Zach Frazier Fall Camp Day 3
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00:00 We have Senator Zach Fraser.
00:03 Questions for Zach? Go ahead, Craig.
00:05 Zach, start with not missing spring
00:08 but not practicing as much as I'm sure you'd like to.
00:11 Frustrating? What was that like for you?
00:13 Because you haven't missed a lot that I've seen.
00:15 Yeah. Yeah, it was definitely a little hard for me
00:19 when I was sitting on the sideline,
00:22 you know, watching them because I felt --
00:23 or, like, of course I wanted to be out there.
00:27 But it's definitely good to be back now
00:29 and practicing full speed, so feeling good.
00:34 Did it set you back at all or --
00:36 I mean, because you're a veteran, it just --
00:39 you know, you picked up.
00:40 I mean, I still had stuff that --
00:42 I could still watch film, and I could still, like,
00:46 you know, weed out all the stuff that I needed to work on.
00:48 And at the same time, you can still do drills on air.
00:52 It's still not the same, but, you know,
00:55 I don't think it set me back.
00:57 What was it like?
00:58 You've been in there pretty much since you got here.
01:00 What was it like to just take a step back
01:02 and watch the other kind of first-team play,
01:06 coach Moore kind of specifically talked about,
01:08 other guys kind of needed to fill your role
01:11 while you were out?
01:12 Yeah, it definitely felt weird. I didn't like it.
01:14 But, yeah, definitely a weird feeling
01:16 just sitting back there,
01:18 especially when at that point I was pretty much healthy,
01:21 but I felt like I could have gone,
01:24 but it wasn't worth the risk.
01:27 Did you see guys --
01:28 I think you mentioned Doug,
01:30 and I think Brandon specifically stepping up
01:33 and playing center and kind of taking your leadership role.
01:37 Well, not taking it, but, you know, filling it.
01:38 Yeah.
01:39 What was it like to watch that from --
01:41 Yeah, I mean, from the beginning of spring to end,
01:42 there was definitely a --
01:44 they made a big jump and played really well.
01:47 I think both of them could play center right now
01:50 and play it well.
01:54 Zach, obviously the quarterback competition
01:55 is a big focal point this fall.
01:58 Guys that you've been around,
02:00 I guess how have you seen them grow and develop
02:03 from then to last season up until this point now?
02:05 Yeah, I've been -- well, Garrett came in with me,
02:08 and then I've obviously been here since Nico came in,
02:10 and they've both grown tremendously.
02:14 And on the field and off the field,
02:17 there's their leadership, I would say, too.
02:20 And then also you see them on the field every day,
02:23 and they're both getting better.
02:24 They're both throwing it well, making good decisions.
02:26 So I'm looking forward to it.
02:30 Zach, I'm sure you're aware of people's
02:33 NFL projections for you.
02:36 Now that you're back in school, is there anything individually,
02:39 even that you're looking to work on,
02:41 that we've asked some players in the past
02:43 that maybe have one year left,
02:44 they're looking at the NFL, that, hey, I want to work on this,
02:46 and maybe the average fan wouldn't be able to decipher?
02:50 Yeah, I'm --
02:52 Is your position to rely on the stats as much as others?
02:56 I think I'm just doing the same thing I always do,
02:59 like just focusing on what I feel like are my weaknesses
03:03 and what I can improve on.
03:04 And really, I don't try to think about that too much.
03:08 I just kind of try to make myself the best that I can be,
03:14 and then whatever happens, it'll happen.
03:19 But I'm just kind of just focused,
03:21 you know, one day at a time, kind of.
03:23 So you said weaknesses improve on.
03:26 What would be those things?
03:27 What do you concentrate on?
03:29 I just have -- I mean, I feel like in every part of my game,
03:33 I'm always working on something to get better.
03:35 I don't feel like I've ever --
03:38 you know, I'm ever perfect or anything.
03:39 I just always have little things that I'm working on.
03:44 Is there maybe an advantage in that way?
