Earn It: Episodes 1-6 | Wake Forest Football All-Access Series

this whole offseason has just been like if you working and you bring somebody with you the whole team arrives you know our mentality now just go harder like we getting better each day just going to keep working and show that we going to be ready when that time come on the fall we got to earn each and everything and I think that's something the people are sticking to 3 1 2 3 [Music] day one day one let's go Spring ball b [Music] hey D Jack D Jacks everybody ready everybody ready a c o n s hey let's fly around have a lot of fun be physical let's get each other better on three one 2 three let's get it get have a day boy go bro a slippery here my name is Kevin pointer red shirt senior defensive line and I'm from Jonesboro Arkansas Kevin poter how about it Kevin poter with a big sack second of the night I started playing football probably in about in about sixth grade probably when I was about 12 years old that's when I first fell in love with football I just I just fell in love with it so I lettered in the track and basketball and I actually I Lov basketball growing up playing that I was a little skinnier and with track I did shot putut in discus and uh I won my state state championship so I ended that with a ring and and so that's why I love football though cuz football just always I just knew it's always been my passion it was my red shirt freshman year that's uh I went to Louisiana monoe coach g hit me up wake was just the best with Coach G way he was talking and I was like yeah that's the one so that's why I committed here and it's working out fine yeah you can throw a hand too at the end for me huh you can throw a hand like when I do this I'm try to I just love leading by example uh I know younger guys uh look up to me and now you got come off the come off don't even yeah don't even touch him so when you you go huh yeah yeah yeah there you go how many is that that's three one one more my work ethic and uh the way I go about different things when we in the weight room or on the field run to the ball you got to run M hey you just got run to the ball you good come on you hear me come on run to the ball come on and I just want to lead by example and show them that they can do it too ah just stay low you got to stay low when you come out oh yeah oh yeah J Will good St Dam you got to bring your hands yeah I think I'm think I'm more hard on myself just cuz like my first two years here like coach was real hard on me a linebacker just come come quick I'm just stop oh my feet stopped yeah I make sure I critique myself every time have fun when I make plays but I I make sure that that the negative plays are more way more important than positive plays so I kind of lit up cuz I seen them right there I should just bullying hey what happened on there that last play yeah hey what DOA he came down on me didn't he boy we almost dumped that boy oh my goodness my name is Devonte Gordon I play offensive line I'm red shirt Senor from Washington [Music] DC here we go let's get it here we go baby let's have a day let's get it baby yeah I was a basketball player for most of my life that was my main sport I've been this big since eighth grade um put on low weight but I was this tall since eth grade so I started playing football um I was still kind of trying to do that basketball thing at that time but then when I got my first offer in football it was like all right I guess this is for real and I didn't fall in love with it until for a while after that but I love it now like this go go go I wasn't supposed to be trying to block the P it was designed for another guy but I was I was there so I was like let me try and block the punt so I jumped and I kind of Dove and so when I landed it just snapped right under me when I broke my ankle I was already committed when that happened like the first thing I was thinking was man I might be in trouble you know High School coach called coach uh tobac and told him everything that was going on he was super supportive so that's how I ended up gray shirting and I didn't come until uh spring of 2019 I put my whole soul into him once I seen you had him stoned that time that I was recovering from that ankle injury and uh you know as a freshman I didn't really know what was going on like I told you I wasn't like super in love with football at the time so that was a like really hard time for me I kind of I kind of just like stuck around the guys that came in with me Donovan and c and you know sticking around those guys and seeing how they worked every day and uh that that's really what kind of boosted me to become the player I am now I'm just seeing how those guys put their head down and got the work so [Applause] [Music] [Music] let's go JC we got to set the tone you should when we did it you should like came back out with it he would he would have froze you went like this straight in like this and then you came out yeah the team mentality is as always to get better just keep getting better uh coach said the word Kaiser that means always like critique yourself and uh always work on your failures and always work on getting better no matter how good you are so that's that's the mentality good j keep going you had him cut off why you stop hey you had him beat don't wait on him keep running he going he got to catch up to you or he lose you know this is I can say like one of the hardest off season we had and I think that's been a big emphasis on on every part of the team is like if you working and you bring somebody with you the whole team arise you know our model this year is earn it um we've got to earn each and everything and I think that's something that people are sticking to like there's nothing given around here this year everybody's like working so we got to keep them same intensity every practice yeah we had a day today we've got to put the selfishness away we've got to come together as a team and and if everybody is willing to say okay what's my role on this team and fit into that role then we can get the job done okay hey first off right we're practicing with really good tempo as spring practice goes on we can't lose that he wake and Shake is at 1:30 I want to recognize the whole football team this one event