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00:00 >> It's honestly just the mentality behind it.
00:02 Obviously, it's coaching.
00:03 Obviously, it's a build up with the chemistry with the receivers and
00:06 being on the same page as Coach Moore.
00:08 But it's just playing one play at a time and you never get each play back.
00:12 So just trying to focus in on doing the best I can within each play,
00:16 whatever's asked of me, whether it's handoff and carrying out my fake or
00:20 ripping a in cut on the backside of a concept.
00:23 So it's something that play calling is out of my control, but
00:28 whatever's in my control, I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability.
00:32 I would say tough, gritty guy who only cares about winning at the end of the day.
00:37 Loves the game of football with a burning passion, loves his teammates.
00:41 Just pretty much everything you would want in a starting quarterback, I would say.
00:46 Coach Racky, my head coach at Nazareth Academy.
00:51 Just everything he's instilled in me and my teammates is something that not only
00:55 makes us great football players, but greater men at the end of the day.
00:58 It really starts that foundation of having great intangibles.
01:01 So that's something that I remember, of course the locker room,
01:05 of course the great teammates around me.
01:07 It was just so much fun those three years and
01:10 I can't wait to get back there with a reunion one day.
01:13 Yes, sir, this was definitely, I didn't know when or where, but
01:18 it was gonna be a stepping stone in my journey to ultimately everything that I've
01:22 been working for since seven years old.
01:24 You know, stats for me wasn't really the big thing.
01:29 All I cared about was being the best teammate I could possibly be,
01:33 being the best quarterback I could possibly be, whatever's asked of me.
01:36 And the only stat I cared about was Ws and we did pretty good in that category.
01:41 I would say it helps me the most because no matter where you are in life,
01:45 no matter what position you're in, as long as you're in the present moment,
01:48 you're gonna perform at the most optimal state as you can.
01:52 And that's something that creates discipline, creates a foundation of just
01:56 being able to be responsive to things instead of react to things and
02:00 be able to dictate your day more.
02:01 So it's just another tool that's gonna help me handle the process,
02:05 like you said, and the pressure.
02:07 But yeah, it's just ultimately something that's gonna help me in all areas of life,
02:11 not just football.
02:12 Showcase, how I throw the dude because absolutely love it.
02:16 And that's something that is most important for a quarterback, obviously.
02:20 But also just the way I move in short distances with the shuttles and
02:25 everything like that.
02:26 And obviously the most important part is getting in front of teams and
02:30 interacting with them.
02:31 I would say just let them know who I am.
02:34 That's something that a lot of people don't know.
02:37 And it's not just putting on a front.
02:40 I want them to actually understand that I truly love the game of football.
02:43 I truly love my teammates and wanna do nothing but watch football games.
02:46 [LAUGH] That'd be a little interesting,
02:49 looking across the field and seeing them in the baby blue.
02:52 But it would be an honor just being on that field in general,
02:55 no matter who's across the sideline.
02:58 But yeah, there'd definitely be some nice emotional hugs afterwards.
03:02 Definitely, yeah, Blake was telling me,
03:05 he feels like he could have done a lot more in that area.
03:08 And he's gonna run some routes at Pro Day from the slot.
03:10 So that'll be another sight to see for you guys.
03:13 I did see him, it was right before my Seattle interview, and funny story.
03:19 He walked in there, obviously all love, all hugs and all that.
03:23 And as he was leaving, the Seattle Seahawks guys were saying,
03:26 you wouldn't be in here if Coach Carroll was still our head coach.
03:29 So that was a good one, but it was great seeing him.
03:31 I really loved how I drew up a play that I could run against,
03:37 or run in every situation, third down, fourth down, first and second.
03:41 All that good stuff.
03:42 And then the coaches were kinda changing my verbiage and making it their own.
03:46 It was really nice to kinda get a feel of what that offense would be like.
03:51 And it was actually a lot more simple, so that's good.
03:54 >> JJ. >> Yeah, it's been one of my dreams of
03:56 mine, whether I'm playing for the Bears or against them.
03:59 But yeah, Soldier Field, one of the oldest stadiums in America.
04:03 And just growing up to the, going to all the games and
04:07 being part of a halftime thing where I was player of the week in Illinois.
04:11 Something that would be truly a dream come true.
04:14 I'm not a big comparison guy.
04:16 I'm just somebody, obviously I take bits and pieces from other players' games.
04:21 But I try to make it my own and be the best version of myself.
04:23 Cuz there's only one JJ McCarthy, just like there's only one Tom Brady,
04:27 only one Joe Burrow, all those guys.