03:48 I mean, obviously, you've been in there
03:49 when Garrett and Nico have been in there before,
03:51 but the offense is going to be a little different this year.
03:53 Are they a little different style of quarterbacks
03:55 than certainly last year?
03:57 Is having more games with them
03:59 potentially going to allow you to grow different as a player?
04:02 I would say both of our quarterbacks now,
04:07 they're definitely more mobile,
04:08 and I'd say that's the biggest thing.
04:11 I feel like in college football,
04:14 you know, mobile quarterbacks do generally well.
04:17 And I think that's going to be fun to watch this year.
04:21 And it makes it easier on us, too,
04:22 because even if everyone's guarded downfield,
04:27 they can take off and have a huge gain.
04:29 Or if someone gets beat, they can elude it
04:32 and go get a gain of 5, 10 yards,
04:35 something like that, instead of taking a sack.
04:38 How did it change life for offensive linemen, though,
04:40 with a mobile quarterback?
04:42 Obviously, you guys -- if it was a pocket guy,
04:46 he knew what was happening.
04:47 Different now.
04:49 Yeah.
04:50 You just have to be ready for them to take off
04:52 and then chase them down.
04:53 And then I would say at the same time,
04:54 sometimes you don't always know where he's at
04:56 because he's running around.
04:57 But, yeah, it's not too different until they take off.
05:04 Zach, you mentioned that both those quarterbacks
05:06 are more even-keeled, more at ease.
05:08 Have you noticed that? How does that reflect?
05:10 Yeah.
05:13 Yeah, I would say Garrett's probably more of an energy guy.
05:18 But they're both very calm and cool and collected.
05:24 But I would say Garrett's definitely
05:26 a little bit more sparky, and Niko's more serious.
05:32 Zach, now that you're a number of years into your career,
05:39 what does it mean to come up the road
05:41 from Fairmont and play here?
05:44 It's really meant everything.
05:46 Just like you said, growing up in Fairmont,
05:50 you grow up watching West Virginia coming to games.
05:54 And it's really what I've always dreamed of,
05:58 and it's just been really special so far.
06:03 Has there been times --
06:05 you started right away your first year.
06:06 Has there been times where you couldn't believe that you were --
06:09 I mean, you said this is what you dreamt of.
06:11 Has there been times where you've had to pinch yourself?
06:13 Yeah, yeah.
06:16 I would say probably when I found out
06:17 I was starting for the first time,
06:19 that was probably one of the coolest moments
06:23 because you work so hard and then it finally came true.
06:26 And you just finally realize that you're going to start the game.
06:29 That was probably the coolest moment I've had.
06:34 Zach, talking to Garrett earlier,
06:38 it sounded like during the spring
06:39 you might have worked on your golf game some.
06:41 Yeah, yeah, we like to golf.
06:43 Tell me a little bit about your golfing history.
06:45 I mean, you are not --
06:47 I don't think they make golf clubs in your size.
06:49 Oh, well, I have to have extended clubs a little bit,
06:55 bigger grips, but, yeah, I try to swing smooth.
06:59 I don't try to kill it, so I try to swing easy.
07:02 But, yeah, we play a lot whenever we can.
07:07 It's a totally different game than football.
07:09 And, I mean, about the only thing I can think of
07:11 that's alike is that an out-of-bounds hit is bad in both.
07:14 Yeah, yeah.
07:17 What is the attraction to you?
07:21 I think it all started really in COVID
07:23 when we really didn't have anything to do,
07:24 and that was one of the only things.
07:26 You know, you could be outside and, you know, away.
07:28 So I think we started golfing a lot during COVID,
07:31 and then ever since then it's just been a good,
07:34 like, relaxing thing to do and get away for a little bit.
07:38 So it's just a little bit of a get away from me.
07:41 What's that? Who taught you?
07:43 Well, I play baseball,
07:45 but that doesn't really help on the golf course.
07:47 And so just probably YouTube videos.
07:52 What's the best club in your bag?
