uh a lot of hours throughout the days and going in my fourth Camp uh feel good it's been fun had a really good two first days and um looking forward to you know just keep growing growing with my teammates uh growing with uh my coaches and in all areas how's the progress of connecting with the new pass catchers here Frankin Cole RK yeah it's uh it's really started fast and uh it's been really really good to see two players who have had a production you know where they've been uh you know Cole Murray State uh being an allamerican there in some way or whatever but um you know great player really Dynamic great catch radius great route run ability and um zakari I mean I think I saw some on Twitter the other day where um you know he's the leading uh receiving yard guy and like all of NCA and um which is speaks for itself so um he understands the game he's really experienced really Savvy and uh I'm glad to have him on our team where are you feeling most improved right now yeah I feel like it's in a lot of areas mentally I think most importantly man uh you know coming off the last season not having the season I wanted to have but man I really think it was the season I needed to have um just for you know so many areas of my life you know experiencing you know some suffering in a lot of ways some some growing pains and um it's really um helped me gain perspective helped me um grow my leadership grow my faith and um you know I can really tell you know these first few days man just I feel a different kind of loose really really confident man and um looking forward to to a really big year I really believe that and uh uh just being a really good leader for my for my teammates and winning some games what do you think about what they surrounded you with because obviously you guys lost some offensive linemen some receivers then they went out and got you a lot what do you what do you think about what they put around you yeah just first of all a lot of great dudes uh some guys who you know walked in day one and you know fit right in and um uh just great teammates first of all and great people um and obviously really good players you know you got JC Davis who was was really good where he was at and like we talked about early earlier Co Russ sari and um even some of the younger guys too man who they brought in you know kind of with me that kind of younger class who are going in their second year you got um canari maliky and then you have Hank batty who were out there making plays and Alex capka Jones who kind of came in with me and kind of on the same timeline making plays out there and uh a lot of competition going on uh it's so cool to see we have so many guys out there you know making big catches you know making Big Blocks and um up front I mean that camaraderie that uh that unit um is unlike um you know any other just the the Brotherhood the bond that they have and the connection is uh the trust I have in them is uh you know doesn't really have to be said it's really understood see they you want this as a quarterback but they're building around you um how's that feeling like what do you think have they set you up for success with with it's cool uh you know coach B and leny uh I mean you know kind of what their their role is is to build their player strengths and uh me being in the quarterback role um you know they're going to do that um and they voed that to me and uh you know whatever they think those strengths are they're uh they're going to play into it obviously for our success and U it's really cool to be in that position as a quarterback and to kind of see the pieces fit around you but um you ultimately I just want to do my job as you know as everybody else does so um whether that's Distributing the ball managing a game or you know taking big shots or making big runs whatever um I need to do um I'm going to do it to the best of my ability ask about the new guys how about the returning guys what kind of development have you seen from those returning weapons yeah a lot of great leadership you know kind of starting off with uh you know Pat Bryant obviously represented us at media day and um has been an incredible leader for that room and you know a guy that everybody looks to um not even on the field but you know throughout the offseason in the way room his work ethic the way he um you know approaches uh his day-to-day life every single day and uh he's due for a big big one a big season man I mean already in two days we've we've connected a few times in the end zone so um I'm just looking forward to to to being a good quarterback for him getting him the ball and to see his success and um so many other guys too obviously we had a lot of different receivers out there a lot of newer guys lost some good guys and up front the leadership of you know Josh Cruz that Chrysler uh guess and uh some other guys Hunter white neck man have have really been cool to see them all compete see them all kind of take steps and kind of uh year two maybe year three and and their starting roles so um those guys are confident as they should be and uh I'm glad to be back there with them and you know obviously the backs too and and some of the tight ends like Tanner AR and Henry berer have have done incredible and are super confident in their roles and you got McCrae Fagan Aiden laughrey Jordan Anderson who were taking big strides and guys who are going to get downhill and run around you and uh you know pass protect do all those things so um you know I'm surrounded by a lot of great talent you know I think it's up to me to kind of do my job be in my role and uh be a great leader and you know distribute the ball where it needs to be distributed competitiveness in like the p in these sessions and you know the respect that it also commands from these different guys can you can of talk to about you know why that's so important to have that competitive nature between your receivers as well as you know the you know want to compete against each other for a spot in order to make an impact yeah I mean that's what Camp's all about really is competition you know seeing who's going to be the 11 out there or in that rotation you know when that first snap comes uh uh in week one that's what it's all about that's why we're here uh to be able to uh compete against one another obviously we're on the same team but uh you know man so much growth happens through uh competing I've experienced it um you know where where I always at you know um and you know every single day I'm competing with myself but obviously my peers too and um you get so much better from it you know you when your backs against the walls when uh you