[Music] now you flip sides to the defensive side of the football where I mean things have been going pretty great probably the engine of the team since Marcus Freeman has been at head coach but also Al Golden's been doing his damn thing each and every year continuing to get that defense better continuing to produce some of this talent that we're seeing with Benjamin Morrison Xavier w Award winners what is what's the outlook on our defense for going into the season I chance go ahead go ahead Reggie go ahead I was gonna say for me it starts that defensive defensive tackles you we we need a big one we need a big ugly Irish chocolate to it we need something we need something like that I think we still need it well I I again you know I think they got some they got you know some big up because again you look at look at offenses today it's more about you know you know speed and getting down the field but again 61 28 and I don't I don't put a lot of stock in these like numbers of like this kid is only you know 288 290 um you know especially I said the the The Graduate guys you know Butella you know he should be he should be taking over you know like sack production should be at an all time high RJ RJ OD I'm really looking forward to seeing him because again I saw how he got after Notre Dame you know on from you know a president he's a president again and I think that's where the difference is and for me you know that this this defensive line especially with the depth you know you can rotate guys in they're interchangeable and and they're and they're again a lot of graduates assist lot of lot of leadership lot of Veteran guys that hey will get after it makes some plays and you got some young guys that you can sprinkle in that you know the fact that a Bryce young doesn't have to come in and be all world right he can learn right he can develop yep you know the you know when you know Rubio gets back but you have some you know you know he's good siiz kid Jason we gotta find that dog in the group though you know you look at I got him got I got him I got him but he he's not a d lineman my man my man Kingston at linebacker is a I was just about to go them that's where that's again we just need the defensive line to occupy yes occupy yes hey just get that extension man we just need we just need to dine to occupy and not allow those guards and and tackles to get up on that next level yes sir talking about occupy what about sack production what saying sacks aren't important I'm I'm I'm always gonna start with the physicality of the game and R that's for me that's the Run game and I know Le you I said you you you your quarterback you're gonna I got with that but I'm just saying you know it makes a big difference when your linebackers can run free because that's where you gonna get you know you gonna get some sacks because this is a really good pass rush team PR pressure team but the linebackers are the key to that well I'll say this the dline is the key in terms of not allowing those guys to get up to that next level and they can if they can force a double team that's goingon create opportunities because I Kingston I'm looking forward to seeing that kid but I look at Jack Kaiser that kid I like how he rushes the passer he does a great job of finding those Lanes he knows how to get get in there get skinny and come off of The Defenders and and you know fill those gaps and get get in there his Rush game is nice yeah yeah his Rush game is right but that linebacker group's core is the young linebackers the the speed yeah because okay but Jack Jack Jack Kaiser is the key from the standpoint of he gets those guys lined up for sure so they can go out and just run run around and athletic you know like the sneeze this I mean this linebacker crew they're what Drake Drake bton I mean they got if you add all their ages up they're still younger than yeah that speed is gonna be clutch hey look here I'm going I'm going on record right now my man Kingston will not play four years another day oh okay you go oh he's he's three look I'm telling you right now I I I I I got some Intel on him I've heard a coach on this staff say he is the best linebacker he's ever seen oh my goodness hold on okay that's High Praise coming from a I'm just is he's high on this kid too but they talking about we don't we don't our linebackers we don't have like you know the starting guy they have pods right they like they send them at you in waves and they just keep coming and they said this Kingston I've heard some stuff about this kid too I'm like dang okay I mean like you hear about you keep like you know and again I don't I'm sorry I don't trust fresh they say he's flying around yeah he he making but I don't I I have a real I I I struggle with the Freshman piece because I just don't trust freshman yeah if you don't stop we all played this freshman it's not personal it's not personal it's a freshman days these days I'm just look freshman usually in today's game freshman aren't like we were they're not 17 18 years old 20 double hold backs coming out early rol like we're not talking about a guy that just getting used to the weight room these dudes coming in grown ass men like these guys child support man like these dudes is ready to go like saying like they're not showing up Notre Dame they like wait where where the ball carry at yeah you know like they they're ready to get after it it's a different their mindset is so different in how they approach thing we had a ramp up here Reggie at least I did like I well we we didn't get to come in until August cast in there in January now that's that's imagine they acclimate because again like said you know you when you're in Notre Dame you gotta go to class yes so to be able to you know develop that time management is clutch yep 100% but to to your point you talking about it's a passing game but this secondary might be the strength of the team yeah and again you look at you look at like I said that the Lineback of course pretty young the D line is a veteran D line and then but you have some veteran guys on the back end you got veteran guys on