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00:00 Obviously, 2021, 2022, you played something like 90% of your snaps in the slot.
00:05 Is that still the plan for you or
00:06 do you think you might play more of an outside role?
00:08 Have you talked about that with the coaches at all?
00:10 >> I've definitely been getting reps from both from the inside and outside.
00:13 The more I can do, the better for myself and the better for my team.
00:16 So I expect to play both this year, inside and outside.
00:20 >> Okay, and do you have a preference at all, like what you play?
00:25 Or obviously you might be more comfortable in the slot, but-
00:28 >> It's crazy, cuz coming in, I did start off playing outside and
00:31 that's where I was more comfortable.
00:32 And then the transition to playing in the slot, I got more comfortable there.
00:35 So now it's like, I feel comfortable playing both and
00:37 it's just whatever the team needs to be successful, I'm willing to do.
00:41 >> You talked earlier this offseason about being the OG of the wide receivers room.
00:45 Obviously now, Keon left, so you're really gonna have to take even more of a step up
00:50 perhaps in the leadership.
00:51 >> Yep. >> How has that been going with
00:52 the younger guys?
00:53 There's a lot of youth in the room.
00:54 What have you seen from those guys?
00:55 >> It's been going well because guys are buying in.
00:58 Whenever you get your guys to buy in, it makes the process that much easier.
01:01 There's no push back, there's no rebuttal from anybody.
01:03 And I appreciate that from the guys because we're all in this together.
01:07 And we go as far as we do as a team.
01:09 >> Most talk about team building, all those sort of things.
01:12 Is that tougher in this day and age when guys are leaving?
01:16 There's a lot of guys coming in and out, maybe Keon, maybe it was a surprise,
01:20 maybe it wasn't.
01:20 But is it tougher to do that when there's turnover like it didn't used to be?
01:25 >> I wouldn't necessarily say it's tougher, but it's definitely different.
01:29 It's kind of like the NFL, your roster nowadays can be different every year.
01:33 So it's like you gotta take it for what it is.
01:37 Guys are gonna come in, guys are gonna leave.
01:38 That's the day and age we're in now with college sports in general.
01:41 But just being able to coexist and still make guys feel a part of a team and
01:46 a family.
01:46 Because at the end of the day, we are a family still.
01:48 No matter if you're here for one year, if you're a transfer,
01:52 if you might transfer later on the line, you never know.
01:55 But that's something I really take pride in,
01:57 is making sure that everyone on the team feels like they're a part of the team.
02:00 >> For a guy that you've been there for a little bit, in the spring you're like,
02:04 all right, Peyton's my quarterback, I got Keon here and all that changes.
02:08 I mean, how tough is that?
02:11 Is that tough to deal with for you guys?
02:14 >> I mean, whenever you lose good players, it's hard.
02:18 But that's when you have the next guy.
02:20 You got other guys on the team who are capable.
02:22 They just have been waiting patiently for the opportunity.
02:24 It's not always one guy fills in the shoes for someone who departs.
02:27 But if everyone elevates their game, then we'll be fine.
02:29 And I'm very, very confident that the team's gonna step up and elevate.
02:33 >> One of the things Mount said is he thought this was maybe the best roster,
02:37 at least in terms of depth.
02:38 And where do you think we'll see improvement on the roster?
02:44 Like when you watch practice and you watch, where are you eager to see it?
02:47 Where do you think we'll see it?
02:49 >> Secondary.
02:50 We got a lot of new guys who are competing for jobs.
02:53 Competition breeds greatness and guys are wanting to get on the field.
02:55 So they know that they have to be on their A game every day because if they
02:58 don't, they'll get passed up by the guy behind them.
03:00 So just seeing how the DBs compete with each other, but
03:02 they're still bought in to what the team's best interest is at the same time.
03:05 It's good to see.
03:06 And then guys just staying healthy.
03:08 Cuz we had a lot of injuries last year,
03:09 especially on the defensive side of the ball.
03:11 And if we can get all our pieces together,
03:13 we're gonna be a force to be reckoned with.
03:15 >> How does going through last year, one of the things I'll talk about,
03:18 sometimes you gotta kick them in the mouth at some point.
03:20 How did, when you think about what you were thinking about yourselves as a team
03:25 a year ago, coming off 11 and 2, sitting here right now,
03:28 versus what the season became, versus where you are now.