know the guy next to you is making a lot of plays you got to step up and you know go match him and you know once you do that like you just grow and grow and grow physically mentally and um I think it really helps you later on in life too obviously haven't experienced that but I know it will and uh it's it's really cool to see how's aari I don't know how much he's been able to work with you guys but like what if you stood out about him what do you think he adds to that group yeah so we've only had two days out there with him on the field so uh still learning about his game we've I mean in the summer we had some throwing sessions a little bit and obviously has a lot of film too to to kind of speak for speak for itself what you think of that uh pretty electric uh you know guy who go make contested catches catch and run guy possession guy uh great route Runner um kind of has the full package and like I said his yards his receiving yards his production speaks for itself so um I've had two days out there with him he's already made a lot of plays and uh just brings a savvy that is unique to the game because of because of his experience and his wiggle his shift is is really unique and uh really cool and I was able to kind of live with him for two weeks when he first got here too so uh being able to kind of connect with him and uh you know kind of grow a friendship was was really cool and I think was necessary so it's been I'm excited to watch him go do what he does this year what was he like his roommate oh he's he's he's a really cool dude he's an older guy so he kind of kept to himself but uh we had a lot of fun uh and uh I think he's taking over my spot I moved uh I moved in with Cole Rusk so he took over my spot and uh uh he likes living alone I know that but he's awesome you said you're looser this year what's the difference between a looser mindset versus a I guess tighter mindset from last year yeah um you know I think looking back on last year uh you know I think at times uh you kind of the Season progressed you know I got a little hesitant uh you know with my decision making uh and uh you know being afraid to make mistakes sometimes and um I think that was um you know a product of me being in my first year kind of you know kind of Illinois coming off a really really big year uh in uh two years ago and me being in that role wanting to you know kind of match that and even do better with all the talent that we had uh you know I was kind of tense and you know kind of nervous at times to to make mistakes and you know I feel like this year with the help that I've had through you know Jason everon and some of the counselors here um the the mental uh the middle side of my life and the game and the tools that I've obtained have um have really uh flourished and come into fruition out there on the field in two days and you know I can see it when I turn on the film and I can feel it when I'm on the field just the um just like I said the looseness the confidence that I have out there just in my walk in my talk and and what I'm doing and and I'm I'm really excited I'm really confident for a really big year and I really believe that you feel like your coaches too have have supported you towards that to I guess give you freedom to fail so to speak yeah I mean they they support me fully fully to go cut it Loose you know coach Loney I mean he he dials it up he's he's he's one of if not the best I've been around and you know calling plays and uh he's going to push the ball down field you know ask me to throw it in tight windows and um I mean obviously we want to you know play it with controled aggression uh you know you know at all times but um you know there's there's sight windows and there's plays to be made out there on that field and you know if you know I make a mistake out there you know once and I mean he'll be able to live with it because I'm out there being my most confident s and knowing that you know I'm not afraid to make a mistake and you can't play this game you know um you know being hesitant timid and um you know I think that's what they're looking for uh for me to to be in year two Barry talked about just your comfort within the offense having you know full season on your Bel how much does that help you and maybe every other aspect of being a quarterback of a football team yeah it's it's it's uh unique it's my uh you know first time in my four years having a back-to-back coordinator so um um this is kind of my first time kind of really experience it going into camp and you know I can um just see it come to life the the comfort that I have out there man and and the plays that we're running the protections that were scheming up the the Run game and um understanding what he wants uh to to accomplish as um as a play caller as a coordinator as our leader and um being able to understand kind of um his mindset set you know within a call what he's looking for within a call and to be able to execute that is um you know just a huge advantage to to kind of play and to kind of get inside his mind of you know why he's calling this play or why he's putting this putting me in this position uh um as a as an offense you know where he thinks his ball should go type things and this coverage whatever and this look I mean I can really understand that and uh um I can see that coming into fruition in kind of year two you mentioned B and canar obviously stepping into bigger roles how you seen them kind of progress since the spring when they got a ton of reps with you guys yeah just like me I think just more Comfort man uh you know two guys who were kind of just learning last year who who played a little bit and uh did some good things for us uh um but uh those guys are flying around they're playing fast because they're they're pretty comfortable uh not just on the field but with the people around them their teammates man they're um they're great people they have great spirits you know every single day they come in they make me when you know things may be hard outside or or whatever man they uh they pick me up and um you know that Spirit Carries out onto the field with their speed their um their abilities and uh they're going to be asked to be put in big roles this year and as they should they're they're ready for that moment that comfort that looseness that you talked about when did you first start feeling that like could it only be done in Spring ball you feel like maybe other aspects of your life away from football get translated into the yeah well I talked about it a little bit man the help that um I wouldn't say the help but just kind of you know the ability to or the the