07:55 Probably my wedges.
07:57 Yeah, I'm, like, good at --
07:58 Well, I like chipping and stuff like that.
08:00 So it gets you to 100 yards?
08:02 Yeah, yeah.
08:03 Yeah, how's your putting?
08:05 It's good right now, actually.
08:07 I don't know. It's normally not, but, yeah.
08:11 And you and Garrett?
08:13 We're normally pretty close.
08:15 Best player on the team and best line on the team in golfing?
08:21 Oh, I don't know.
08:24 I don't know.
08:29 Garrett said it was very surprising
08:30 to see you around the ring, so your touches.
08:33 I mean, you know, you don't think of a guy
08:35 as big as you are that spends your life
08:38 throwing people around having a delicate touch,
08:40 yet he said you kind of --
08:43 that that's the best part of your game.
08:44 Oh, thank you.
08:45 Yeah.
08:47 Well, you got to hand it to the footballer.
08:48 Yeah.
08:49 You got to ask some hands to snap the ball around.
08:50 Yeah, yeah.
08:52 Yeah, so good touch there.
08:53 Yep.
08:55 The other thing is how far do you hit it?
08:58 Like -- like a driver?
09:03 Yeah.
09:04 I hit some really far, and then I would say,
09:06 but on average, I probably hit it like 250 or something.
09:10 I don't try to kill it, but, I mean,
09:11 I've hit some over 300 for sure, but --
09:13 Maybe watching some pro golfers who aren't that big.
09:16 Oh, yeah.
09:18 Yeah, there's some guys that are way smaller than me
09:20 that I'm friends with that can crush a ball, so.
09:24 And the other thing was, tell me a little bit
09:26 about the wedding this summer.
09:27 Yeah, I got married in May, and it was a lot of fun,
09:32 and we had a good time, so.
09:37 How many guys on the O-line are married now?
09:39 You, Nestor? And the Yates.
09:41 The Yates. The Yates.
09:42 Three of you. Yep.
09:44 Wow. Yep.
09:46 I didn't think you were going to be asking questions
09:47 about your golf game and the wedding.
09:49 No, no.
09:50 You weren't prepared for that. No.
09:53 How does being married change your life day-to-day now?
09:56 The wedding's over, the party's done,
09:58 now you're -- what's it like?
10:01 Yeah, everyone always asks me,
10:03 like, how different is it being married?
10:06 I think it's pretty much the same.
10:07 I don't think it's too different,
10:09 but, yeah, I definitely got a good one, though.
10:13 Yeah.
10:14 I got in here late.
10:16 I'm sure you've been asked this before,
10:17 but when you found out
10:19 that you were going to be picked last in your league,
10:21 what was your reaction, and was it --
10:23 did you guys talk about it amongst yourselves a little bit?
10:26 Yeah, I mean, when you get picked last,
10:28 that's pretty much like a slap in the face,
10:31 and, you know, but, like, it's good, too,
10:33 because it fires you up,
10:35 and obviously when we all saw it,
10:37 we weren't happy with it,
10:40 but it's definitely good motivation,
10:41 and we're looking forward to trying to prove everyone wrong
10:45 and just getting after it this season.
10:48 Does that keep in the back of your mind?
10:50 Do you guys keep that in the back of your mind?
10:52 Like, daily? Probably not.
10:53 Yeah. Not, like, constantly, but, yeah.
10:56 It's always in the back of my mind, but, yeah.
11:01 In your opinion, as far as the team,
11:05 what's better about it than maybe last year
11:08 or last spring in your mind?
11:12 I'd say we just have a really good group of people,
11:14 and I really like everyone on this team,
11:17 and I'd say we're really together right now,
11:20 and I just really like this group that we have.
11:24 Zach, I'm pretty sure you can answer this,
11:26 so you've seen a lot of nose guards
11:28 and, like, different types of bodies in play in practice,
11:32 right, from your teammates.
11:34 Yeah.