raises more money for the piccolo Cancer Foundation than anything else the whole year all right man enjoy your weekend good work this is my 11th year speaking at wake and shake and it is such an honor to be here here Brian Piccolo was a great player at Wake Forest in the' 60s who died of testicular cancer you come here and have a good time you're saving lives our entire football team is here over a hundred guys they tell me they are the best dancers on the entire campus [Music] we're trying to prove ourselves to our teammates not to the world not to the press not the media I feel like if we continue to know trust in each other we can uh go a long way 3 1 [Music] 2 you can tell by the way we practicing we want to win we're trying to prove ourselves to our teammates not to the world not to the Press not to the media I feel like if we continue to know trust in each other we can uh go along with on three 1 2 3 Let's Go week two let's get it let's get it care e a c o f e hey everybody we 2 9 3 1 2 3 come on G let's get it right herez this your music this is not my music I'm pretty with a little bit outside yeah yeah I'm with it I agree with you my name dear Clayborne running back junior major in Communications from Al Virginia Corner theone touchdown for daging the pther into the goes goal line to goal line touch down I grew up in Virginia uh humbling Beginnings uh single mom four brothers that ultimately motived me to who I am today first one in my family to do it so uh definitely an honor I wear on my back as I got to high school I tried wrestling I played basketball a little bit ran track for a year won States and decided that wasn't for me so I just really keyed into football and locked into it de Clayborn made his presence felt early 77 yd touchdown run here on their second possession junior year for me was definitely the spark moment um that I knew this sport was something I want to play for a long time I started getting a lot of offers so that's when I just knew like okay I meant to play this sport I meant to be here it's a blessing and I'm happy to be in this position and I'm ready to get to work at we CU I thank everybody for coming way for us was uh a felt like tone when I came uh you know coach Clawson and Coach Hunter always they took me underneath their wing and uh just told me that I could be something special here you went where you had to go initially and then you try to get back around that just too much you know what I mean yeah coach Hunter took me underneath his wing and he's always told me if I trust him it can take me a long way along the process I can see the change and the growth that I've made on and off the field as an individual I can score on that a backer yeah just him being a role model to me um and like a father figure to me is definitely a reason while I'm still here I wait for usuh look at me de see I fumbled he punched it out late uh you know football is definitely a high an intense game and so sometimes when the field or even at practice I can lose sight of like my goals and my Visions like you know just controlling emotions all right bet I got him for that come on man yeah I hate to lose I I want to win and I'll do whatever it takes to win I ain't going to feel threatened by somebody who going to help us win you got people you can't let down that's in the back of my mind when I'm playing football uh not letting my family down not letting my coach or my teammates down that's something I use as a edge to uh go out and be a dominant player I put it on that time hey I'm coming for y'all spot you know he almost CH me there hey when you turn on field you going see me I take Jump Right In The End Zone bro you know I joke a lot with my guys and they know that about me I'm let you blow again am I head in your hand no just I'm trying not to my name's Don Hazen I'm a linebacker red shirt Jr and I'm from the Woodlands [Music] [Applause] [Music] Texas let's go let's go let's go come on come on come on football basically came into my life at a very young age my older brother he's four years older than me he started playing little league uh and my dad started coaching uh him at age of five I asked my dad like hey can I can I play it's been it's been it's been a journey that's for sure it's been a journey very fortunate for my parents I mean my dad he he was coaching me and my brother he was a head coach of two teams in one year I was just I was having fun with it Junior highs a freshman year of high school is when I was like okay like is this actually going to be what kind of takes me to the next level or is this just another like hobby at first I was like okay like w Force like I started like comparing it to other schools and Wake Forest had aspects or characteristics that other schools didn't have you know location was I mean I could do my first time that my grandparents actually get to come see me and click and on top of that too I can rely on that uh that degree and then lastly it's probably just the coaches I say that I mean you're finishing your elbows High your hips will naturally follow I mean it came down to the the the the decision to basically just take a leap of faith and so far it's been it's been an amazing journey I do nitpick every single thing I do if I make a mistake like that will kind of linger a little bit like I am my my own like self like harshest critic and then that tight end just basically split yeah shot up the field I was like oh crap the specific thing that I need to work on like I'll set a time to make sure I just get a little more extra rep so that way next time I'm in that situation I understand okay this is what I got to do I've been here before and now I just got I just got to perform I just got to do you know I just got to execute go [Applause] I was trying to get a hold of you and I turn you but you got me before rooms for improvement just uh you know communication when yall come y y'all jump in the stiff arm stay on your feet you going to get knocked off balance that's always a big thing and whatever you doing is just being open um to communication and talking as in like what you mean you're right on top of the ball like this you get your body to the side uh with that I feel like if we continue to uh you know trust in each