the back end that understand the game and man I I still remember last year when Ben Morrison all but locked up Marvin Harrison Jr yeah I mean what do you have two catches three catches something like that yeah and and that was I hav seen anybody do that nope and again like immediately after so and again you look at how it it helps open things up for the safeties and their ability to run around and make plays you know Xavier watt he can he can make you know do some things yeah he can make some happened because he has some guys that can shut down on you know a shut down Corner look at the talent on that side of the ball I mean this defense I'm I'm excited to see see them get after because again this is also three year three for you know Al golden and and and and you know his is his defense do you still see it as a defensive lead Notre a team or is it a changing of guard this year with offense coming in more robust some new fancy not attachments I don't think it's happened yet because that defense you know you look at the spring game they still getting out that behind still getting out that behind they were like no we you know but again but this this is the beauty of it it's like you look how they the defense being as good as it is it's made the offense stronger and at you know sped up their timetable in terms terms of becoming better because again the thing about with football you actually have to play it and practice and be good at it to develop the skills because again I was forgot yeah I was talking to um well ER was like when you get hit your body acclimates to that you talk about guys that that that sit out you know and and you know you know CD lamb you know he's coming back but you're always concerned about soft tissue injuries because your body hasn't had a time to acclimate to the contact right and and it always I always look at guys what happens after the first hit you know that was that actually set the tempo in my mind for me mentally how the game was going to go yes sir so I had to prepare myself mentally based on that first hit but you got to take some hits to to to to get to that point and this is what I love about this defense they've got better tackling which has been a real problem for me in open field tackling yeah that is I mean that is that was the real issue I was having with Notre Dame was like you know and then Marcus said hey we gotta we we have to be play we have to practice physical you know you you can have some injuries but you got to have enough confidence to say hey if we don't practice we're gonna have more injuries in the game than we have yeah straight up because again if their first time hitting is in the game right you get hit I mean I'm telling you I I'm gonna keep preaching this it's something different when somebody punch you in the mouth what you going to do you know it's like hey I've had guys that said you we play Michigan Penn State Michigan St golly that mouth that hurt my neck when you said pen St bro I mean you gota you gonna make a choice like well I don't know if I want to do with this story and that kind of Dick dictates my rookie year we're playing the Jets that's why you can't don't don't be halfway in halfway out all all practice Long Don bro is on my head about stepping out of bounds and not getting the first down got getting that extra couple yards yeah so it's a bus decision man those are bus second day I jump out boom jump outside and I'm about a two yards from first down and I look over and now all I hear is d d bro my ear like dang let me go get some and I I didn't I didn't put the full on in there Ronnie lot you cannot be that's all you gota say you slow up if you want to yeah I was like I was like should I step out and then I and I did one of these and kind of D Man this man wiped me off the off Planet dang yeah yeah take you all the way off I was I was over literally dang there under the under the bench on on the opposing team I and I just laid there for minut you shocked I took that hit because I didn't prepare for it yeah and it just think he was gonna hit you like that it sh well no I knew what he was capable of doing yeah for sure but it literally shocked my body into just I was stunned like I I don't know if I want to do this anymore yeah that was that was like one of those life those lifechanging hits like I may need to find another profession like what what am I doing right now yeah what why am I out here why am I out here and again it was in my you could I was that was not really a pain as it was like my body was just yelling and screaming and I just couldn't move I just laid there until the trainer got over there and I just you know just laid there and he was like you know you all right I'm like I don't know I mean don't know you could really name what hurt specifically exactly it was just like everything was just I was confused he he hit me into confusion yeah I'm just yeah yeah help me get up I don't know just help me get up I don't know what yeah I had said give me a minute I'm gonna get up but I just need a minute to process this but you but said but when you have when you're playing this game those hits are are you know you know you got to be prepared for that you can't just like think about hitting right right you have to prepare your mind and also prepare your body because you know some of them it's like bad intentions yes you think they trying to end your day man for real for real so what so what's the Outlook I mean it sounds like we believe that as talented and as the depth that we have offensively and defense we can make a pretty strong run what's the what's the floor what is the least Marcus Freeman can put out uh with this team that wouldn't would say okay it's still a good season because in my mind the way we're built the schedule that we have the years in the program that we've been doing the recruiting we're easily 11 12 win regular season team what do you guys think is there a four for maybe we can have a a nine not a big fan of of you know predictions and and I'm I'm a realist but just looking at the schedule if we're not undefeated I just I