03:31 Just speak to that mindset and was there value in enduring last year?
03:36 >> Right, yeah, so like all humans, when you have success,
03:40 you can sometimes be complacent.
03:41 And I think that's what happened to us a little bit last year.
03:44 Along with death by interest, letting small mistakes add up and
03:48 eventually it catches up to you.
03:49 So coming into this year, we're more focused than we have been this past,
03:53 coming into the past season, to make sure that we don't make those same mistakes.
03:56 And that we're able to capitalize on opportunities and
03:59 be as successful as we can as a team.
04:03 >> I was talking about different team building activities you guys have done
04:06 in the offseason.
04:07 Do you feel like there's been more of those and it's been beneficial?
04:10 >> Absolutely, this has probably been the most team activities we've done in
04:13 the offseason since I've been here.
04:15 As offense alone, we've done dodgeball, I'm sorry, we've done bowling.
04:18 We've done putt-putt, we've done trivia night.
04:20 And then as a team, we've done kickball, we did dodgeball.
04:24 And when we split up teams, we usually had a random team generator and
04:28 it splits us up.
04:29 Luckily for my team, we won two of the three offensive game nights,
04:33 no trivia and bowling.
04:34 I was trying to go for the Triple Crown, but my boy JD's team beat us in the putt-putt
04:39 tournament last week, so he's been bragging about that these last couple of days.
04:42 >> What happened to the dodgeball?
04:43 >> I'm sorry?
04:45 >> Dodgeball's kinda- >> Yeah, dodgeball can get a little
04:48 physical, get crazy.
04:50 When you got a lot of athletes, guys are gonna bring their A game out there and
04:54 try to make sure they leave it on the line so they can win.
04:56 You see some athletic stuff from some guys you don't even expect,
04:59 like you got O'Lyman doing cartwheels and trying not to get hit.
05:03 It's crazy, guys who think to catch, they're getting hit in the face with
05:06 the ball, and guys who thought didn't have any hands at all are making plays.
05:09 So it's fun, though, just to get away from football and
05:11 still have some fun together as a team.
05:13 >> What moves do you think will affect complacency?
05:15 Looking back on it now, where do you see it?
05:20 >> Yeah, like I said, with success, it's just something that us as humans,
05:24 we all can say we probably have done that sometime in our life.
05:27 You just get lackadaisical, the effort and attention to detail that you once put
05:32 into things, it may not be the same.
05:34 You might waver away from that just because you're like,
05:36 well, I already accomplished this, I can do it again.
05:38 But in all actuality, it's not how it works because you've got a bigger target on
05:41 yourself after having success.
05:42 So you need to ramp it up even more so that you can meet and
05:45 even succeed what you did the previous season.
05:48 >> Being one of the veterans, one of the older guys, what's your role in kind of
05:51 getting past that complacency and not letting that happen again?
05:55 >> When I see it, call it a note and making sure that it doesn't happen.
05:59 As a leader, you can't be afraid to step up and speak.
06:02 Sometimes you might hurt your teammates feelings, but
06:04 it's better to hurt their feelings now than for
06:07 it to bite us later down the line when it really matters.
06:09 So that's something I'm trying to instill within myself more consistently along with
06:14 my teammates.
06:15 If we see stuff that's not supposed to be going on, call it out right there and
06:18 then hold guys accountable.
06:20 And then when you're getting held accountable, take it for what it is and
06:22 don't feel some type of way about it.
06:24 >> Did you feel like that was lacking at all last year?
06:27 >> Absolutely.
06:28 We had the pieces to make it happen, but for some reason,
06:30 we weren't consistent enough with it, and our record shows that.
06:34 >> How different is the class been made of how many more healthy offensive linemen
06:38 you have this spring?
06:39 What do you see from that group?
06:42 And how essential is them taking a step to whatever you guys become this year?
06:48 >> Yeah, just getting more bodies in the O-line room was great for
06:51 the guys to be able to get good reps in.
06:53 But also run their bodies into the ground because they're throwing 100 reps at
06:56 practice.
06:57 It's a good way to develop guys with the younger guys we have and
07:00 then competition.
07:02 The more guys we have, the more guys are competing.
07:04 And that way, we got competition that makes the team better.
07:07 So I'm glad to see that we're actually have some depth in the O-line room now.
