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00:00 >> Can you talk about Malik and how he's coming along?
00:03 >> The question is how has Malik been, how's he coming along?
00:09 You know what, I like where he's at.
00:12 It's been a process, it's been a three year process.
00:15 And Malik's finally at a point where one, he's truly embracing that he is a tight end.
00:21 And everything that comes along with that.
00:23 I'm really proud of how much he has improved in the run game for his blocking.
00:28 And I mean, that's been his biggest struggle.
00:30 We all know he's a big athletic guy, but he just wasn't ready,
00:33 in my opinion, the last couple of years for certain situations.
00:36 And, but I think he is now.
00:39 He's in a position to be that main guy.
00:43 I mean, in a position where hopefully it doesn't lead the field too much.
00:47 So obviously we gotta continue working on endurance and
00:50 all those kind of things now that he's in that role.
00:52 But I'm happy with where he's at.
00:54 >> What do you attribute that sort of switch flip to?
00:57 Is it just getting older?
00:58 Is it you drilling into him?
00:59 Or what do you sort of point to and say,
01:01 here's where he turned that corner to becoming that every now and then?
01:04 >> I think the question is, when did the light switch come on for him?
01:09 I think it's been a combination of all those things.
01:12 I mean, cuz it's been a journey.
01:13 I mean, those first year one, I think it was probably about game eight that he
01:18 finally played a little bit, because he had no, year two,
01:22 he still wasn't a complete player, he was more of a role player for it.
01:25 Whether he agreed with it or not, and trust me, he did not agree with it.
01:30 He hadn't earned it.
01:31 So that's been a process for both of us.
01:34 I mean, because he'll be the first to tell you, he probably didn't like me.
01:37 And I'll tell you what, there's days I didn't like him.
01:40 But through it all, we found our way.
01:43 And we're at a point where I think we understand each other.
01:46 But I think he appreciated that, because he knows it was not given to him.
01:49 And now I'm asking him to be a leader.
01:51 I'm asking him to, and he's doing a good job, by the way,
01:54 at that, as far as leading other guys.
01:55 And I'm trying to teach him how to be a professional now.
01:59 >> What can that do for an offense, to have a guy who can keep people on his
02:03 surface field, even though he's playing out on the field?
02:06 >> It changes us immensely.
02:08 I mean, now you've got to defend the entire field.
02:10 Malik have a unique skill set.
02:13 I mean, let's keep in mind right now, I think he's, since I think,
02:16 I know he's too heavy right now.
02:18 But you wouldn't know it.
02:19 I mean, the other day, Malik went way 272.
02:22 And I'm saying, hey, we gotta get that down, so
02:24 we can be on the field a bit longer.
02:27 But for a big man, he can still move.
02:29 There's not a lot of big people out there that can move like him.
02:32 So he really has a chance, now that he's gonna be a starter,
02:35 to really make a name for himself, really put himself in a position to do some
02:39 great things, so I'm anxious to watch him.
02:41 >> Is there a weight goal for him?
02:43 >> Well, I would love for him to be that 265, 260.
02:50 But he proved my point.
02:52 So when you talk to him, say, hey, Coach Gilmore told you a long time ago,
02:54 you will never see 220 again.
02:57 >> Someone last week joked that he came in here and
03:01 he said, I'm not a tight end, I'm a receiver.
03:04 >> I want to throw a question.
03:05 >> How do you, especially with the way the game's evolved with the guys like
03:10 the Jimmy Grahams that flank out like that, how do you get a guy to buy into that?
03:13 What was your coaching process to bring him into that?
03:17 >> Well, it had a lot to do with not playing much year one,
03:22 not rotating in year two.
03:24 And I think that got his attention, that no, this is what you're gonna have to do.
03:28 You're gonna have to do it all.
03:30 And you have to embrace that.
03:32 And once he truly embraced that, and one is that peace.
03:36 Because he knows what he is, he knows what his future is.
03:39 And now that I know that, I know what my why is, I know what I need to do.
03:44 So it's been a three year process.
03:46 >> Coach, as we celebrate Malik and his evolution,
03:49 you just kind of laid out the blueprint to his success.
03:51 Is this normally the process for
03:53 most big time athletes that transition into high level college football?
03:57 Or is it still different for other people?