other we can uh go a long way he said next time to say bump bump bump cuz I didn't even realize I didn't even realize that was a tight end we're trying to prove ourselves to our teammates not to the Press not to the media trying to prove to them that yeah you can count on me like I am that person that you put me in like I'm going to make that play I'm going be there I'mma execute and just understanding that okay you need me I'm there [Music] I like it I like it [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] we got a say our say this year is earn it 3 1 2 3 this this year mentality with the team has definitely been intense you can tell by the way we practicing and um how fast we're practicing and the intensity we're practicing with is the mentality of the team we want to win we all know that and we will be willing to do whatever it takes to get that let's go come on come on being there for your teammate and just understanding that you're playing for your brother you're not playing for yourself just accountability consistency just understanding those values I think going forward into this season is what we need to be able to be successful okay man we've got six good practices we're practicing fast we're getting a ton of reps in and the only way we can keep doing this is if you do what if you stay healthy we got good live work okay it was physical we got good work at it all right man have a great weekend de on three 1 2 three just because you put X number of hours in that that doesn't mean that you're going to come out on top you know you're always making sure that when you leave you can say that I got better today never taking a step back always two steps forward I think we're all really really hungry and know that nothing's going to be given to us 1 [Music] 2 just because you put X number of hours in that that doesn't mean that you're going to come out on top you know you're always making sure that when you leave you can say that I got better today never taking a step back always two steps forward I think we're all really really hungry and know that nothing's going to going to be giv to us on 3 1 2 3 [Music] [Music] [Applause] begin o fast and fysical all day long compete and win the day baby ear it on me around three 1 2 [Applause] good work my name is Taylor Moren I play a wide receiver I am a red shirt senior I am majoring in a Masters in Business Administration my undergrad is in engineering and I am from Center Ro Virginia TouchDown for Taylor Mo touchdown Taylor mo tayor mo white runs away from his wide open if no one's buzzing I'm just going to come down the snow you feel me my dad is from right outside of uh Philadelphia so grew up a really big Eagles fan some of my first memories were watching the Eagles games and so that's really how I fell in love with it was just me and my dad every Sunday watching the Eagles games and started playing football around the age of eight and I mean fell in love with the game and just haven't looked back since familywise I'd say they're a they mean the world to me when I GRE up growing up I played basketball and baseball in addition to football my uncle actually went to wake and he was on the baseball team spring summer and fall I was playing travel baseball and then in the fall obviously football and I actually attribute to a lot of my ability to track the ball when catching punts um to baseball and catch and fly balls my eighth grade year I made the decision I was like hey mom and dad like this is what I want to do I I don't know if I can play in college but I'm going to give everything I have and you know I'm going to go after this s so [Applause] [Music] oh my uncle like kind of had instilled it in me like hey like wake like kind of put it in the back of my mind they offered me a gray shirt but like wake was really the one that I wanted so I'm like this is a great opportunity like hey let's do it so I spent the entire spring of my senior year just waiting for a call um and then luckily spot opened up and I was like Hey like I'm just thankful to be here and now I'm going to do everything I can to you know get my butt on the field so you can be patient at the top of that it can be honestly five steps to the corner before you said it hey competing in everything we do half line ball security don't matter let's do it slide to me SL to 3 1 2 3 slide I think me playing multiple Sports growing up I was able to get exposure to um a lot of different types of people so I see myself as someone that gets along with pretty much everyone on the team cat with eight legs octopus actually hey I just guess if you have two pink eyes is it called double pink eye or pink eyes I got three votes V for pink [Applause] eyes F you're coming downhill and I scaring your okay like coach Clawson preaches like hey like these are going to be the best men in your wedding like best friends for life and like I I mean coming in I was like all [Music] like good throw and it's funny because we're just the closest of friends and with that I'm able to lead in a unique way being able to build those relationships helps build that Foundation how there's no separation like that's why you got to you got to push up after you make that initial stick obviously leadership's not a one- siiz fits all so depends on the situation depends on the person but you know I'm very thankful for this Brotherhood that you know I've gotten being a part of this program coach Lambo what you got that hat on for it's not even sunny out watch out watch out watch out watch out oh wait DAV said the clock they just add more time did I just did I lose it no you're not out now watch out watch out oh man good ball my name is Will Cobb I'm the Long Snapper I'm a red sh jior here at Wake Forest I'm studying political science and I'm from Matthews North Carolina where is that one let's go my uh my entire family has basically been Sports oriented my whole life my brother plays lacrosse I've played football my whole life I haven't really ever been a multisport athlete I played a position on offense in high school and then I found the opportunity to start long snapping and that's you know sophomore year and high school is kind of really where I took off I started taking it seriously and uh kind of thank God I