07:10 Because that way, guys are, like I said, not killing themselves in practice.
07:14 But also, the next wave of guys is also able to compete and
07:17 push the guys in front of them.
07:19 >> So you're able to get more done in terms of run game?
07:21 I mean, it felt like last year, because you guys didn't have spring.
07:24 You're almost playing catch up like you would in normal football.
07:27 Do you feel like you guys have a better idea of what you can do?
07:31 >> I think we'll be better running and passing the ball this upcoming season.
07:33 We got some new pieces.
07:34 We're putting it all together so that we're ready to go this fall.
07:37 I'm excited to see what everyone has to offer because we got some good players.
07:41 And I know everyone's gonna be ready to go out there and showcase it this season.
07:44 >> Some reports that the Michigan game's gonna be at night again.
07:48 How much, I know you guys said it's always a good game for you guys.
07:51 But it also being a prime time game, is that something you guys relish?
07:54 >> Absolutely, it doesn't matter what time that game is.
07:57 That game could be at 9 in the morning, 9 at night.
07:59 Those are the games you live for because it's a legacy game.
08:02 You live to tell those games 20 years from now, 40 years from now to your family,
08:06 to your kids.
08:07 That is how you're remembered at school, is how you perform in rivalry games.
08:12 >> After everything that happened last year,
08:14 some people saying it's getting too nasty, the rivalry.
08:17 I mean, there's ways to kind of reign it in.
08:20 Mel said, he's like, I don't know how you look at it.
08:22 It's an intense thing.
08:23 Is it something you guys think about?
08:25 Or is it just you just kind of go about it and don't worry about everything else?
08:29 Or you think it's gotten too, I don't know, nasty at times?
08:33 >> I don't think it's gotten too nasty.
08:34 With all great rivalries, there are gonna be some moments where things get a little
08:38 feisty, whether it be football, boxing, anything.
08:41 That's a part of rivalries.
08:43 I'm looking forward to see where it goes from now, like in the future.
08:47 Because like I said, those are the games that people look up,
08:50 circling their calendar because you know what type of game it's gonna be.
08:53 And we're gonna keep it clean and have to go out there and play good football.
08:56 >> Trevor, you were talking about the team building, like leadership stuff.
09:00 Do you feel like that stuff becomes more necessary or
09:03 was more intentional this year?
09:04 It's not like when you came in, you come in with your class and
09:06 you grow together for the most part.
09:08 You got 20, 30 guys even going in and out every year, just in the current era.
09:13 Does it become more important to really foster that type of stuff year to year,
09:16 you think?
09:17 >> It's definitely more important now because sometimes you may not know the guys
09:21 that you're playing with as much as you did when you were coming in as a freshman.
09:24 Cuz we got recruited together, our families know each other.
09:27 Nowadays, you may not know a guy because he just got there two months ago.
09:31 So just getting to know him off the field makes us trust each other better.
09:34 If you know more about a guy who's playing to your left and your right,
09:36 you'll go that much harder for them because you know it's bigger than just
09:39 football.
09:39 You know why they're doing this because they wanna change their lives,
09:42 their family's lives.
09:44 And like I said, the more you know a guy, the better for the team.
09:46 >> How does that process sort of go for a guy like you?
09:49 I know that you're in one of those positions where it's like,
09:52 you got these guys come in when they kinda got,
09:54 they come in for personal reasons trying to do their thing.
09:57 But you're trying to also, obviously you wanna foster that, but
09:59 you also wanna fold them in to like, here's what we do,
10:01 here's our team collective effort and our goal type of thing.
10:04 Versus we know you're here to get yours too.
10:07 >> Right. >> How does that balance and
10:08 how do you try to fold that in as a leader?
10:10 >> I'm just letting the guys know, I mean, we all have our, as a competitor,
10:13 everyone has their individual agenda,
10:15 things they wanna accomplish in their time in college.
10:17 Which is definitely fine because, I mean, why else would you be doing this?
10:20 But at the same time, the team comes first and
10:23 the more success the team has, the better individual success you have as well.
10:27 The more wins you get, the more exposure your team gets and
10:30 then that answers to everything else.
10:32 So you never really see guys wallow themselves and
10:35 the team not have much success, but then they get all the spotlight.