just find it hard not to be right I find it hard not to be I have a real problem if we're not undefeated I have a real problem it's a problem yes okay something you know because again you getting Texas A&M early enough in the season they really figured out because you're right they haven't haven't gotten where because again like what name left that program not the greatest shape so cult man didn't he do work jum jumbo fish didn't get so you get them out again that's why I said you can get to them early C&M is gonna be a problem for some people down the line and by the way Jon Jones The One and Only Mega Megatron boy how y'all doing man Iris fam back together again getting ready for a beautiful fall you already know that's right hey you coaching too huh our story history you got you coaching a little bit of high school football too isn't it yes I am actually I'm actually about to be back in my arm Mo oh hell yeah see that's the goal yeah rer I would like to get get Jon's take on the dline because again this man oh the D line is probably the probably one of the most Stout units that's been in years well we have a lot of depth but we need lots where the sacks at why is why is he always on the sack thing he a quarterback do quter he tra I I understand what he means because because again sacks do matter but we have guys that can do it all like we don't just got pass rushers everybody thinks that you just need pass rushers to fill out a good de line we got guys that can do it all we got guys that can do both we got guys that are really in that Adept at getting penetration off the ball so I just think they're going to be I think they're gonna really just set the tone for our defensive front All Season all season and dra tell you if you can well Malik you notice if a if you get pressure up front and they collapse the pocket even if they not getting the sack that makes a world of difference in terms of like what the quarterback yeah you're affecting the quarterback to where it's harder for him to make that Target completion y than you did your job 100% 100% Lefty you know like if if if if pressure is coming up the gut or there the pockets collapsing like Reggie said and you're not on your spot to where you want to deliver that ball like that that's a win and you know and to your point if if if you're saying our secondary is the strength of the defense and that that thing in on time and it ain't accurate hey we going that's where the dline AL Washington has to go out there and this and make it this year what's he has to put his staple on what he's bringing in the three years he's been there because right now you're getting all the attention from uh Mike mckin and the and the award winners and the first rounders Marty baji joined his back field and you got the Youth of the young linebackers that everybody's excited about yeah and in the D line you get the well we have a lot of questions a lot guys yeah Howard cross Riley Mills uh you got Jordan Batello you got the young guys cilano and so you got a lot of guys but what does the production look like in that room is this a room that's a top 10 defensive line room we have enough guys that would make you think that but the production has to matter this year yeah I I I I can understand what you mean but really all I'm really more so concerned about is just how that dline room fares out because again they don't got to be the guys that you know don't have to be like the Catalyst or like the most electric unit they just have to do their job cuz we got guys on the back end that can cover we got we got linebackers that can run we got as long as long as we're disrupting the play in some way shape or form I think we will be fine yeah and and again young guys are just gonna continue to get experience you know just the more plays they play they're GNA get more experience and they're going to learn how to make those big plays and turn you know probably that pressure on the quarterback into Sack or sack Force fumble you know you you only get better at doing stuff like that when you do it but do we have a Isaiah fski do we have a a bona fight uh I know we we we love RJ we love what he can bring but do we have that single guy that on the D line where offensive lines are like we have to double team him where he's gonna ruin the whole day Forge Ry Mills Riley Mills and then again for for on the edge I think Jordan is very very underrated he's very very underrated underrated or underproductive whoa I believe he's got all the talent in the world that's what I'm saying but but think about but think about it though he he he was sharing the field with fosy you know what I'm saying like like it's not it's not the same like you know when when when you're when you when you're trying to contribute you don't have to you don't have to get we don't need no Stefon to it where you got to get 15 sacks or nothing like that we just have have a unit create a unit okay I I I think I think if we if we get if we get the am the appropriate amount of production from the unit I think our defensive line will be fine I don't think we got to have someone that you know that's just sack master that we count on on third Downs that we're looking at that guy to get the sack no you you want it to come from all four positions you don't want it to be just that one guy because then how can the offensive line solve that they're just going to slide it to that they're going to make sure they just make sure they're they're they're spotlighting that guy you know what I'm saying when it's a whole unit doing the job and collapsing the pocket together then then it's it's plenty of production for everybody to go around going back to that if one if we all eat we eat together yeah right from from earlier in the conversation so like I look I'm excited man like we we've got we've got pieces to fill spots where in years past it's always been oh if we just had this guy just had this we just had this guy or we just had this guy we got guys we got all the guys we got so so both sides on both sides of the ball and we got a kicker the kicker not bad either