did cuz that's how I ended up here so when I was a younger kid I basically tried every sport and football is you know kind of the you know beginning love when I got to High School uh my plan was to play football my freshman year and then transition into wrestling since they overlap in Seasons I ended up getting called up to Varsity the end of my freshman year to be a backup Snapper and then I got my first start in the state championship in sophomore year I took snapping more seriously went to started going to camps and then um it kind of took off from there Wake Forest for me coming here was a pretty easy Choice um I knew that it was a great Academic School which was something of a really high priority for me you know I get high academics here and I get to play football so it's Best of Both [Music] Worlds I felt my hands cross over on that one location and everything was good though okay good I think I'm very intentional when it comes to practicing I take all my drill work super seriously because long spping is such a detail oriented job good I was like I'm trying to cuz the other day that they were just like all right here I just need them right there you never you're never going to get your name called on TV and you don't want your name called um because if you do then it means you're doing something bad so the goal is always to keep your name off the TV oh there we go after the first couple weeks uh I'm actually just really excited to be back and full gear and going um you know we've worked really hard this off season so it's kind of exciting to like see everybody go full speed again um and see some of the younger guys make the jumps that you know it's kind of their time to make their impact Tyler throwing you some good looks right now bro yeah what well you ain't got good job KRA and then also you know retaining that veteran leadership um so I think both of those things are like things to be super excited about because when you put those two together there's no telling what we can do all right let's put in the work today let's go earn it on three earn it on three one 2 three [Music] [Music] [Music] hey week two was great we're off to a great start in Spring bow but as these weeks come together we can't let the grind get to us man so keep pushing day by day stack each and every day and let's get after earn it on me earn on 3 1 2 3 in the off season of 2021 we just showed up each and every day and we had fun with it um I think that's got to be the same kind of approach like there's we don't need to listen to what the media is saying like that that stuff doesn't matter it didn't matter in 21 like when we were a great football team we cared about What mattered most and that's showing up each and every day and and putting the work in and you know the results will will speak for themselves last four baby last four finish strong yeah t I feel like the team's mentality is just be super intentional about what you do um every time you take the field you try to pick on something that you want to work on and get better at you know you're always making sure that when you leave you can say that I got better today never taking a step back always two steps forward um I think that's been the mentality since day one a spring ball and I think it's continued on since then [Music] let's get out here let's fly around man we said that's ear so that's ear on three 1 2 3 Let's Go here we go man G's on fre one be intentional with every rep and you can't let these 15 practices go by you don't want to be too high or too low you want to come and be consistent every single day to have that success you have to focus that every single day not just on game day 1 [Music] 2 be intentional with every rep and you can't let these 15 practices go by you don't want to be too high or too low you want to come and be consistent every single day for us to have that success you have to focus that every single day not just on game day all three 1 2 3 seeing [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thunder hey man another day to get better man maximize opportunity hey 2 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] everybody e a c o he let's go fly around have fun be attentional everything you do hey me three 1 2 3 Let's Go Daddy let's go baby a have a day oh come on [Applause] Rags off to see the wizard car my name name is Hank bachar I'm a quarterback I'm a senior mastering in financial technology and analytics and I'm from maretta [Music] California BM third and long facing pressure throws it down field andau inside the 40 yine by throwing toward the end zone it is complete for a touchdown great ball dude that was incredible let's go keep doing it you cut that one one handed you trying to one hand the rest of them grew up in Southern California and um I'm the oldest of five I've got a sister named Ella and uh Three Brothers tiger barar and buck um they're my best friends and just growing up in that household it was always chaotic you know my dad always pushed Sports on us and so just growing up football was always my true love and being able to do that that the Collegiate level has been a a great dream come true so Hank BM the four-year starting quarterback here at Murietta Valley on his senior night and here you are as the CIF Southern section record holder for most touchdown passes completed you're now at 154 like I said big Sports family my brother tiger he plays wide receiver at Stanford and then my brother uh bear is committed to play quarterback at Stanford my dad always pushed it on us so growing up I literally played soccer hockey basketball baseball football played uh High School baseball for a year and then just decided to focus on on football just been a journeyman um cuz I was at Boise State then Louisiana Tech and now I'm here so yeah college football you there's some ups and downs and and it'll take you um on a path that you know you you didn't really expect so had a lot of fun doing itot learned a lot of life lessons so to be able to have this be my last year and play at such a great um place has been been a great opportunity [Applause] so that one was easy my first read was like open every time talk to me about this so it's right to left they're like snow plowing yep right is it