USU Defensive End Daniel Grzesiak - July 28, 2022

Daniel gesik new addition to Utah State Defense uh transfer from Nevada uh getting a lot of high praise for what you bring to the aies uh let's just start with why you chose to come to Utah State well I chose to come to Utah State first off obviously they won the championship so I was like okay 11 and three top 25 team I couldn't pass that up and then another thing is the coaches coach a coach Devon just everyone that was recruiting me to process it just sounded good and what they told me they backed it up I've been here for seven months and I like everything so far uh coach bonda has a lot of praise for you and what you're bringing to his defense um what do you kind of see so far as you've been here for a couple of months just what that defensive line looks like and how you how you're fitting in well I feel like last year Utah state had I think there was top three top four in the nation for tfls and my team at Nevada we was top in the nation for saxs so I believe I'm bringing a pass rush I'm mainly bringing a majority pass rush to the team but on top of that I'm working on my run game too I'm getting involved with the uh system and they how many tfls they create so I believe I'm just bringing the perfect balance like I'm pass rushing I'm making tfls I feel like the defense is good it fit my style I just love it uh this was a defense last year that really kind of ramped up as the season went on and there's a lot of excitement about that kind of evolving to this next year so um how do you kind of see your role as um kind of fitting in with the guys that are here right now that you've been able to mesh with them you more of an edge rusher or just how do you kind of see your role and how you kind of fit in I feel like I feel like I plugged in perfect like I feel I'm an edge rusher we all know that they uh recruited me as a pass rusher but I feel like I could bring more to the table like if a tight end tries to block me I believe no tight end in America could block me like if we have a battle for the seap I'm gonna win every time so just adding that to my game beating tackles off the run I just feel like adding that is just I'm just way more than just just a pass rusher like I was last year so yeah Utah State didn't play Nevada last year did they no it's they're not on the schedule this year either no so you don't have to go up against any of your former teammates even though I want to I want to Colorado state has a lot of my former teammates though cuz they my coach went there yeah that's true yeah that's right there was a lot of change there so is that game are there any other games going to stand out to you or is that one that's kind of a highlight okay Colorado state is going to be a highlight cuz my old coaches is there you know I got to I got to do it to them I I still got love from my coaches they was great coaches they taught me a lot but Colorado State and Hawaii my guy coached Timmy chain he a legend he used to coach me when I play tight end he the head coaching Hawaii now but I can't wait to play him because that's my guy and you know I just got to show him I just got to show him who the aies is that's right yeah he's a first year at coach yeah but so when did you make the switch from tight end okay so 2018 I was a walk on tight end 2018 2019 I earned a scholarship after my first year and then Co happened and I was like I'm trying to play linebacker so I end up playing linebacker and I got moved to DN funny I got moved to DN on like a blitz day they see I could pass for us so I only been playing DN this my third year playing DN how's it compare you prefer this new position you kind of wish you could play a little bit tight end every now and then I feel like if coach DJ Li me up I feel like I'm going to block I'm going to block something cuz I have some good I I will block I will get down goal line third and short fourth and short I will block see DJ's got some experience he was a converted defensive lineman to a tight end so he knows how it is we should he should let me feel me at least get a little catch or something when you come into this you you you went through the spring uh you've had a summer where you've been in the weight room working with some of the guys but as you come into the fall now um this is a team that even though they're reigning Champions the conference they're not really getting a lot of respect uh in the preseason so um you kind of add that you know use that as fuel to get ready for this upcoming season what are some of the things that you are trying to accomplish here in the fall before that first game well here in the fall of course I'm just trying to work on my game I feel like as a whole as a dline in a hole we need to work on our whole game like we just can't get complacent if we have a good day we got to stack days but uh with all the preseason noise I don't really care I I look into it it's all good I love being an underdog because they talk about Boise Fresno it's all good cuz they had all that hype about San Diego State and we seen what happened last year so I mean it is what it is that's true well Daniel uh we're excited about an upcoming season excited to have it back uh it's kind of like Christmas where it's finally here um but uh still a couple more weeks of uh of training camp to kind of fit it all in but best of luck we're excited to see how you fit in and and already receiving a lot of Praise so excited to see how it works out appreciate it love to be here appreciate it thanks for having me