yeah right was the Australian guy right where he from Australia New Zealand something we're not going to the kicker thing let's [Music] let's come on man cig days of the game Henny was nice Reggie Henny was nice but hey Henny would hit you too facts yeah Henny would run out hit you facts I'm I might the new punter I'm thinking you know he's big guy maybe he play rugby so australi so he'll probably hit you too so it's not that I'm against them I'm just saying you know can we can we don't necessarily need to talk about the kickers well one thing we will find out and find out more is through having this docu series so last time we had a docu series was what 2014 2015 captured the ends and out of no name program we get a chance to have that again did you guys get a chance to see the preview or the the trailer it looked kind of dope yeah it looks dop I like those I'm a big I was I was a big fan of the the Netflix quarterback one and receiver one because it gives people a perspective of just how physical this game is yeah and and what you know what these young men go through yeah on a consistent basis and the pain you know and what you I because again I remember playing the league I remember having to prop up parts of my body in bed so I could sleep sleep yeah because like said body was just and you know people don't get that they just see and and and again with at least in and also in college it's not just you know these guys going to practice and to perform playing the games they gotta go to class that class man you know and you gotta lock in mentally because that's where a lot of the the you know they're under pressure constantly because you got to go compete in the classroom and then you got to go compete on the field and I'm not talking about just like oh just show up you got to know what the heck you doing because they gonna call on you they gonna check because you're the athlete there and again it requires a level of mental toughness that not too many people can can properly grasp unless you've gone through it right and and the catch of that process and the only thing I don't like about is they got the episode spaced out like they'll show one they show one like into November or something like dang I want to get a chance to see all of it but how much of a distraction if any do you think it's a distraction or do you think it's a good thing for this program to have such cameras all in all in your space I'm not a fan of of cameras being all in your space because again like when you think about you know I think about media it's it's it's rather invasive but I also think it's a positive from the standpoint of you get to the athletes get to tell their story which is not something that is commonly known Beyond just the the game that they play and and to see that these are human beings right these are human beings and they're performing a task or multiple tasks at a high level and the the mental toughness the physical toughness that's required to do that on a daily basis because I've always said student athletes like said companies they want them because they know how to work within a team concept they know how to adapt and they and they understand understand the importance of being consistent and and doing the little things the right way because you make one mistake boom you giving up a touchdown you make one mistake the ball's on the ground you you a hold or a busted assignment so you have to be able to lock in for an extended period of time do you see any of but do you do you see any of these games being the way we're constructed right now being close or do you think these are dominant wins because I believe it's about how we win this year yes we believe we can beat all these teams but we need to show that we're beating teams at a rate where it's like it's not about them it's we're there that we're that I will say this like said I look at you know the next three games after uh Tex A&M those shouldn't be close but this goes back to like said are they in that in there that mental frame of mind that we're expecting our twos to be in the game com the end of the third quarter so like the we should be up enough to where our the backups are getting ample time right again Louisville is not g to be a a cakewalk no so but you have you know you have you know Tex ANM that's going to be Louisville and the next one really is Florida State I mean is it the way Florida State look I feel like we can get that out of here by first half they're not gonna play like that the rest of the Year bro right but but but I'm I'm just talking about in terms of the you know you really there's really four games that should be challenged and that's A&M Louisville Florida State and USC in terms of like how they're viewed how teams are viewed but after watching you know this game hey we you know we gonna see if if Georgia Tech is Georgia Tech right or if you know who we gonna have so it really comes down to can can they lock in week to week yeah because you talking about you know how we win is going to be important I agree with you but how how well do we you know how how quickly we put uh Northern Illinois away how quickly do we put a Purdue and a mindful hav away because we propensity has been to let those teams hang around that but that comes back to are they locked in you FOC everything is a&n yeah then you have to shift GE and it has to be everything has to be Northern Illinois not oh we get to play Northern Illinois no it has to be understand that you're playing Northern Illinois you know they got they give give out scholarships too right but you gotta go in there thinking I'm gonna let you know the word go it's it's not gonna go well for you right because if you like I think Florida state was is a better team than Georgia Tech but what did Georg I mean Florida State start off boom boom boom but they like they let them hang around we cannot let teams hang around that we know we should be more dominant thing it should be hey but you that's done by locking in mentally and being focused to say you know this is the game plan I'm gonna make sure you know you have no