Dylan Fairchild Talks Matchup vs Tennessee
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00:00 >> All right, we got Dylan Fairchild, and please raise your hands.
00:06 We'll bring the microphone around to you.
00:07 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:11 >> Yeah, Dylan, obviously you've been playing and starting for a little while now
00:14 with the Mims going down.
00:15 But I'm curious what it felt like to have a rotation of guys.
00:18 It's probably something that's relatively new to you,
00:20 even dating back to your high school career.
00:21 You're either on the field or you're not.
00:23 What's it like to rotate at offensive line?
00:26 >> I thought it helped us a lot.
00:27 I mean, I think we do a really good job of just playing for each other.
00:31 And being able to do that with guys like splitting time,
00:35 I think that speaks a lot about our line as a unit.
00:39 We're really connected, and
00:41 I think that just speaks a lot about how that shows, the connectivity.
00:45 >> You had a follow up on that.
00:48 Kirby mentioned the unity he's seen from the offensive line group.
00:51 Just how does that come into play when you've got seven or
00:54 eight guys that are playing a lot of snaps instead of just five guys playing
00:57 the whole game?
00:57 >> Yeah, it's a huge advantage, I think.
00:59 It's an advantage because guys can stay fresh.
01:03 Guys can play 20 really hard plays, and then the next guy 20 really hard plays.
01:08 And then by the time, you just keep rotating.
01:11 I mean, I think it's just a really good advantage, just keeping guys fresh.
01:14 >> How do you feel like you guys played as an offensive line against Ole Miss?
01:21 >> I think it was good.
01:23 It was to our standard.
01:24 300 rushing is a good number, but we just gotta keep it rolling.
01:29 Put this game to bed today and just try to keep going.
01:33 >> Yeah, kind of on that line, obviously a road trip.
01:39 It's hard to play on the road in the SEC.
01:41 Last time I checked, they got a 14 game winning streak on their home field.
01:45 What's your experience with Tennessee?
01:47 Have you been up there before?
01:48 And how do you feel about how you guys have played on the road this season?
01:53 >> I think we've started slow in some games playing on the road, and
01:57 they do start fast.
01:58 I mean, their home stadium is a great stadium to, it's a great environment.
02:03 And they do a good job of using that 12th man mentality.
02:07 So we just gotta do what we do, practice how we practice, and just prepare.
02:12 >> Hey Dylan, wanted to ask you what's the first thing that comes to mind when
02:17 thinking about this Tennessee pass rush and names like James Pierce, Tyler, and Omar?
02:22 >> Yeah, those guys, they got some great pass rushers.
02:26 And like we do, we just gotta keep preparing how we do on a day to day basis.
02:31 Nothing, I think Jurassic is gonna change on the way that we prepare.
02:35 We just gotta keep being ready for anything.
02:39 >> Dylan, what do you think of where y'all's run game is right now?
02:46 We've obviously seen Dejan have a bunch of big games.
02:49 Kendall had a big game on Saturday.
02:50 Just where do you feel like this run game is at this point in the year?
02:54 >> I think it's improved.
02:55 I think that comes with just keeping guys healthy,
02:58 getting guys back in the rotation, has a lot to do with it.
03:02 Yeah, just keeping guys healthy is a huge part of it.
03:06 So I think that has a lot to do with why it's improved.
03:09 >> Kendall said Saturday night, because he went over 100,
03:14 that he was gonna get all the linemen bombed dinner.
03:17 I just wondered if he came through with that promise.
03:19 >> Not yet, hopefully this week we're gonna get a steak or something.
03:22 [LAUGH]
03:23 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:27 >> Dylan, when Todd Monken left for the NFL, what was your reaction?
03:31 And then if you could share what you remember about Mike Bobo's first meeting
03:34 with the offense,
03:35 what was his message to you guys about taking over that position?
03:39 >> Really what I remember about Coach Monken is that he did such a great job of
03:45 preparing us like NFL players.
03:48 He did treat us like NFL players.
03:51 And I mean, I think as a young guy coming in, I didn't really know how that goes.
03:55 And him just taking his time and his patience with all of us
03:59 was a huge thing that he did.
04:01 And Coach Bobo, same thing really.
04:04 I mean, he came in and really said he's got a point to prove.
04:10 He's got a mission that he wants to do and that he wants to fulfill.
04:14 And that was really his main message to us on that first team meeting.
04:18 [BLANK_AUDIO]
04:21 >> Dylan, I wanted to ask you about senior day was this past Saturday.
04:24 You saw a lot of guys that you've played behind and I'm sure played next to,
04:28 especially in Ced Van Praan, as well as guys like Tate and
04:32 Xavier getting honored and stuff like that.
04:34 What was that moment for you like to be able to see them and
04:38 just how has the experience been getting to play with those guys?
04:41 >> It was fun.