04:29 I would say, enjoy it when it's not a job.
04:34 Just that camaraderie you get with the teammates that you'd never,
04:38 that most of them are never gonna play football again.
04:40 Those are so invaluable.
04:42 And I would say, never leave any stone unturned.
04:46 There's so many ways to develop.
04:47 There's so many ways to get better.
04:49 And ultimately, the last thing I would say is, chase that suffering.
04:55 Chase that short term period where you're struggling and you hate to do it.
05:00 Because ultimately, it's gonna lead to a better life in the long run.
05:05 For me personally, I'm not worried about that.
05:08 I'm worried about just being my best self and worried about later down the road,
05:13 eventually being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
05:16 That's the only thing I care about.
05:17 This draft class is obviously loaded.
05:19 A lot of older guys, a lot of really good talent.
05:22 But at the end of the day, I'm just gonna focus on being myself,
05:25 focus on grinding every day, and hopefully being one of the best in the league.
05:29 I would say, just my ultimate selflessness, my ultimate love for the game.
05:35 And I don't know a lot of the guys that meditate, so I guess that makes me happy.
05:39 I would say, being in those moments, whether it's out there visualizing on
05:45 the field, going through every situation, you win the game in your mind.
05:47 But when you actually win the game on the field and
05:49 you experience all the sensations of doing it on that big stage,
05:53 it just gives you so much more confidence.
05:55 And with experience comes wisdom, and that's invaluable.
05:58 I would say that that's who I am, being a team guy.
06:06 It's not something that I'm gonna start being selfish now because I have to sell
06:10 myself more, I'm gonna sell myself on how much I care about my teammates.
06:14 And it kinda goes hand in hand with just who I am as a person,
06:18 is being selfless and always caring about the guy next to me more than myself.
06:23 And that's just something that's innate and I really can't change.
06:27 I don't know, I feel like I would get slighted, but
06:29 something around, I would give myself 94, something like that.
06:35 >> Why would you get slighted?
06:37 >> I don't know, people haven't seen much, so
06:40 obviously they're gonna think the worst, cuz that's how we do it nowadays.
06:44 Yeah, that was a big one that came up, and it was kinda the ability,
06:49 especially that example, to let them know, hey, my teammates were,
06:54 like the receivers specifically, were not very excited when Coach Moore was saying,
06:58 hey, it's gonna be one of those games.
07:00 But just letting them know the process of the approach I took during that time,
07:05 of just saying, hey, guys, this is a huge part in our quest to become
07:10 the national champions, and not necessarily saying that I was the only
07:15 selfless one, but telling the guys that my teammates were very selfless in that situation.
07:22 And just explaining situations like that and just ultimately letting them know,
07:26 and the first three things about me is I'm the ultimate team guy, wanna win games,
07:31 and I love this game more than anything.
07:33 >> Went amazing, Coach O'Connell led the whole thing, and
07:36 just being able to see him in person, he was a lot taller than I thought.
07:40 And Coach McCown, and just everything about what they were talking about,
07:48 everything about what they want out of a quarterback,
07:50 is something that aligns with what I want.
07:52 And just being able to get on the board with them,
07:56 have them go through their plays, it was something really special, and I enjoyed.
07:59 >> Amazing, just most important quality of a head coach at the University of Michigan
08:05 is being a Michigan man, and he's got that.
08:07 He's earned his stripes, and the boys love him, they're behind him, and
08:12 with those two things, they're gonna be successful no matter what.
08:14 Just the overall energy, it was my first one, so I was super nervous,
08:19 I'm not gonna lie, and sweating a little bit.
08:21 And Coach Quinn was just awesome, I got to talk to Mr.
08:26 Peters right before the meeting, and just a great vibe, very welcoming.
08:31 And going through the clips and everything, and Coach Cliff Kingsbury was just like,
08:35 hey, if you get a matchup out here and you really like it, could you just switch it
08:40 to go on the outside and have something like I wish, just little stuff like that.
08:43 And it was just great to meet them, great to talk ball with them,
08:48 and I had a lot of fun doing it.
08:51 It was quite easy, honestly.
08:55 He was somebody that was like, hey, I'm out here thinking of you as you were my son.
09:01 And he told me, I want you to go because your draft stock,
09:05 it could get higher, but not that much higher.
09:07 And it's just an opportunity you don't wanna pass up.
09:10 And just hearing that from him just gave me so much more confidence,
09:13 because that was kinda where my head was leaning towards.
09:16 And just hearing that was amazing.
09:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]