outside in or inside out or you're kind of both like I said I I've dealt with the adversity I've had highs lows God hey let's get set come on I think the ability to be able to come in and and and bring that experience to this place um I'm really excited about being able to do that bring some toughness and some leadership but is it on me is it on me talk to me to me I get I understand what you like Red Zone Especial and sometimes everybody's well like I'm saying even earlier you took it away you think I don't know I think I maybe could have hand it off but I think you had the fade fade line but he got outside no you you beat him it would have been good back shoulder I think so I was getting ready to throw it and the guys here have been phenomenal and just um just however I can contribute in any way to this culture it's a great culture there's been so much success here and be able to be a part of it and help in any way it's been awesome so any way that I can do that I'm excited to be able to do that good job T there you go back squeeze it out yes sir you know personally trying to learn this offense and it's it's it's a it's a unique offense that we run here and being able to just get live reps uh and and translate and apply what you learn in in the film room and on the Whiteboard being able to actually do that live it's so funny cuz I was watching that yesterday on the tape and then he like he's pointing right at he does like the like throw and again you're looking for it's a great culture very disciplined coach glawson you know talks about the attention to the detail and you see it whenever we go out there in practice and when we don't do it you know we're you held accountable and not just by the coaches but by the players and I love that about our culture I'll be faster hey I'll be faster we're subing in like you know what I mean oh you guys I think just for us to continue to keep getting better with the few practices we have left be careful now just be conscious of that field safety getting yes sir blow on that slant you know what I mean like Nick Anderson he would have blown him up yeah you know what I mean Hey listen hey that offense they coming after that let's go black what to do my name is Nick Anderson defense back a junior communication major uh from Clifton [Music] [Applause] Virginia yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah let's go [Music] hey oh I'm a middle child I have two sisters and uh growing up my first love was soccer uh big soccer player all the way up through my sophomore year of high school um I really didn't pick up football until 8th grade uh but really didn't focus on it until that sophomore year um you know Under The Lights it was just a different level of passion with football and I fell in love with [Music] it I think football just it breeds a different level of passion within you you know um it's different than any sport it's the ultimate team game the ultimate team sport um and I think that level of passion that type of psyche that you have to go to to play it when you're on that field and you have that helmet on it's uh sometimes Indescribable to people so that's what drw me to it it's not every day a player has three picks in a game let alone a walk- on true freshman they were chanting scly scly so I I think we'll we'll definitely be taking care of that next semester weake got a steel really good soccer player tremendous basketball player you know he's a really good athlete he's a legitimate scholarship football player obviously was was not heavily recruited um and I I got a message to come down here to visit wake um on a Friday when he played UNCC um and I fell in love with it automatically I wanted to play football at the highest level possible wake vers North Carolina was packed was a Friday night um like you could just feel it in the air and and and just something something spoke to me it just felt this is the place I need to be at I know I would just come here and whatever opportunity I was given I would make the most of it hey woo what up I'm getting that cupcake H that cupcake growing up and playing soccer especially as a midfielder you always had to be you know a leader and I've always been one that's um I'm I'm pretty vocal oh yeah yes sir Trey yes sir Trey yes sir yes sir I think that also helps me um get people on the same page you gave them Square yeah have it here cuz here go like that my hands are here you can slip right by and rip see even if he gets his hands on you it's slip it's slippery Stay Stay you're right you're right you're all right you're all right it's all right go hey 12 seconds 12 seconds here third down every single day you're growing and learning you know you're learning from all different types of leaders whether that is some of the coaches other players you know behind that's the tough one but the longer it goes you get think is when he's sitting right in between at the sticks and and then it's between you and the backers now if it's if it's short or medium you be aggressive sure oh you just mentioned the Kosh oh they I mean they're my second family um I would you know every time you go out there um you want to almost die for the these guys and that's the type of passion that they brain but also the type of um you know connection they bring with our players go get him go get him may go get him May hey that's a problem oh big fella you ready yeah yeah you know it's bigger than football and so every time I step on the field I know they have my back I have their back and I think it just it breeds the ultimate competition and passion within when you go out on that field you're ready to die for these guys he's so knowledgeable he's like Yoda huh coar is like Yoda oh one of my favorite things one of my old coaches used to tell me was you know be playing quarterback um you're not going to be perfect and so when I go out there and you have a bad day you know I think it's just a learning experience for the next time you go out there hey that's me that's me yeah yeah that's me that's me I got to get you better ball I think you have to earn it every single day be intentional with every rep and you can't let these 15 practices go by it it compounds starting now I got you I got you good job KP good job we have a say