fall in love with the process” of being the Hokies starter. Fuente says that there was another level of understanding that Jackson can get to. Protection checks, route adjustments, and understanding the other side of the ball. During the summer Josh said he made it a point to spend a lot more time at the football building. He used to like doing his film work in a recliner at home. He says being at the facility allows him to be extremely focused for hours on end and he has more access to coaches so he can ask questions or pull wide receivers in to watch film with him. He also said everyday after class during the spring and summer he would go straight to the facility watch at least an hour of film and then workout. 

QB Josh Jackson & Father Fred Jackson Close Relationship
Fred Jackson coached football for over 40 years which included 23 seasons at the University of Michigan. He coached under Garry Moeller, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rod, and Brady Hoke. When Josh was younger he would spend all of his free time with his dad at Michigan’s football facility. Fred Jackson told me that when Josh was in the 3rdgrade (about 8 years old) he started to really show interest in being around him at work. Josh would sit in his dad’s film sessions with running backs and take notes like the players, and draw up plays, and ask for feedback from his dad. Fred says he has seen a lot of growth from his son off the field going into his 2ndseason. Dad says his son is studying a lot more film and digging deep into it. Dad has sent Josh an inspirational text every day except gameday since he was in high school. Fred says his final message to his son Sunday night was to be a leader because he is a captain now. And to “follow the rules of the play” let the game come to him.

This is also the first year Fred is not coaching football in over 4 decades. Last year, he would coach his high school team’s Friday night game. Sleep from 12-2am and then drive with his wife Teresa Jackson to Josh’s games. Josh joked saying it was time for his dad to retire because he is getting old. Josh wears the number 17 because that is what his dad wore as a QB at Jackson State.

Florida State

RB Deshawn McClease Body Change
Since arriving on campus Deshawn has been working to put weight on his 5’8 frame. He has put on about 15 pounds this offseason. McClease said he has a fast metabolism so he had to increase his calorie intake a lot. During his lifts the strength staff would feed him peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and protein shakes throughout the workout. He says he doesn’t feel heavy at all with the additional weight and knows he can still be quick on his feet. Here is a picture of his body changes from the VT strength and conditioning staff:

Deondre Francois Return
Deondre Francois said that “he might cry” when he runs onto the field to take the first snap. He said just being on the field is a blessing because there was a time when he couldn’t even walk to the bathroom. After Deondre was injured he said he kind of isolated himself he did not know how to handle the injury because it was his first time ever suffering a major one. He said he would look at his teammates scars who tore their MCL or ACL and then he would look at his and see how much bigger his scar was and know that he was going to have a very difficult rehab and recovery process. But when he realized that he was a still a leader on this team he fully engaged even moving back on campus to be closer to his teammates. 

VIDEO // FSU's Deondre Francois: Injury helped 'turn me into a man'. Maria Taylor speaks with Florida State QB Deondre Francois about his journey back from injury and his character development in the past year.and his character development in the past year.

Taggart Goal Implement Togetherness
Willie Taggart arrived on campus before the bowl game. In all of the other jobs mhe has taken the team was not playing in a bowl game. Coach says this allowed him “to see the guys practice, in meetings, how they take coaching and what they needed coming in”. Taggart says that when he got on campus there was a sense that the team was not close “a lot of guys didn’t like each other and it’s hard to win ball games if you don’t like each other”. He said that when he got to campus he made the guys eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. When players get into a fight during practice, they have to hold hands and walk around the field together. Taggart even made ensured that there was a closeness and chemistry on his staff by making sure that no  coach went on the road to recruit by himself. Assistants were always recruiting with one another and it allowed the staff to bond and by the time they got back with the current players they saw a staff that enjoyed working together.  

Taggart Brining Back FSU Legacy
“I think we lost the legacy somehow and we lost pride in Florida State University.” Taggart grew up an FSU fan and has always been amazed by its rich football history. Taggart wanted his players to understand the guys that came before them, the guys that made this program what it is. Coach said one of his players came up to him after the team watch the Bowden Dynasty Documentary and said “I didn’t know any of that, I was born in ‘97”. Coach said when he first got to FSU he brought in Deion Sanders and they walked through the halls together and he thought players would see Deion and be like “wow that’s primetime” but instead they were like “what’s up Coach T”. That situation made him realize that you can’t take for granted or believe that these players just know their legacy. 