11:35 How has that kind of evolved and changed
11:38 when -- across from you, I guess, through the years?
11:40 Like, through the years? Yeah.
11:42 Yeah. Like, what they're doing on defense.
11:44 Yeah.
11:45 So, obviously, it's, like, it has to do with
11:48 every person's a little different.
11:51 Like, going off of, like, our team now,
11:53 like, Eddie V is very good with his hands, and he's quick,
11:57 so I have to set a little different to him
11:59 than, like, Mike Lockhart or Hammond or Futurma.
12:07 They're more bigger guys, more bullrush guys,
12:09 so you just set them a little different.
12:12 But I would say the difference is just the bullrush guys
12:15 versus the guys that are a little quicker
12:18 and better with their hands.
12:20 You can only -- the defensive coordinator,
12:22 he can only play the guys he has.
12:23 What's that? The defensive coordinator
12:25 can only play the guys he has. Right.
12:26 Some of these guys are new, or maybe they're better.
12:28 Right. Was the style of play different?
12:29 Like, were they, I don't know, in gaps more instead of bullrush?
12:31 Was it, like, quicker instead of power in the past?
12:35 Are you talking about, like, this year to, like --
12:37 Yeah, a year before, two years ago.
12:38 In your time as center, what have you seen
12:40 from the defense here at that spot?
12:43 Like, overall, it's normally been a lot of movement,
12:46 a lot of nose crossing face and stuff like that.
12:51 But, yeah, it's just -- I don't know.
12:57 You're pretty strong, but Jordan said that, like,
12:58 the power from those nose guards is probably different
13:01 and better than it has been the past couple of years.
13:03 Oh, for sure. Oh, you agree with that.
13:05 Yeah, yeah. How did someone like you notice that?
13:07 Because I imagine you're not going to be easy to move, right?
13:10 Yeah, I can still feel, like, the guys I'm going --
13:13 like, I've gone against them before,
13:14 and, like, last year I went against most of our nose guards,
13:17 and you can just feel the strength of them,
13:20 and you can feel them --
13:21 like, even from the last three days,
13:24 I can feel that they've gotten stronger
13:26 and they're getting better, which is good.
13:29 What was the strongest one, toughest one there?
13:33 He's very strong. He's very strong, yeah.
13:35 They're all pretty similar.
13:39 Has the approach of opponents taken to you
13:42 changed over the years?
13:44 Excuse me?
13:45 Has the approach that opponents' defenses
13:48 towards you changed over the years?
13:51 Do they do different things now than they did earlier?
13:56 I'm not quite sure if they change,
13:57 but I definitely scout them and, you know,
14:00 know who I'm going against and try to figure out, like,
14:03 what's their game and, you know, what they're good at.
14:06 [Indistinct]
14:14 It was definitely a good honor,
14:16 but I don't get too caught up in, like,
14:19 the preseason stuff just because, you know,
14:24 what matters is at the end of the year,
14:25 and I think that we definitely have some guys
14:28 that will be there at the end of the year, too, with me,
14:31 so -- or hopefully.
14:34 But the goal is the end of the season,
14:37 and I think we have plenty of those caliber guys on our team.
14:42 Is there a big difference for you --
14:44 I know in the spring, Doug jumped out to tackle
14:46 and Ja'Quay moved in.
14:47 Is that a big difference for you, who's playing next to you?
14:50 I'm pretty comfortable with --
14:52 because even, like, Yates, he's played plenty of guard,
14:57 and Hubbard has, too, and we all feel comfortable together.
15:02 We all have the same communication,
15:03 and really anyone can jump in there and know --
15:07 and we can communicate and know
15:09 what each other's thinking pretty well.
15:11 How much does it help that --
15:13 I mean, basically the whole line has been together
15:15 going on almost three years now?
15:16 Yeah, that's everything, really,
15:18 because we all know the offense very well
15:23 and know how to communicate with each other.
15:33 Okay, anything else for Zach?
15:36 Okay. Thank you very much.