in the defense you know it's never as good as you think it's never as bad as you think so you don't want to be too high or too low you want to come and be consistent every single day I think bringing the toughness and discipline as I mentioned earlier um it will take us a long way within the season especially as we get into into later uh games hey you don't need to don't don't Flinch it's already close you know doing all these little things you have to earn it each and every single day you know continuously learning continuously trying to get better and improveed upon yourself and you got to earn it every single day yeah good Joby I got to give you a chance on that that's out of bounds you know I'm going to come in and contribute in any way that I can and continue to learn and uh be with the guys and and contribute to this culture and this University I want to be forever young forever okay do you [Music] really here we go again baby we about to St let's play Fast let's play physical let's get his work done 3 2 [Music] hey enjoy the weekend protect the team take care of your bodies we got one more week of spring football let's make in productive okay have a great night great weekend de's on three 1 two three and I'm excited to see where we can go this year we just got to trust the process knowing that your brother the next guy next year is putting the same am of work in like he's bought in just as much as you earn it means a lot when we say earn it we have to earn everything we do 1 [Music] 2 and I'm excited to see where we can go this year we just got to tr trust the process knowing that your brother the next guy next to you is putting the same am of work in like he's bought in just as much as you ear it means a lot when we say earn it we have to earn everything we do three 1 [Music] 2 hey don't waste one opportunity don't waste one opportunity let's go compete let's go hey D 3 1 2 [Music] [Music] [Music] 3 everybody ready d e a c o s d hey man it's another that' be great let's maximize this opportunity man hey 3 one 2 three here we [Laughter] go Lord have mercy trying to kill somebody hey everybody up man come on hey man there another opportunity to get better let's maximize it last week we got to earn it you feel me hey CH M 3123 my name is Jen Davis I'm a defens alignment here I'm a senior and a major in Communications while minor and Entrepreneurship I'm from cville Georgia [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] let go baby trying to earn this money come on come on One More Time come on originally I'm from Atlanta Georgia uh then I end up living with my a uncle around the age of like 2 3 years old is so crazy basically I grew up in Snellville Georgia um I met most of my friends friends in sville uh most of my friends that I I grew up with I also played football with growing up so uh they're still my close friends today I grew up with my aunt and uncle um I started playing a game of football at 6 also while playing baseball and I took it all up to high school those were like the two sports that I really honed in on uh growing up as a child and they going into high school um my first football offer in high school uh came when I was a freshman I just started taking football more seriously because I knew that I and go somewhere with this and um that was the best choice that I made and it got me to where I am today coming to college and stuff you know it's not a it's not a game anymore my livelihood so I always uh approach the game of football as it being a lifestyle and not just the game so uh this game does take a lot especially to perform at a high level so I try to do as much as I can to get my body in the best best position to be the best player that I can be let's go 30 come on make some money make some money let's go let's go oh come on come on now you messing up come on feel me let's go get set let's go let's go ready should be set ready hey on that uh flash back is away it's kind of hard to truly get on the tight end for real bro cuz they piggy block each other I tried to encourage the guys and stuff especially the young guys you know coming in especially as mid years you know it's a it's a it's a big transition change coming from high school last period to Day come on hey good hey hey good job hey you start that thing up you boy so just to let him know that you know it's okay to make mistakes because through those mistakes uh that's how you get better how you get more knowledgeable everybody's good everybody's fast and physical and strong so just having uh that atten to detail uh will take you places that you never imagine you could be yeah that's a sa good to go today boy yeah feel great mhm you know being that I have been here four or five years now um I've seen the transition from um you know leaders and the seniors going out to you know to the business world and stuff like that so now that it's my turn and I'm in this position it kind of feels surreal I they they got me brother you feel me got to earn it today you st up you trying to try to get me yeah I got a couple man trying to get better every day that's all I keep stacking them days together that's how you go from good to Great being a leader uh can be difficult but I'm willing to accept that challenge because at the end of the day um player Le teams are the ones that go uh that stride further than coach Le teams player Le teams are championship football team coach teams are not like I said I'm pretty excited for uh the spring game and going into the summer and just getting better and prepared for the season so's up coach down you ready you feel me another day another dollar trying to find a way to turn into two hey hey hey come on T oh yeah my name is Rio Fields I'm a wide receiver I'm a red show Jr majoring in Communications and I'm from Douglasville Georgia I was originally born in Savannah Georgia most of my family is is is from Savannah Georgia spent some time in in different parts of Marietta douille Georgia so I i' have been around Atlanta area both both made who I am today we got a very close-knit family so theyve been with me every step of the way and helped me get to where I'm at right [Music] [Applause] now football was my main love my mom she didn't really want me to play football