chance no chance you make sure they have no chance that starts from the word it go you g I'm we're gonna punch you in the mouth right out the gate and we gonna keep punching the mouth and you gonna know yeah this is I don't want this right you know you make it want to quit and you and you using using that that thought process Reggie answering your question Malik about the docu series I think there's a couple things that are on the positive side for us one when you're exposed like that you're not trying to go out there and get Molly whopped you know what I'm saying like like people people have seen you people have watch what you're doing people have seen your preparation you've gotten on camera you've talked about your process and what your expectation is and what your standards are that's that's holding you to a different level you can't go out there right and and the other side of that is for a Notre Dame athlete like we're not typically a pooms and Circumstance kind of program right to be able to have that type of exposure for our athletes that's also great for recruiting right if we if we're playing a long game we're playing chess not Checkers we're saying hey look not only do we have the NBC contract not only do we have you know the best looking coach in college football because you know all all the ladies love them some Freeman but we also have exposure for our athletes like we're we're gonna show you what our process is and then to Reggie's point on Saturday we're going to line them up and as coach said we're GNA butt you in the mouth and knock you in the dirt from the time you get off the bus cu time for you to go back and that's the idea that Marcus Freeman is punching you in the mouth being physical is coming from his linebacker days I'm sure and offensively regie said it we have to be physically offens uh offensively physical as well our receivers got to be a dominant force from the outside if we're gonna be blocking and doing this and that the physicality has to be present because if that's present then we can start dominating teams and not having this whole why are we 10 points away from Northern Illinois why are we not smoking these teams like because on paper I'm taking us over 98% of college football right now for sure so the expectation is for me with the transfer well you know the teams that get like 25 stars in a class like that you know stuff like that it's but you gotta think too is that this is this is a championship orust team for me not winning the championship not being in the game at the end of the year is a disappointment because of a couple things there's not too many programs that are year three of a their head coach being that that we're already a top 10 prestigious program we're ahead of the USC's the uh uh Alabama's now the Texas A&M's these guys are getting going now you got Georgia Clemson and Texas that that's Johnny come lately team right there other than that how many teams can you say have more years with their head coach that have developed the way we have like Marcus Freeman and uh and Notre D you can say Oregon is there but these are also teams that are in the college playoff yeah these aren't teams that just popped up these are teams that with coaches that have put years in the program hell Jim Haro was at Michigan 10 plus years yeah they had to cheat to get a champion he cheat and then he left but you know how them skunk bears are man them skunk bears bek but the years that he's been spending the program is ADS up you know you can get away because you you know how things work you've been there for so long so I think and and don't and don't forget about my boy at Penn State James Franklin oh man like look I'm me tell you something say what you want say what you want Lee I'm telling you right now what is p ever done with J James Franklin that dude can coach the dude coach I tell this he they might be in a situation like we were in years past where they're missing some pieces here and there I'm G tell you this when they come to Notre name and and again like you said in the very beginning we're Notre name we're always gonna get everybody's best that's always always and like yeah Sean Sean says he can't evaluate QBs like no he can't recruit QBs bro he can't get none he can't get none but he can get receivers he can get linebackers he can get dine get a quarterback he get running back got the Gatorade Player of the Year and all this stuff for running back got good running can't get a quarterback can't get one I don't know what's yeah that's I mean he just falls short every time in that department and maybe that's just the Big 10 it's a quarterback's game yeah Michigan just happened to have a guy who only lost three games since high school since high school so what do you do with that so some of that is quarterback driven but overall I just really believe that with what we're bringing to the table we shouldn't worry about a takes ANM in year one yeah my ELO has a lot on his plate outside of just playing Notre Dame game one it only helps that they are at home if they came to Notre Dame we wouldn't even be talking about the game oh this we smacking him up and down the field we're only give them credit because they have great home environment yeah that 12 man is no joke bro it's no joke again we gotta be again the def their defense is not is gonna be right so that's gonna be the key you know I and somebody said like I said if no Dame scores you know 20 24 20 plus points they should be in good shape right which I don't see that being a problem I I don't know I don't I don't know the stats man but I don't know that denrock has had an offense that scored less than 28 points yeah and and that's what I'm saying I I that's why I say with where we're getting them you know because this I I think this is gonna be one of you know Notre Dame gets through this one this will be one of those uh Marquee wins for the program for this year Y where A&M will be yeah so this is this I said you get this one it definitely helps you from a confidence standpoint but also hey as as the as the season goes forward ANM