McKade Mettauer Pre-Alamo Bowl Interview (12-12-23)
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 >> Offensive line wise with some moving parts, I guess you could say heading
00:04 to the bowl.
00:05 >> I mean, just challenges playing different positions.
00:08 We don't wanna know who's starting lineups gonna be yet.
00:11 So, but Coach B does a good job of, we practice in a lot of different positions.
00:16 So, I got a couple of center reps who like to choose or whatever.
00:19 So him shifting us around during our individual periods is good.
00:24 So we can play wherever.
00:26 I mean, it's our responsibility to know both sides of the line, so.
00:30 >> Any sense of how that might shake out?
00:33 You said you played some center.
00:34 Where could you potentially land, do you think?
00:37 >> I'll probably just stay where I'm at.
00:39 I'm just an emergency, but I can do it.
00:41 So add that to the resume.
00:44 >> The line has to have so much cohesiveness.
00:46 You talked about that before.
00:48 You may have two or three changes now going into the bowl game.
00:50 Do you have time to get it all together?
00:52 >> Yeah, I know we're a tight group no matter who plays or not.
00:55 So, yeah, just getting a feel for the new guys.
00:59 If you are playing next to someone new, which I shouldn't be.
01:03 But yeah, just the cohesion that we have outside of football helps
01:08 whenever we get on the field.
01:09 So the connections that we've built, no matter who's playing or
01:13 who's not, will help us whenever we're playing next to someone new.
01:17 >> Were you surprised by Caden's decision?
01:20 >> What is that?
01:21 >> Report of the internet portal.
01:23 >> I haven't really heard anything about that.
01:26 We've been in meetings since nine, so.
01:29 >> Pretty surprised that he wasn't out here?
01:30 >> Yeah, but I thought, I mean, his final week, I just assumed he was taking a test.
01:37 But I mean, that's for Coach B to talk about.
01:39 I haven't seen him or talked to him either, so
01:41 I don't really know what we are talking about.
01:43 >> We saw a lot of Joshua Bates this afternoon.
01:46 How much has he improved throughout the course of the year?
01:49 >> Yeah, I think him, he's been on scout for most of the year.
01:51 But him just getting those continuous reps over there, snapping the ball, and
01:54 going against our defense, who's a very well sound defense.
01:59 I was giving him the opportunity to slow the game down for him.
02:02 I think that's been good.
02:04 Seeing him from spring till now, the game has definitely slowed down for him.
02:08 And I try to help him out with the calls and stuff like that.
02:11 So he doesn't have to think about much.
02:15 It's the same thing, I'm not playing next to Jacob or anything like that.
02:18 I try to take as much off of Josh's play as I can, just to free him up to play.
02:23 >> How much can these bowl prep weeks help some of those young guys who might not
02:30 have gotten much reps during the season to sort of springboard,
02:33 assault, obviously Jacob last year, even though he got hurt in a bowl game.
02:38 >> Yeah.
02:39 >> How much that helped him?
02:41 >> Yeah, I think it's just a step forward,
02:43 cuz I mean, them playing scout versus running our plays,
02:46 it definitely, I mean, it helps them play football, but
02:50 not really run our offense when they're on scout team.
02:52 But them being able to get 13, 14 practices of running our offense definitely helps.
02:56 And it's gonna help launch them into spring ball and
02:59 mature them to where they need to be, so.
03:02 >> What have you seen from Heath, not just this week, but really this season?
03:07 >> Yeah, I've always thought, even since Heath has gotten here, he's been strong.
03:10 And his past pro's really good.
03:13 He's very mature for his age.
03:15 So Heath is a very promising football player.
03:18 I mean, I normally can tell within the first two weeks of the guys,
03:22 if they're gonna pan out or not.
03:23 And I definitely think that Heath is one of those guys.
03:26 Yeah, he's very promising with his skill set and his attitude towards football.
03:28 So I just like guys that care a lot, and he's one of those guys that cares and
03:33 wants to play as many games as he can, so.
03:36 >> What does it mean for guys like you and
03:38 Walter, seniors, to finish this out in the bowl game,
03:41 instead of maybe turning your attention to try to prepare for the draft?
03:44 >> Yeah, I mean, I wanna play as many games as I can with this team.
03:48 It's been my dream to play here, and
03:51 I'm not gonna cut it short on a personal decision.
03:54 I'm not gonna leave any guys out to dry.
03:57 I'm not gonna let Jackson go out there without some guys with experience.
04:01 I wanna keep him safe.
04:02 So yeah, just playing as many games as I can, and this is just another opportunity.
04:05 So I like football, I love football, so it's fun.
04:09 >> Speaking of Jackson, you as a veteran guy on the line,
04:13 what can you, you guys who are veterans, what can you maybe help him with as he
04:17 gets ready for this?
04:18 >> I think just being out there and being a steady hand when things go a little
04:22 crazy is, will help keep him calm and help him be able to just see his reads better,
04:28 so he's not freaking out.
04:29 A young guy with a completely young offensive line would be hard for him to,
04:35 I mean, he's a great football player, but it would be a little more difficult for
04:38 him to make his reads cuz he's worried about other things.
04:39 But me being out there and being able to make the calls and
04:42 ensure him that I'm gonna make sure the O-line knows what to do,
04:45 will definitely help free him up as well, so.
04:49 >> You guys have obviously practiced some with him and played some with him in games.
04:54 How do you think he can help you in the rest of the offense?
04:57 >> Yeah, I mean, he's athletic, he can run the ball.
04:59 He's got incredible arm strength and accuracy.
05:01 We saw that in the BYU game.
05:03 So I think this team will be very well prepared for
05:09 next season with him at the helm.
05:10 So I'm excited for that, to be a fan and watch him, so.
05:14 >> From a leadership perspective, what have you seen from him throughout the year
05:17 that gonna be able to spin that forward to this practice period where he's kind of
05:21 the guy now?
05:22 >> Yeah, he's confident.
05:23 I mean, he had never been a guy that's complained about reps or
05:26 anything like that.
05:27 He just sat there and worked and waited for his opportunity,
05:30 which happened to be a game he finished out, we won.
05:32 And now Dylan's gone and although Dylan was a great football player,
05:37 we love him, I mean, next guy up and he's gonna do the job.
05:41 And nobody's worried about anything from the quarterback position.
05:44 I mean, nobody in the locker room has ever said anything
05:46 that would make you think we didn't have confidence in him.
05:51 I mean, we have the most confidence with Jackson at the quarterback position, so