moments of of kind of hardship and suffering of last year were you know provided a lot of perspective for me provided you know uh and helped me understand that I needed to to kind of grow my mental side of of my life and and in this game because it can be really taxing there's a lot of people out there who um you say you can't do this say you can't do that I call you a lot of bad names and it can be tough and as a first year of a starter I kind of uh realized that and it held me back in uh a lot of ways and um and kind of going into this year 2024 man uh you know I really sought sought after that help with like I said Jason erson who's the preacher of Cu Church who's incredible he was in our building almost every single day and um being able to to kind of grow my faith with him and help me on the mental side of the game and even some of our you know Sports psychologists here at the University of Illinois man they've been incredible an incredible you know I've even referenced some of my teammates to to to those guys who have reached out to them but um ultimately you know being able to get back on the field is you know when I I I kind of really first experienced U kind of that that new confidence the the tools that I have learned from Jason the sports psychologist who um you know kind of help me understand the mindset that I needed to have to to go out there to to be able to execute and to be able to to be free um it really helps me and that's a that's a daily thing I'm still with those guys uh and daily and you know I can see that coming to fruition uh out in the field I feel loose I feel I feel mindless I just feel kind of great in space and really comfortable this is definitely a pivot but have you played theb game much absolutely yeah yeah I mean it's I mean I grew up playing it as everybody did obviously with um and and just dreamed about you know one day being uh being in the game uh and so I mean it's it's super unique obviously an opportunity and um yeah I mean a lot of a lot of competitions between my friends and uh wan to play me play as me play against me just to beat up on me or whatever but um it's been fun I mean as you guys can imagine seeing yourself on the game is is incredible but um you know I'm trying to you know boost that rating week by week I guess uh but no it's cool it's awesome what do you think about your initial ranking the rating no it's too low but um not worried about it I'm trying to the one thing I was worried about was the speed I mean we have two quarterbacks in the room who are faster than me on the game and that's just not true and uh to be that low is a shame it's bad pass no no way no way I mean you talk about playing growing up like if that was the same game now like it just would have been like QB number nine like just see Luke Alm like and kind of your face I mean it's yeah no that face scan is bad too but um but yeah being able to choose your favorite team is Illinois and seeing like kind of the cover picture being me is uh crazy like it's kind of um is a is a shocking kind of deal uh you know kind of um you know reflecting on you know kind of your football background and you know seeing where where you came from so now is uh you know kind of allows you to sit back and be thankful for for those things and um I don't know it's just it's super cool Brett sprays the the depth in the room for quarterbacks particularly Donovan have you seen him progress yeah he's he's been incredible um uh you know every single day like I said we're talking about competing earlier uh you know this is what Camp's about man he we we compete you know he's he's a guy who makes plays out there who who has a great arm and a great mind for the game and he he executes and um I know if he were to go out there play 12 weeks of football he would go win some games for us win a lot of games for us and uh he's been incredible uh in the in the meeting room on the field in the weight room um uh his leadership he like like I said I feel loose he's loose out there too and um he's growing every single day he's going to be a great player one day luk everybody leads differently how have you learned to lead this team yeah I mean um it's it's uh it's Unique you know kind of where I've been at um and where I am now man two totally different teams two teams who were spawn spawn differently to to different ways of leadership whether it's vo vocally or just an intensity that is unmatched man and um you know I think ultimately the best leadership is you know a servant a guy and that comes from my faith obviously but a guy who you know will give the shirt off his back to to his teammate and let them know that whether it's through um voley or um you know on the field the intensity that you bring or whatever it is but man uh you know kind of my thing is man go out there and love every single day you know connect individual individually with somebody every single day and and they'll pick up on that they'll notice that and whenever you speak they'll listen one more for Luke when we got Pat last week at Indie he said that he was watching you at the end of the year when you were qb2 in practice and did you kind of get that notice or feeling that a lot of guys in this locker room are watching how I'm going to react to this and he kind of said at Indy that was when I knew next year I could really really buy into what what he was going to do yeah um yeah I knew I mean the quarterback position is obviously a position that you know everybody every around the program everybody all the fans are going to are going to be looking at whether that's you know a new starter a new a new backup a guy who was starting for nine weeks and is now you know in the backup role like that didn't go in notice so you know I kind of had that in the back of my mind and man I just try to approach approach every single day the the game uh you know um every single day is you know the same guy to be Dependable um and uh you knew that you know I Was preparing to to go play and uh although it was really really hard uh it's something that I didn't want but you know I think think uh like I said it's what it was what I needed um and I knew God was you know really planning me to to to Really flourish in this time and um you know holds me like I've always said man my teammates me the most to me and and if if I went out there pouting and you know kind of hang in my head they would notice that like I said with you know the position I'm in uh so um yeah even though it was hard sometimes i' force it in a lot of ways but at the same time man like I'm out there for those guys and to be an encourage and to be a good leader