10:38 But that doesn't really translate, but if a team is doing well,
10:42 more guys get opportunities to go to the next level.
10:44 >> I'm sorry if you already been asked this, but
10:46 about Peyton leaving, a guy you had as a teammate for multiple years,
10:50 a team captain, a guy who broke a ball to you.
10:53 I guess what is your reaction to him transferring out and
10:55 kinda how do you evaluate the QB competition going forward with,
10:58 I'm sure, three guys you've trained with?
11:00 >> Yeah, me and Peyton, we talked briefly before he made his decision.
11:04 I told him I respected it, whatever, he decided what's best for
11:06 him because that's my boy.
11:08 I wish him the best of luck.
11:09 I'm always have love for Peyton.
11:10 We came in together, got recruited together.
11:13 And then with the quarterback competition now,
11:15 all those guys are going out there competing their tail off every day because
11:18 they want the job badly.
11:19 And I like to see that because competition is good and
11:22 that's exactly what we need after coming off a five or seven season.
11:25 May the best man win in every position.
11:27 Coach Tucker told us after that season that no job will solidify it.
11:31 No matter how many games you started, what you accomplish individually,
11:35 it's a blank slate.
11:36 Go out there and get it.
11:36 So the best man is gonna win in every position.
11:38 >> As a receiver, obviously you were in the last quarterback competition.
11:42 Peyton won it and now you're seeing it again.
11:45 And your end for receivers, is it difficult for
11:47 that when guys are getting a lot of different reps?
11:50 Is it easier when it's one guy or how does it affect you guys at all?
11:53 >> No, I think it's better when we're getting reps with different guys because
11:57 it's a long season and sometimes guys' injuries occur.
12:01 God forbid they don't, but we play a violent sport and
12:05 you need to be prepared for whatever happens.
12:07 So just being able to have chemistry with everybody on the roster is key,
12:11 especially in the ultimate team sport of football where 11 guys gotta be on the
12:14 same page at all times for your team to be successful.
12:16 >> How much has the season felt like?
12:22 >> The hunger, coming into that season, we were coming from the COVID season,
12:27 we were two and five, I believe.
12:29 Anytime you come off a losing season, that level of hunger is amped up because you
12:33 don't wanna go through that again,
12:34 especially when you know you have the guys who are capable of getting the job done.
12:38 Like Coach Tucker mentioned earlier, we're deep.
12:40 We got guys in every position competing their butt off to get on the field.
12:43 And I think that's good because when guys know that they have their spots to live by,
12:48 that complacency can happen.
12:50 But when guys are fighting, they don't get what they're all every day.
12:52 >> How did you guys back here block, I mean, you guys talked about it back here,
12:57 but how did you even block out the outside expectations to achieve a lot of goals?
13:04 Excuse me.
13:06 >> You gotta just, people and things that aren't within our circle,
13:10 you can't worry about that because media, fans, your family,
13:16 they're gonna say their opinion, but they don't really know what's going on within
13:18 our circle, only the players and coaches know what's going on.
13:20 So you gotta really just lock in and key on to that because at the end of the day,
13:24 we're all we got and that's all we need.
13:25 >> We talked to you in the spring, you said you're gone,
13:28 you were talking about how you want to have a dominant here and step it up.
13:30 And then you come to Keyon, you said you want to try and shoot out.
13:33 Now it's a couple of other upper class men like Montori and Christian,
13:38 but a lot of young guys, I guess, how has your outlook of the room changed?
13:42 And you obviously now you're in an even bigger role.
13:46 >> Yeah, the dynamic of the room has changed a little bit,
13:49 just some faces, guys from the left and some guys come in, but
13:52 the mission is still the same, we wanna be the best we could possibly be.
13:56 And for us to do that, we have to be bought in with our coaches,
14:00 know the game plan, and be locked in so that we can accomplish everything we
14:03 wanna accomplish.
14:04 >> You went down south with a couple other guys, how was that?
14:10 And you feel like you, obviously the guys like Montori have chemistry,
14:14 they come off of it, do you feel like you guys are involved in that chemistry and
14:18 that you'll be successful?
14:20 >> Yeah, it was cool, I haven't been down to Virginia since I was a little kid on
14:23 my family road trip, so it was cool to just get down there and
14:25 get away from East Lansing to get some work in.
14:28 We worked out with some of his trainers back home, we got some good food.