03:59 >> No, it's no different.
04:00 You're gonna always have that.
04:02 I mean, you gotta keep in mind all these guys come out of high school,
04:04 highly recruited.
04:05 They're the best at their school.
04:06 And then you come here and have to start all over.
04:08 Some make that adjustment a little bit easier than others.
04:11 And make no mistake about it.
04:14 Malik had the ability day one.
04:16 But it's all the other intangibles that had to get him to understand.
04:20 And that's where we butted heads at times.
04:23 Because he can look and say, coach, I'm more athletic than this guy.
04:26 I can do this.
04:27 Why don't I just do all the passives?
04:29 No, you gotta do everything.
04:31 And if you're not doing everything, I'm not gonna reward you.
04:34 >> Is butting heads always a bad thing?
04:36 >> No, no, it's not a bad thing.
04:37 I mean, I've been doing this a long time ago.
04:40 For a long time, I should say.
04:41 And it's not the first time a player just disagreed with me or didn't like me.
04:45 I'm 56 year old.
04:46 I don't need a 22 year old friend.
04:47 >> [LAUGH] >> So let's start there.
04:50 So I'm not trying to be his friend.
04:52 I'm here to tell him the truth.
04:54 And I think in the long run, he'll appreciate that.
04:57 Because I'm not, hey, I'm telling what you need to do.
05:01 I'm telling what I see.
05:02 And then we can watch the tape and
05:04 hopefully somewhere in the middle we can get on the same page.
05:07 But it's not about telling him what he wants to hear about.
05:10 I'm telling what he needs to hear.
05:12 And trust me, there's been plenty of times I've stepped on his toes, his shoes.
05:16 But there's also been times when I've been willing to shine.
05:18 >> All right, let's make a move up the second scrimmage on Saturday.
05:22 Just kind of what your overall thoughts were offensively, tight end wise.
05:26 >> Offensively, we're not where we want to be.
05:28 Obviously, we still got a lot of stuff to clean up.
05:30 I'm trying to be balanced.
05:31 And there's times it was able to be balanced and times it wasn't.
05:33 So that's ongoing.
05:35 We've got to continue to work on trying to fix that.
05:37 As it relates to the tight end position, I'm still trying to figure out.
05:41 I know what Milly Carr is.
05:42 Now I've got to figure out who the other guys are, what their role is going to be,
05:45 and how they're going to help, so on and so forth.
05:47 So that's my job between now and that first ball game is to really identify and
05:51 make sure those guys clearly understand what their role is going to be and
05:54 how they fit into a scheme of things.
05:56 >> So you got the three transfers and then some of the Jack Nichols and
06:01 Mark Miss and this kind of guys.
06:03 What you see from individually when each of them brings,
06:07 you got obviously some different line types.
06:09 >> Sure, sure.
06:10 And they all bring something different to the table.
06:11 And that's the problem.
06:13 They might be good in the pass, they might be good in the run.
06:16 I'm trying to find as complete player as I can.
06:19 And that's what I got to figure out in this couple weeks,
06:24 exactly who's doing what.
06:25 Because some of them may not necessarily be ready for this role, but
06:27 they are in this role.
06:29 Putting guys in the best position to be successful.
06:31 And like I said, all of those guys are very competitive.
06:35 All those guys are very driven and hungry.
06:37 So the competition has been really good, really good.
06:40 And obviously I've had to grade every single practice just because it's that
06:44 close.
06:44 And at the end of it,
06:46 I mean that may have a lot to do with who's doing what based on those grades.
06:50 >> Just having the increased depth in your room,
06:51 this is probably your deepest room since you've been here, right?
06:54 >> It is. >> How's that help?
06:56 How's that played out?
06:56 >> Well, it's the coach's best friend.
06:57 And I say it like that because obviously, you can't be a held hostage.
07:04 And by the same token, you have a guy like Malik Khan.
07:08 So when I'm talking about trying to be professional,
07:10 right now he's not threatened by anybody else.
07:13 So if his slip is showing, I'd have to be the one to tell him.
07:16 I'd be the one to tell him.
07:17 >> How many different styles do you have at that position?
07:20 It seems like a guy like Malik is a bigger guy that can get out and
07:25 call someone, and obviously Malik is pass centric and
07:30 got guys like Morris.