04:42 I mean, just being able to kind of look at them and see how they handle things and
04:46 see how Ced and Tate and Tress, how they handle things.
04:50 One thing that I really took from it is nobody was sad.
04:53 Everybody was ready to play.
04:54 Everybody was in that mood to go play in a top ten matchup.
04:58 And I think that was the main part that I took from it was that everybody was up.
05:03 Everybody wanted to play because of it.
05:05 Nobody was really sad about it.
05:06 >> Dylan, what has stood out to you about what Micah has been able to do in these
05:12 past few games?
05:15 >> I mean, he's provided us with a ton of depth.
05:20 I mean, I think both me and him have gained a lot of experience this season.
05:25 And he does such a good job of just striking people.
05:28 It's so much fun to watch Micah play.
05:30 And Micah pull, when we're running a counter and Micah's pulling,
05:35 everybody knows it's about to be a collision.
05:37 So just watching him play and developing to the player that he's coming into.
05:41 And just for me, he's like my brother.
05:45 So we just lean on each other in the times that if I'm not playing good,
05:49 I know Micah's gonna play good.
05:50 So.
05:51 >> Hey Dylan, obviously you earned a lot of PT from what you did in practice.
05:57 But from the time you started getting playing time to now,
05:59 where do you think you've grown the most with in-game reps?
06:02 >> I think just being comfortable out there on the field.
06:05 Knowing what's going on, Tate always would get on to me if I'm like,
06:08 if it's third down, I'm getting in a three point stance.
06:11 He's like, Dylan, get up.
06:12 So little stuff like that is just something that I've tried to improve on in my game.
06:17 Just being 100% aware of everything that's happening.
06:21 I think just playing and getting more experience has been helping me with that.
06:25 [BLANK_AUDIO]
06:32 >> Just to kind of follow up with what you said just now,
06:34 you're talking about playing with Tate and Cedric and all them.
06:36 What is it like for you communication wise on the line to be with those guys,
06:40 people that have been there and done that?
06:41 Do you think that's helped you with your communication along the line too?
06:44 >> Yeah, for sure.
06:45 I mean, those guys have been great leaders to me and
06:48 all of the guys that are younger to them.
06:50 And playing with them is easy because they've done such a great job of just
06:55 displaying how they go about things just on a week to week basis.
06:59 And so trying to fit into that from, I guess you could say,
07:03 from the outside coming in as a new guy.
07:08 They do a great job of just making you feel fit in and showing you the ropes and
07:13 showing you what to do and showing you what to say and
07:15 thinking about not what just happened but the next play, so.
07:18 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:21 >> Yeah, Dylan, Ole Miss was a football team that was top ten in sacks and TFLs.
07:25 I'm curious what you guys did to have so much success keeping Carson clean and
07:29 not having any negative plays.
07:32 And to carry over that, what has Tennessee done to be included in that mix of
07:36 one of the nation's best to get an African quarterback?
07:38 >> Are you saying, are you asking me what they've done?
07:40 >> What has helped you to have success and
07:42 what is Tennessee doing right now to have success?
07:44 >> Yeah, I mean, we just prepared how we normally do.
07:47 I mean, I think, Ced has done an amazing job and so has Tate and
07:52 Truss at just making sure that everybody's at film, watching film after practice.
07:57 And I think that plays a huge, to me,
08:00 because that's something that I didn't do before coming to college.
08:03 I didn't really watch film, I was a huge film guy.
08:07 And so now doing it on a day-to-day basis, I think,
08:10 has improved my knowledge of the game the most.
08:14 And being able to watch tendencies and stuff has helped us a lot.
08:19 And Tennessee, we're about to go to Knoxville and
08:23 it could be cold, could be raining.
08:26 There's a lot of factors that play into this, but
08:28 we just gotta keep preparing like we normally do.
08:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]
08:34 >> Any more questions for Dylan?
08:35 One more.
08:38 >> Hey, Dylan, real quick.
08:39 I just saw that Truss had a pretty emotional moment after his last game,
08:42 senior game last week.
08:44 Wanted to ask if you had any stories with him.
08:46 He's the oldest guy on the team.
08:47 Just wanted to talk about your relationship with Truss.
08:49 >> Yeah, I mean, when I was getting recruited here in 2019, I think,
08:54 I remember seeing Truss in walk-throughs and stuff.
08:56 So just being able to kinda grow into this role with him having done it before,
09:03 him stepping up before in previous games and previous seasons.
09:09 He's kind of a guy that you can turn to to look on for advice.
09:13 There was a couple times where I messed up in games.
09:16 He's just been there at halftime, he's been like, bro, you're good.
09:20 Don't worry about it, it's fine.
09:21 So he's definitely somebody that I look up to for sure.
09:26 >> Thank you.
09:28 >> Okay, Dylan, thank you.
09:29 >> Thanks, Dylan.
09:30 >> Thank you.
09:30 (door opening)