is going to you know because they have talent and and El know El knows how to put together a defense yeah elco's no joke bro so but Riley Leonard has seen this Elco defense in practice he's seen it in in in real time he kind of knows how it works a little bit that should be at our advantage my concern with Ry Leonard is two things health and how he started yeah you're not going to give him the Full Slate of of tools and and and freedoms to check plays and all this stuff you barely know the guy so my thing is is with him is again don't go out and try to win the game and this is where that's who he is as a player that's that's who he is as a player he had to do compor he's a competitor for sure there's a difference between being a competitor and going out to try to win the game when you allow your teammates to you know hey I'm gonna put you in the best position to win right that's not one not winning the game it's when as a quarterback I don't know why all of a sudden game managers become a bad thing like the goat is the consumate game manager Tom Brady was a game manager but he was supremely accurate he put the ball where it's supposed to be yes sir but he wasn't going to run away from anybody and he wasn't going to escape the pocket he knew how to his pocket presence was Immaculate because he'd step up right but he would just I'm gonna give the ball to the people that can run right and make plays and I'm gonna give it to him where it you know I'm gonna put it on that back shoulder so they know I'm gonna throw him away from you know a big hit put it right there yeah you just brought brought trust factor into it yeah you brought trust factor into it that's my thing will they would they trust him enough right to does he does has he GED enough trust from the receivers and the backs with where he yeah I don't know gain enough trust to be a captain so I mean that that that means a lot so his his character is probably on point or has the guys believ in him in some sense but you know football is awesome because you got to go prove it yeah on you gotta go prove it it's like regardless of how we feel about you you gotta go win but that's what but if you if you go in there with the mindset I gotta win this game yeah you putting too much pressure think about it he has always had the pre I think it's harder to go from always having that you gotta do it all to literally the exact opposite where we just need you to do less less is more do your job just do your job just do your job cuz listen we got all the guys that can run and catch and do everything right but Riley's whole his whole game is based on Riley doing everything so how does he take less in his own mind like instead of just running for 15 let me just throw it for three and he'll get the 15 right what that comes back to him you know the the trust Factor works both ways you know they got they have to learn to trust him he better trust had tent like this ever doesn't matter whether he had it or not trust is not about you the Talent trust is about I know you're going to be where you're supposed to be I know you're going to be doing what you're supposed to be doing at a at a given moment and that comes with seeing it practicing it and and experiencing it you know it doesn't I mean you can say you have trust but it'll show in how you perform and that goes back to what we were saying about that team mentality team a great team whether it's offense defense special teams requires a trust not to me I gotta make a play it's a trust to say we have to make this play right now right yeah and by making a play I have to do my job right and and offensive line at best to that point to cut you off bro I'mma tell you this that falls squarely on again in my opin P one of the best officer coordinators in the game yeah he he is communicating like you You' you've been in the quarterback room you know he's communicating that with Riley with the quarterbacks right Freeman is communicating that to the program I don't need you guys to go out and win the game I need you guys to go out and do what we're coaching you to do fly around make plays be physical love your teammates and let's get out of here what win I mean that I feel like if if those things are being communicated to these players and they do have that level of trust that we're talking about all bets are off man because I when you got great coaches great coaches understand it's beyond just the X's and O's it's jimmies and Joe's and when you talking about jimmies and Joe's you're talking about what's between the ears too I gotta believe that coach Freeman is acutely aware and his staff that they're acutely aware of the fact that they've got all these pieces I think they're acutely aware of the fact that they have tremendous opportunity and I also o think that they're not going to throw caution into the win and just assume that they get it you got to speak to that you have to speak to that because just assuming they're gonna get it is extremely Reckless and there's nothing about Coach Freeman and what he's done to this point that says that he's a reckless minded coach assuming that these players just gonna get it somehow like that's that's got to be something that you're consistently pouring into the players like we all came from different places man Le you from Ohio Reggie you from Oklahoma I'm from Florida you know we had guys coming bill matulis came from Canada like we had guys coming from everywhere and when we came together we came together with as one group with one goal in mind and that part like holding that that string pulling that string of accountability falls directly on the coaching staff and I don't I don't think we're gonna have a problem with that and that's what I like about this coaching staff because you know they actually talk to each other you know like like um Den Brock was saying how telling you know they get together outside of game to talk about wow when you guys did this you gave us that look defensively that causes some problems and then vice versa you know Den Brock is saying that about the defense and then golden is saying