07:32 Like how many types of guys do you have?
07:35 >> Well, we got it all.
07:36 We got it all.
07:38 Obviously, you're saying Malik far surpassed, but
07:39 making the slip, Malik being strong, Malik needs to pass also.
07:42 He needs to block also.
07:44 So he needs to be a complete player.
07:46 You mentioned Mola.
07:48 Mola right now, obviously as he continues to learn, his upside is huge.
07:54 Big time upside, running path.
07:55 I just gotta get a little bit better fundamentally.
07:58 You have Evan Morris who's put himself in position to help us in the running game
08:02 a little bit.
08:03 Evan might be the toughest guy in the room.
08:05 Now I just gotta help him stay here and not get too high, not get too low, and
08:10 teach him how to hit that reset button.
08:13 Jalen Franklin obviously came to us from Wisconsin.
08:15 I've been knowing Jalen for a long time.
08:17 And Jalen's very athletic young man.
08:20 And Jalen is one, as we continue to work on keeping the weight on him so
08:24 he can hold up at the point.
08:25 But he's very athletic to get in position.
08:28 We gotta do a better job of catching ball, inconsistent catching ball.
08:33 Jack Nichol is, right now, can help us today in the run game.
08:38 He's very fundamentally sound in the run game and came here from Milton,
08:42 already knowing a lot of that.
08:44 So his background has helped him.
08:46 Mike Masunas is playing catch up, obviously coming off an injury last year.
08:49 So we gotta get his pads a little bit lower, get him playing a little bit more,
08:53 a little tougher.
08:54 But he's coming, he's a smart kid.
08:57 He knows it all, very, very bright young man.
09:01 Tynell Hopper, he's probably had his best two weeks since he's been here.
09:05 He's finally seeing what we, and what we envision as far as playing fast,
09:11 playing physical, and what he was.
09:12 Now we're on the same page, and his talent levels have come to life.
09:15 So he'll play a role both running and pass.
09:18 Who did I miss?
09:19 >> Parachat.
09:21 >> I'm sorry?
09:21 >> Parachat.
09:22 >> Parachat, you know what?
09:24 Hey, bright future.
09:25 That young man got a bright future.
09:27 Hopefully I can keep him away from baseball.
09:29 He's got a bright future.
09:30 I'm very excited about his future.
09:34 >> So as a group, where do you feel like you're at in the run game?
09:37 Mel was in here the other day and talked about the offense needs to run the ball
09:40 better, and you sort of started with the tight ends.
09:42 I'm just wondering what your comfort level is, or your confidence with that?
09:45 >> Well, and you know what?
09:47 Cuz like you said, we are part of the extension of the home line, so
09:49 we gotta do a better job.
09:50 Last year, we didn't consistently block that C gap though.
09:53 And there's been a lot of emphasis, and not gonna look, but
09:56 we want our share in camp.
09:57 And so we got something we can build upon.
10:00 But it's required as part of the job requirement, I should say.
10:05 So we just gotta keep the pressure on.
10:08 And they're taking pride in it.
10:10 They really are taking pride in it, because it's a mindset, and
10:12 it's something that we have to do to be able to run the ball.
10:15 We gotta hold our end up.
10:16 [BLANK_AUDIO]
10:19 >> What do you think about the scrimmage on Saturday?
10:21 How did the group progress?
10:22 Did anyone stand out individually?
10:25 >> As a group, I thought they competed, really did.
10:29 We graded out well in the run game, got target up.
10:32 And that's the one thing I say about all of them,
10:34 the mistakes, the minimal mistakes are down.
10:36 So we own the right people.
10:37 Now I can coach on the finish.
10:39 I can coach technique and spend time on that.
10:42 Cuz they've really done a good job of what we talked about, the three A's,
10:47 triple A's, assignment alignment and justice.
10:50 They've done a really good job of that.
10:52 So that really stood out that, you know what, we're on the right people.
10:55 We know where we're going.
10:56 Now we can play fast.
10:58 Now I can really focus on being more physical and technique driven.
11:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
11:03 >> Anything else, Coach?
11:03 >> No, Mark.
11:04 >> All right, thanks, Coach.
11:06 >> All right, thank you guys.
11:07 >> Good.
11:07 [BLANK_AUDIO]