Cincinnati DE Malik Vann on His Strong 2023 Start, Defensive Line Rotation Sweet Spot, And More
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00:00 Russ Elman, All Bearcats reporter here joined by UC defensive end Malik Van.
00:05 Malik, one of your best, arguably your best snap to snap performances in
00:10 a single game of your career.
00:13 What was working so well on the field against Pittsburgh?
00:16 >> We just watched a lot of film on and
00:17 we knew what was coming before the play even started.
00:20 We were jumping to snap count really well.
00:22 And we're just getting after it very early.
00:23 >> And so highest graded player on the team so far this season by PFF.
00:29 You're healthy, you obviously have the talent, you have the experience.
00:32 Do you feel like it's all three of those factors kind of mixing well so
00:35 far in the first two games?
00:36 >> Yeah, for sure.
00:37 Obviously, I've been around a long time, played like 53 career games.
00:40 There's nothing really new that I see anymore.
00:41 So everything is coming together, just trying to stay healthy now is the biggest
00:46 part for me, and then get on to the next step.
00:48 >> Does this season feel the loosest and maybe most free you played in your career?
00:53 Or is there another season that you think is free?
00:55 >> This year and then the 21 season before I injured my ankle.
00:58 This season, the coaching staff trusts us a lot.
01:01 They trust us with a whole bunch of a workload.
01:03 But then we go to the field and it shows.
01:05 So the trust they instill in us and how we play and
01:08 give it back to them, it's just a good working relationship.
01:12 >> How much is it you winning snap to snap, winning your individual assignment
01:17 versus the depth of talent and the amount of problems you guys as a defensive line
01:23 can bring and that kind of opening things up for you and
01:25 maybe you didn't win right away at the snap.
01:27 >> It's definitely a mix of the two.
01:30 Just know what I have to do, know where I need to be at.
01:32 But then you get six of us or nine of us that can come at you in any different
01:35 angle, I'm gonna switch up from Briggs being just a strong group.
01:40 Like I am strong, but just to switch up from Briggs and I'm stronger than Eric,
01:43 who's more quicker, but he can still hit you with a long arm and get you off the spot.
01:47 So I'm just in between, between both of them and
01:51 we just do change ups at O-linemen all the time.
01:53 We move, we go straight and as the solvers fit, it helps, it works.
02:01 >> Talking D lineman averaging about 30 to 40 snaps a game right now.
02:05 Does that feel like a nice sweet spot for you guys as a group to be able to keep
02:08 that motor high and the last five minutes of the game?
02:11 >> For sure, like our coach believes in rotating as many guys as possible.
02:15 So we rotate eight or nine on a game to game basis.
02:18 And he tries to just give us breathers when he can cuz if it's a game that's
02:22 coming down to the wire, he knows he's gonna need us.
02:24 So we just pop in for a breather for possession and
02:28 then we're good to go cuz the offense goes back out.
02:30 So we get a little bit of a break there and
02:31 then playing 30 to 40 snaps a game, that's great for everybody.
02:34 Cuz anything over that,
02:36 there's no way your stamina is gonna stay at its peak the whole time.
02:41 >> You guys are 2-0, got- >> Especially in this conference.
02:44 >> Right, right, you guys are 2-0, got two big weeks coming up,
02:46 the battle for the victory bell.
02:48 And then welcoming Oklahoma to start the Big 12 slate.
02:51 Does this next two weeks get you guys amped up even more so
02:56 than the first two weeks?
02:57 Does it feel a little different knowing that
03:00 the competition level's about to jump here soon?
03:03 Is anything different about this two week stretch versus the first two weeks?
03:05 >> I would even include Pitt last week being another rivalry game.
03:08 >> Right. >> Coming this week to the victory
03:09 bell and then next week to Oklahoma.
03:11 We're all excited, we're all happy for the step up in competition.
03:14 It's just something that we thought we've been able to play on for a while.
03:21 And now we get our chance to, so if Oklahoma comes to town on the 23rd,
03:25 gotta come to Nipper Stadium.
03:28 >> There you go, UC defensive end Malik Van, everybody, thanks, Malik.