14:31 His dad's a pretty good chef, so it was cool to just get some home cooked meals
14:34 while we're out there.
14:35 And then just getting away and having some fun outside, like I said,
14:38 outside of East Lansing is always good to do because it's more than just football
14:42 all the time, you gotta be able to have that chemistry and that relationship so
14:45 that we trust each other on the field.
14:46 So that when we're in those tight games, fourth down or third or short,
14:50 we gotta make a play, we can really trust each other and
14:52 we know that the guy's gonna be exactly where he needs to be to make a play.
14:55 >> How long- >> I'll throw an easy question for
14:56 you here.
14:57 What's it like, you're representing Michigan State here,
15:00 what does that mean to you to represent Michigan State here at Big Ten Media Days?
15:04 >> It means everything, from my peers and my coaches to allow me to come here and
15:08 be one of the spokesperson for the team, it means a lot.
15:11 It's a great honor, everyone doesn't get this opportunity, and
15:14 I'm thankful for it, and I'm looking forward to this upcoming season.
15:17 >> You said one of the- >> With Alon graduating,
15:20 how much did you know about him coming in?
15:22 Were you guys in the same recruiting class?
15:24 >> Yeah, me and Alonte, we did get recruited together back in 2019.
15:27 We committed around, I forgot how many weeks apart it was, but we were committed.
15:32 We took our official visits together, some things changed,
15:35 we ended up going to Nebraska, but we stayed in contact.
15:38 We actually have known each other since high school, so
15:39 it's pretty cool to see it come full circle.
15:41 >> What's your family mean to you?
15:45 >> The people I love and trust, the ones who know the real me,
15:48 not just the football side of Trey.
15:50 Things I do off the field, those are the people who I dedicate the most of my time
15:54 to.
15:56 >> With Alonte, what have you seen for him, what can we add to his offense?
16:01 >> He's explosive, he's quick, he's a baller,
16:04 a veteran guy who's had some college experience, who knows how the game is.
16:08 He's a great asset for us to have in the room.
16:10 Just the versatility that we have now with Marcelo, him, Montori, Christian, and
16:14 then we got Antonio Gates Jr., Tyrell Henry, Jermon Glover.
16:18 We got some guys who can mix it up and play different positions, and
16:21 I think that's gonna be good for us this year.
16:23 >> What's those dudes you just mentioned, Trey?
16:24 When you talk about the hunger as a team,
16:25 does the receiver room do you kind of encapsulate that?
16:28 Because there's you who's played a lot and done a lot, and
16:31 pretty much nobody, guys have been around multiple years trying to get that shot.
16:34 Even Tyrell, sitting around last year, trying to break in.
16:37 Does it seem like there's a lot of guys eager to get in that mix with you to get
16:41 your experience level up?
16:42 >> I can definitely see it in the room.
16:44 Guys are repeating their tail off every day because they know the opportunity
16:47 that's ahead of them.
16:48 With guys departing, Jerry and Keon, we got the percentage of catches, but
16:53 they had majority of our catches last year.
16:55 So Coach always tells us, those balls gotta go to somebody who wants them.
16:59 And that's a great challenge to us.
17:00 A lot of guys on make plays, and I'm looking forward to seeing who steps up.
17:04 >> That was something I kinda wanted to ask you about too.
17:05 I mean, on the outside, I think people might say,
17:07 what's that passing game gonna look like when you look at those guys,
17:11 their target share, those two guys together, their receiving yardage
17:14 percentages, and then the quarterback who threw it all.
17:17 So you got no QB experience, and
17:19 then most of those receptions and yards are all gone.
17:22 What would you say to give people confidence in the passing game?
17:26 >> It's a fresh start.
17:27 When we play games this year and we're going against defenses,
17:31 they're not gonna really know what to expect because it's not like
17:33 it's a blueprint from the last season of how to match up with us.
17:36 Because we got a lot of new guys who haven't really been noticed that much yet.
17:41 So they're gonna be surprised.
17:42 And I think that's gonna be good for our offense because they're gonna be more
17:44 balanced this year.
17:45 >> So, Terry, Keon was a 50-50 ball kind of receiver in your room last week.
17:50 Who's gonna be that 50-50 ball guy?
17:53 You didn't make that, even under thick cover.
17:55 >> We got a lot of guys.