so but we drove past like this this like youth football league and she didn't want me to see it but I saw him and I like can I at least go over and look at it she couldn't see me I already signed the papers to sign up for the league and they walking up to her saying he's he's practicing right now I played a little bit of basketball growing up but in high school I ran track I like track too track was pretty cool sport especially the events I did herles and High junp football was my main love start for freshman year I had I was with the same guys same group of guys so we we we built that bar and I think that's what helped us especially going our seni year like we all knew like it do or die we we W region Champion the first to ever do it for new Manchester so that was that was pretty cool have something to leave something Leon say I feel like that left a mark and our whole mindset helped us all be able to get recruited that being said next one year I'll be contending wait for wait for his university [Music] now we didn't really see that recruitment going up but we we changed it we gave it like we gave it some type of vision we got get that back I got to get that back we got a team that that's that's that's trying to set the tone and earn like really show that show each other that we could that we could play for each other so that's that's a mentality that we have to we have to still carry come on come on knowing that your brother the next guy next to you is putting putting the same am of work in like he's B in just as much as you we're all focus on the same goal just not personal goal but focusing as a more as a [Applause] unit yeah come on come on boys come on come on come on we can't we can't do that I want to improve I'm being more dominant on the field uh my attitude just just I got to step on on the field and really W it all from from start to finish we have a good group of guys with good energy and I love it I love that I match energy let get going let get going let get going the show is home everybody's everybody's enjoying what they're doing they're working on their craft and just trying to get better and cuz I feel like I feel like we all on the same mission put your hand on the ball put the ball on the ground scoop it SC chinning and when you score he give it to the ref and celebrate with your teammates that's how you do it here wait for I'm really close it with the dline those been my guys um so feeding off each other encouraging each other come on let get this thing boy come on let get this thing man Commando Nando let get this thing man hey you know what time it is third down man got get him out the field you miked up man so they caught you that far I start I did not pun having somebody to uplift you or just having friends to just you know that's in your corner and stuff to just try to shoot to be the best version of yourselves it has really been impactful so so instead instead of him instead of colliding like that yeah like trying to turn most we got to earn it I think that's what we that's what we emphasize we've been emphasizing especially since the first team meeting we're just earning everything like we earning each other trust we're not just in here to to mess around like I'm I'm on my ground to get better to get stronger I'm trying to earn everything that's given to me so I'm excited for the spring game excited for the fall season and I'm ready to I'm ready to earn it just like I said you was to inside right huh you inside Up and Under you can't you just got to go past him though when we say earn it we have to earn everything we do you know in the waight room we have to get stronger if you want to get stronger you have to earn it if you want to get playing time on the field you have to earn it if you want to win games you have to earn it and I feel like that the right turn is just building that consistency within the team because consistency like I said is the gateway to being a great team when you're consistent then earning things you know comes naturally like I said um if you want something you got to go get it so cuz I like the way you move I like the way you move I like the way I like [Music] [Music] [Applause] all right man go to class have a great [Music] day every day to challenge and I mean it's a test it's just up to you whether you're going to pass a test or not I felt like this place is you know meant for me the place I want to graduate from place I want to leave my name I just want to play a full season really feel like I owe that to myself to my teammates to this program 1 [Music] 2 ja take it Jack Everybody [Applause] [Music] Run already know [Music] it look [Music] yeah I remember I wore my braid for a long time huh I wor my braid for a long time going on say hello to you how you doing hey man I'm doing good you feeling good I'm I'm feeling better yes sir your character is amazing I'm really really yeah impressed thank you me a lot and hopefully this is going to be a a breakout year for you that's sir so the everything is work in order yeah yes sir yes sir all right yeah so I know you be ready to knock him dead I am I am yes sir proud of you appreciate you thank you man my name is Donovan Green I'm a a red shirt Junior major in Communications minor and Entrepreneurship and uh from Mount North Carolina [Applause] on what's up G good to see you bro good to see you how you feeling man good good great to see you everything going okay rehab going good going good appreciate you doing this it's going to be fun it's be fun couple questions we get you all right you glad to not be out there and taking this one easy or you kind of wish you get antsy get out there yeah 5050 if I can it's a weird mixture yeah if I can go out love to go yeah I got a a twin brother I got three brothers uh twin and two older ones and I mean growing up we competed at everything we uh we lived kind of you know country but we moved there we used to live deeper in the country um and we just be outside all the time bikes skateboards scooters we had this big hill that we just ride up and down hours but we'd always just compete at [Music] anything as a as a young you know I played Little League in Mount AR for the mount Bears two or three years and then obviously that led up into Middle