man when you guys run this play or run this formation you know this is what we're seeing it's St Scout man it's exactly so you're making each other better and again and this is being communicated throughout the defense and offensive coaching staffs and I agree with you oh that when you add that aspect of it when the coaches understand and know and and are locked in on the little things so like the how the front end impacts the back end on the defensive side of the ball well if the offense knows this they can say Hey you know if we see this in practice oh hey we know how to combat it right and you prepare communicate that you know what I mean like like coaches know we've all coached there's stuff you want to call there's stuff you want to run but there's still value in that dude who's in The Game and his ability to communicate with you what he sees yeah based his knowledge of the game plan say hey coach I know we weren't around this but hey I like that X5 on the backside of a three by one that's all it takes yeah all you know what I'm saying like those things those are those are those intangibles that that are also a part of that trust factor that the coach is saying okay I trust this dude he knows the game plan he has a high football Acumen if he's telling me he can beat this guy on a skinny or we can run a fly or die on The Backs side he's going to melt that thing to the sideline that corner stays on top why not you I mean yeah that's just ingame adjustments man so I I think with with our our coaches and their skill level and their abilities just to to break down offenses and defenses and the just the god-given physical talent that we have we're g be a problem man we're going to be a whole problem and I would be extremely shocked and probably more disappointed if we weren't and I think that's the I think that's the key I think the Bas is at a different place with how we feel about Notre Dame taking this new challenge of we don't have to be perfect anymore of going 12 and0 to get to the playoffs right we'll get into the playoffs now it's a refresh how do we get ready for this new season the depth we have I think we're built for it we're built to go 15 games yep you know that's losing a starter or two here there you know things happen in the season but Marcus Freeman is walking around a lot lighter on his feet than he was years before yeah because I think he knows something that we feel good about but don't quite know that this is gonna be a bad team a tough team to to handle down the stretch yes sir well just you point about the um like I said with the receivers and just clipping off like I said you know the stats of of guys that are coming in you know I thought the portal was gonna be the death of us because we just you know because Notre Dame is not easy to you have to be admitted you know that's part of like said the the process of getting in no you have to be admissible to the university you know people have kind of forgotten about that you know this is a these are these are institutions of Higher Learning right well what they've done through the portal and you know and then the pieces they have with um you know the guys that they they they're recruiting out of high school you see the and that's the other key that I see devel velopment in the different positions you see coaches you see guys developing their athletes because again it's easy you can I mean now you can go just grab this one and grab that one from yeah you can grab anybody yeah [ __ ] yeah and and and plug but you know there's something to be said about and again I'm I'm not against ryy Leonard but I look at you know uh car yeah you when it's something to be said for you know you de are we developing the guys that we're getting because CJ's coming ready made now right but again he's still there's still a level of development that he's goingon to have to in progression being at that at this level and that goes with any any position you know I I look at um Ben Morrison you know I've seen his growth Xavier Watts you know batell I mean we have guys that are you the the majority of our guys are guys are kind of homemade if you will they homegrown so they've been there you don't have a lot of the turnover that you're getting with us other programs that that that makes a difference because again like I said you're three the majority of these guys in year three are their guys Freeman can't be like oh this ain't this ain't all my team yet right he he even held Jayla sne back last last year yeah he did yeah he did he's like I don't want you to be attached to that for real let them have that this year you got to fly around be my guy like that's and you surround them with the young Drake Bowen and the osber and the Kingston and the T makos all you you getting something where you getting guys that don't necessarily have bad habits they just gonna fly around yeah that's the linebackers are gonna be the excitement of that unit because they it's like they gonna be going 100 miles per hour maybe the wrong way but when they do go 100 miles hour the right way you gonna see big some some good gonna happen that's that's why I go I know you you on on the D line about getting sacks that's my thing with the D line is like I gotta I Jon was spot on we just need that unit to be effective and efficient yeah yeah you know and again if we're affecting the quarterback by knocking them off a spot pressing the pocket forcing him you know into discomfort that linebacking core and that DB group that back in back in gonna be locking stuff down now locking it down and picking it off that's that's my thing about Xavier watch is like you knowall he he getting that thing he's a Hulk bro I'm defition and Marcus Freeman needs to put that on the recruiting leaderboard he's got a guy Watts who was a receiver coming in developed him to defense got him in the right spot knows how to recognize his players strength and talents now you get a defensive player of the year from a two-way guy yep 100 per. that's why we see all these recruits that's why all these guys now are two-way guys now all the recruits