17:57 We like to call them 80-20 balls.
18:00 I tell guys, if that ball's in the air and you have a chance to get it,
18:03 you better go get it.
18:05 Every time, you better go catch the ball or it better be a penalty.
18:08 We got a lot of guys in our room who are capable of doing that.
18:11 >> Is there one in particular you think might fill that role?
18:13 >> If I had to pick a guy or two, I'm gonna say Montoya Foster and
18:18 Christian Fitzpatrick, like I said, two older guys who have been in the room,
18:22 patiently waiting for the opportunity, competing since they've been here.
18:25 They're definitely more than capable and ready for the next step.
18:28 >> You just said that coach wants guys who want the ball.
18:31 Why do you want to have the ball this year?
18:34 >> Because I know all the hard work and dedication I put into the game over my
18:38 life, and I trust my skill set.
18:40 I feel like my teammates and my coaches do as well.
18:44 They know what I'm capable of.
18:45 I know what I'm capable of.
18:46 So we gotta just go out there and put that product on the field every week.
18:48 >> What do each of those three guys have to do to get over that challenge?
18:52 What do you think, like, what do you think Noah, what do you think,
18:56 Kaden, Sam, obviously, has got a lot of ground.
18:59 What does each of them have to do?
19:02 >> Well, I think this would be for all of them.
19:05 Consistency, that's every position.
19:07 Having control over the offense.
19:09 As a quarterback, you have to be able to have control.
19:11 And I know that sometimes can be difficult for
19:13 a guy stepping into a starting row.
19:15 So take on that challenge.
19:17 But to be the starting quarterback, the offense and the team itself,
19:20 you're gonna have to be able to get behind you and trust everything you say and
19:24 everything that you do.
19:25 That you're 100% bought in so they can support you as well.
19:28 And just having fun with it.
19:30 Don't be tense.
19:30 Don't let the pressure, pressure is a privilege.
19:34 We can't let it get to you and break you.
19:36 We are, a lot of people will kill to be in a situation like this.
19:39 So just get back to your roots, having fun and
19:41 living the game and everything else, and take care of yourself.
19:44 >> For you, what's it been like to go through the uncertainty of 2020 and
19:48 coaching staff, to go through the high of 2021 and the disappointment of last year.
19:54 Now, this time again, I would assume a little bit of uncertainty too.
20:00 What's that been like for you?
20:02 I think it's been an emotional roller coaster.
20:05 >> I enjoy it.
20:06 Seeing all aspects of the game, the highs, the lows, everything in the middle.
20:09 It's adversity.
20:10 That's how life is.
20:12 Point me to anybody who's had the best life and everything's been good for them.
20:15 I'll say that line because that's just life.
20:18 You're gonna have some ups, you're gonna have some downs.
20:19 But how do you bounce back and react to them?
20:22 That shows you the type of person you are.
20:24 And I'm looking forward to see how our team bounces back this year.
20:26 >> When you see what happened in Northwestern, I'm wondering,
20:30 there's always stuff where freshmen carry the bags or
20:33 things like that happen in programs.
20:36 I'm wondering, was there anything you thought about at MSU?
20:39 We need to make sure of this, we need to check this.
20:41 Or was there something that within the culture of the program you weren't
20:44 concerned about at all?
20:46 >> No, I don't think that there was anything that I was concerned about.
20:50 I feel like anywhere you go, for younger guys coming into a program,
20:53 just the maturity level is something that they need to focus on.
20:58 Because when you're a kid coming out of high school,
20:59 there's certain things you don't even think about, but you do.
21:02 So just having older guys on the team who are there to hold you accountable,
21:06 show you what's right and what's wrong,
21:07 is something that I try to do a lot with the younger guys on the team.
21:10 >> Is that something you had shown for you when you first got to MSU?
21:12 That was a pretty good structure for that?
21:15 >> Most definitely.
21:17 Even with the previous staff, Coach D, and the guys who were within that team,
21:21 those teams I played on, that was something that they really showed me.
21:25 This is how you do it, this is how you go about your business.
21:27 This is the right way to do it, this is the wrong way to do it.
21:29 You wanna last in college football and not be known as a troublemaker or
21:33 somebody who gets in trouble, and do your business the right way.
21:35 You won't have any issues.
21:36 >> They have proven years for players.