School football 8ighth grade I kind of like had like a a a rocky relationship with it cuz that was when like I kind of started playing basketball running track a little bit so freshman year high school I kind of was told myself I was going to figure out what I really wanted to do but my freshman year basketball was something that stuck out to me I I felt like you know I had a better shot of you know going somewhere making it somewhere playing football looking back at it was kind of the best decision I made you know I I've had a a fun career and wake ended up being my first offer um coming out of my sophomore season and that was one of the first schools I got to visit you know it's close to home 30 minutes away so you know when I got here you know I kind of fell in love with it my parents fell in love but felt like home with that you know I decided to early enroll had to give up playing basketball twin brother but um I'm glad I made a decision you know I came in early got to learn the Playbook ended up working out cuz at the end of the 2019 season I got the opportunity to play a little bit green running away from the orange secondary and he is in the end zone for Wake Donovan Green goes 75 yd for the touchdown for the DS like I wouldn't have been in that position if I didn't leave um early but it's been a yeah it's been a good journey teams come after you or folks talking to you and what makes you want to stay here for another year I felt like this place is you know meant for me it's a place I want to graduate from it's a place I want to leave my name in my I didn't really you know feel like even embarking in a journey like that so and um you know I've been injured so I've really been focusing on getting healthy for this team you know 2021 first day of camp you know I had my injury uh and that put me out for the season and I uh obviously I mean it was my first real like major injury so I kind of took it you know roughly yeah I could have handled it a little better obviously 23 I was you know coming for another year first day yeah first day of camp again last year um another injury and I was out for last year's season um but this time I mean it's different doing everything [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] right my name is Smith shiper I'm the rehab coordinator and Associate athletic trainer for football here at wake I joined the Department last June I came from the University of Miami where I worked with our football team te for a year and my bachelor is in athletic training at Ohio State before that TR stick yeah you should not need a little jump it's there if you need it Donnie's recovery process has been long but I give him credit I mean he continues to show up every day and do everything I ask of him um you know he's been going at this since August and Donovan was poised to have a big year unfor fortunately he had an injury we probably not play this year let Donovan know you'd like to have him back next [Applause] year um thank y'all for coming out tonight um it's been amazing to to see The Continuous support from uh everyone over my time here um unfortunately I won't be out there tomorrow but I'll be back soon gos he's giv me his Christmas breaks his spring break I mean just put a lot of time in a session like today where he's in for 2 or 3 hours is pretty pretty typical um in season they work out early in the morning or we'll go through practice and then he'll come in for another hour and a half a rehab afterwards so it's pretty extensive process um but I've been really impressed with his effort levels throughout the entire thing not at all so I mean at this point in his rehab it's kind of about putting all the pieces together he's been in the weit room for a couple months now in the training room you know we're strengthening everything that we see but at this point it's just kind of rebuilding him as a football player and a lot of that comes naturally to him so now it's just giving him the opportunity to kind of learn how to move again on the field and he's done incredible so far it's definitely a culture I mean when you walk in a room we we we hold oursel to a high standard considering the people been here before us and um moving forward you know I'm going try to keep that and re relay that for the people behind me so they can keep moving that forward the first one it was uh obviously it was hard but it was it was good to learn I learned everything I needed I mean they say everything happens for a reason I got to pick out everything that I don't need to do and everything I need to do better for the second time and that's why during this whole process I've I mean I told myself when you're hurt you got to work a little harder than everybody else but once it's time to line up again you're going to be better than everybody else cuz you did the double work you got through it but it's easy to give up and I mean you just can't I mean you just can't can't do it hey hey we go LLC like my dude Mark got a pick though yes sir I've had to step out of that roll a little bit just cuz I've been hurt I've had to be a coach and learn how to help other teammates and honestly I just just not been selfish anything that I I know or that I've taught over my my years I'll tell somebody hey come on man get to the box if I see something I'll fix it I mean I'll let them know even if it's like even if it don't benefit me sometimes but that's just who I am that's what I see but I'm willing to to help it's so tough cuz your quad is something that takes so long to build and it comes back gradually you never notice it yeah instant seven days without walking your quads gone I feel like the team that makes it to the end is is the team that has every player on the field at the same time focused on the same thing everybody on the same page and if we could figure that out before August the end of August I feel like we'll be pretty good [Music] hey man hey eyes up hey overall I thought we had a real productive spring I think we're better now than we were a month ago enjoy your night but protect the team look out for each other enjoy yourselves and we'll have uh lifts and meetings next week hey good job man all right man hey enjoy your night we'll see you next week e on three 1 2 3 [Music]