are two-way guys yeah we were re play I played Corner play Corner Bro Look Reggie came in as a running back my more year this dude playing corner you backpedaling by your second hey yeah it was like hey whatever you got to do to get on the field hey I'm trying to get on the field he baby and and you go out there and make plays but that's spot on I said you if if I wasn't seeing guys being developed I was like he's not the guy he's not the guy I've seen the development in the players and and you look at the guys yeah you bring in the cuz I'm not a big fan of like I said you know that bringing in the hard hard gun at quarterback yeah I'm not a high gun guy I don't know if that works unless you put time in I don't know but but again I could see but I'm seeing development in the younger guys coming up that's why CJ the potential du sight guy we getting you that Kenny mini we're good for the future look man D night is special the y yeah that's that's the key you got guys that are you know if you know because that's what Dr recruits looking at is like okay well you know like Xavier watch he moved to DB but you know what what if they had come out of Notre D at that at that safety position the last guy was pretty darn good last guy was pretty good pretty good that right he's he's all right he's all right he's all right you know that's that's my thing is like and you know people were like getting all up in arms about well we lost this receiver this receiver recruit that receiver recruit and but I'm looking at the guys that we got through the you know transfer I'm like we can hang they got production we can hang that's what saying look at the program be like he didn't cover this he didn't cover this part we have covered from inch to inch everything of the weaknesses of what this program has last year so it it almost puts Marcus Freeman at the expectation of you know perfect or nothing I know that's unrealistic but that's how how we shape the team so far but I feel like that I feel like that's his thought process you know I think he I think he went into this offseason with a plan knowing specifically where his weaknesses were and what his coaches were looking for um you know doing again that self Scout that we talking about right you know you're you're looking at your defense you're looking at your offense your special teams you know we we got a Australia Rouge guy kicker I know regie don't want to talk about kickers but like we addressed we addressed a lot of things glad he doing his job a lot of things in one off season this is stuff that takes some time because you know one offseason in one offseason is on fire yes this guy on from recruiting front you know he he is beyond Dynamic Beyond Dynam and he's doing commercials and little movie ads and all you know he's the pack dud those are hot I got I got give his props I was like brother that brother didn't know he had to the head coach and the thing about and he's so responsive yeah man like again for me if I shoot your text I mean I'm not expecting you to hit hit me back he hit you back he hit you back and again and it's the level of respect now I I tend to forget he's that young yeah yeah he's still young so it's almost like he gonna be like yes sir he's a p he's a p when he says it I'm like oh yeah okay I have to pause a minute and then reflect like oh yeah that's that's that's a good point he's he's hit 40 yet that's crazy right proud of him so yeah man I'm excited I'm excited for everything he's done and doing and for what he's putting together um it's not easy to build a football program on any level and and he's done it with with Grace he's done it the Notre Dame way um and he's done it with with a flare that doesn't um that doesn't undermine the university uh in such a way that everybody Embraces him if you're a notre name person you Embrace Marcus Freeman and what he's about and what he brings to the table so I couldn't be proud of our head coach man I I I want nothing but success for this guy um he he's he's doing a phenomenal job so all that's left now man is just line them up and let him fly line up I got I gotta mention this because again I've been around his family that's just how he was he was built that way yeah from da that's why there it is there it is there it is hey you know how them Ohio people are man yeah yeah Mar one go go I always gota go there I always gotta go there it's Ohio against everybody you know how yeah like they like they against the world like they say it's the Cradle of coaches man that's just how we get down over there just just grow him up raise them up you know we go also the F his family I said you know have the pleasure life this kids kids too I mean this doing it now and hey his wife is sharp that woman has a gotta be on point yeah hell yeah yeah and she and she's fiercly protective of her husband as she should be bro you got a real I said you got a real one and and and I think that's has just as much of an impact on his success is the F and his mom dude I mean like this this dude his peeps is like tight man tight boom tight like he's on point yeah right and that's what we need you know as a transition from you know Brian Kelly who winning his coach of all time in Notre name that's a great accomplishment to have the transition to get to Marcus Freeman the next coach usually you get you get a couple misses before you get to that but to not miss and be hitting the row running and and how we've gone about these these three years after Brian Kelly you know it's something that that you have to think that the administration did a great job with we got it right man got I agree with you on this this point m this is this is the year I mean you look at the schedule this is the year like Jack swri shout out to Jack SW he knew that this if it all came together the right way year three you should win a championship yeah that's kind of been the the I mean it's the de facto year because you go back to era PR season l h like said last two Champion that third year was kind of the the year it's the do it or don't do it the way players play all day every day