21:38 I mean, do you think this is kind of a proofing here for the program?
21:43 >> Absolutely. >> What it stands for?
21:44 >> Absolutely, it's a bounce back here.
21:45 And we're looking forward to it.
21:48 From what I hear, we know we have one of the tougher schedules this year,
21:52 which is good.
21:52 I mean, how else would you want it?
21:54 You get to showcase your skills against some of the top players and
21:57 teams in the country.
21:58 So let's go out there and do it.
21:59 >> You got a couple of new guys in the room, the freshmen, and
22:03 then a lot of guys that I guess help you evaluate what you see.
22:06 >> Yeah, so Alante, I can say he's an older guy.
22:12 He knows how the college game is.
22:14 So he's a little bit more comfortable in terms of learning and
22:18 the speed of the game itself.
22:19 Because he, like I said, he knows how it takes.
22:21 Our two younger guys, Jaylon Smith and Isaiah Johnson,
22:25 they're still learning how it is as a freshman.
22:27 You're just trying to get your feet wet.
22:29 But they are coming along, and
22:30 I'm excited to see what they bring to the table in the upcoming years.
22:34 >> Do you remember Alante before when they were initially recruiting him?
22:37 >> Yeah, we committed together.
22:38 Yeah, we were committed together.
22:40 We actually met going to our senior year of high school, doing 707.
22:44 So we've had a relationship since 2019-ish, yeah.
22:48 >> 2019.
22:50 >> What are your early impressions of Sam Leavitt?
22:52 Like what do you take from him?
22:54 And talk about his arm talent a little bit.
22:56 >> His confidence.
22:57 >> Okay.
22:58 >> I love it.
22:59 As a quarterback, you have to be confident.
23:00 He's one of those guys who thinks he can make every throw.
23:02 And I don't blame him, cuz his arm talent is legit.
23:05 So that's one thing I really love about Sam.
23:07 And I noticed that his first week on campus, he's very confident in himself.
23:11 And he's a willing learner.
23:13 >> Okay, what differentiates the different quarterbacks as far as Noah,
23:17 Caden, Sam, what makes them different?
23:19 >> I mean, if you see all of them stand next to each other, their body types,
23:23 would be the first thing that you see.
23:25 They're all great quarterbacks, but they all do it in different ways.
23:28 Noah, they all have great arms for sure.
23:31 But then Noah's more mobile.
23:32 Caden's a bigger body.
23:34 And then Sam, he's like a twinner.
23:35 He's a little bit smaller than Caden, but he's a little bit, and
23:38 he can move a little bit as well.
23:39 So just seeing them get the job done in different ways is good to see,
23:43 because like I said, they're all competing for that job, and the best man to win.
23:46 >> The second year guys, you mentioned a little bit, Diggs, Henry, and Glover.
23:53 >> Yeah.
23:54 >> How big of a jump are you expecting to see out of them this year?
23:57 >> I'm looking to see a major jump.
23:59 I know those guys are hungry.
24:00 They didn't play as much as they probably wanted to last year.
24:03 But now they have a great, tremendous opportunity in front of them now to go
24:06 out there and get as many snaps as they want if they take care of business.
24:10 Coach Hawk always tells us, I'm gonna play the guys I trust and
24:13 the guys that I know, they know what they're doing on the field.
24:16 And they can go out there and make plays.
24:17 So I'm looking forward to seeing all those guys go out there and
24:19 make plays for us this year.
24:20 >> What is your relationship like with Coach Hawk and then Coach Tina?
24:23 >> Yeah, me and Coach Hawk have a great relationship.
24:26 Us both being from the state of Michigan.
24:29 He's taught me a lot in these four years.
24:31 He's been my coach since the 2020 season.
24:35 We have a lot of great conversation about football and off the field.
24:38 Very, a lot of mutual respect.
24:40 I listen to everything he tells me, good and bad, pertaining to my game.
24:44 Cuz I know he's coming from a good place and he wants me to succeed and
24:47 make it to the next level.
24:48 So everything he tells me, I soak in.
24:50 And then with Coach Tino, we met earlier this year.
24:53 But like I said, even with him, very relatable.
24:56 With him being a younger guy, he knows what he's talking about.
24:59 Very educated on the game.
25:01 And I'm looking forward to him coaching us as well this season.
25:04 >> Appreciate it, man.