CFB: Week 1

Alabama

LB MACK WILSON GROWING ROLE/RELATIONSHIP WITH SABAN
Saban has said “We need Mack to really be the guy on defense this year for us when it comes to leadership and how he affects other people.” Wilson told me that the role of vocal leader is uncomfortable for him and that even his parents and Godfather have always said he’s not a vocal guy because he likes to lead by example. But something that has helped Wilson’s growth is his relationship with Nick Saban. Mack said that Saban often calls him in for one on one meetings out of the blue. Mack says their last meeting was right before fall camp ended. Saban’s message was simple: “it’s time for the defense to click”. Mack said he and Coach have a very honest and open relationship. He told coach that he was frustrated during camp with trying to get everyone on the same page, with the lack of experience, and Mack says getting ready for the season has been very challenging for the defense. But Wilson says his talks with Coach have really helped him talk through his concerns and become a better leader. 

MACK WILSON LEARNING FROM RAY LEWIS AND ED REED
During the summer Wilson was invited to be a camp counselor at the Ray Lewis Academy at IMG. Mack says that he learned so much from the experience. Wilson says he watched film with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Wilson specifically remembers watching film of the Ravens playing the Panthers. He said you could see how Ed talked to the secondary and Ray communicated with the front line. He said it was fascinating to watch them run the whole defense on film and talk through what they were seeing while sitting right next to them in the room. Ed and Ray told Wilson that they used to watch film every night together when they first teamed up. Wilson says now he makes sure that all the linebackers watch film together at least 3x a week. And Ed Reed told me that Mack Wilson is clearly a young man that wants to learn and is very coachable. “He listens and applies that’s why he shows up on film”.

TREVON DIGGS FINDING A ROLE
He has played offense, defense and special teams. Last season he only had 6 total tackles and 3 pass break ups in 13 games. But coming into Game 1. Saban has said that Diggs has been one of his most consistent defenders. Trevon told me that he has spent a lot of time watching film of older guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cyrus Jones. He is taking fundamental cues from the former players as small as their stance. He also stays in constant touch with his brother Stefon. The older Diggs’ message is simple “stay focused on what you can control and watch a lot of film”.

LOUISVILLE

PUMA PASS UNIQUE THROWING MOTION
Pass has been working with a QB coach named Quincy Avery since he was a junior in high school. Over the summer he went and worked with Avery in LA. He was joined by QBs from across the country including Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, and Oklahoma State’s Drew Brown. Avery said whenever Puma goes to get vertical or throw hard you will see the incredible flexibility in his arm. It almost looks like he is going to pull his arm out of the socket. He says it is an asset for generating force, the ball jumps out of his handbut it also means sometimes he can try to generate all of his force through his arm instead of doing it from the ground up. 

PUMA PASS IMPROVEMENT
Puma told me that his biggest focus during the offseason was consistency with his footwork. He says he’s completely comfortable in Bobby Petrino’s system. But he wants to be more consistent with the rhythm and cadence of his drops and throws. He also focused on never letting his feet get to wide or narrow. QB Coach Quincy Avery said he showed Pass film of Deshaun Watson because he wanted him to watch how he syncs his feet with the routes.

JAYLEN SMITH EMERGENCY APPENDECTOMY
Jaylen had a health scare to start fall camp. It all started on August 1st which is his Birthday. He went out to dinner at a steakhouse and he recalls trying to eat a $70 steak and celebrate but he just felt stomach pain that he had never felt before. He went to the training room the next day and after further evaluation he found out he needed emergency surgery on the same day that camp officially started to take his appendix out. Smith said that he could not lift or do anything for a week. Then he slowly worked his way back on to the treadmill and then on the elliptical. Two weeks after surgery he was back on the field running routes. Smith lost about 10lbs in 2-3 days because he just couldn’t eat. Jaylen says he feels good now but that he has not been tackled yet, just grabbed around the waist near his stiches.