• 8 months ago
Jayden Jackson Spring Media Day
Transcript
00:00 >> Did your time there, do you think it made you better prepared for
00:03 what you're going through right now?
00:05 >> Most definitely, yeah.
00:06 I feel like if I was at a different school, it wouldn't be the same outcome.
00:09 Just what they do, it's kind of like a mini college.
00:15 Yeah, the class routine, the workout routine, everything.
00:18 But yeah, I think that best prepared me.
00:22 >> When, I mean, you weren't the first to go to an IMG or somewhere like that.
00:27 You won't be the last.
00:28 But for people that, for players that might be thinking about it,
00:31 who do you think it works best for?
00:34 I mean, do you think guys have to have a certain mindset, certain skill set?
00:37 Who does it work best for?
00:40 >> To be honest, we've had every mindset.
00:42 I think it works best just for
00:44 anyone who's really trying to get prepared for college.
00:48 Like the mindsets, it's all been different here and there.
00:52 We've had kids that were troublemakers here and there.
00:56 But IMG shaped them into a better man and a better football player.
01:00 We've also had kids that were at the top of their class that went there.
01:04 And the same thing, they shaped them.
01:06 So I think anyone can go there and pretty much it'll benefit you no matter what.
01:11 >> I'm gonna ask David this question of you, but I'll ask you about him.
01:15 What makes him a great player?
01:18 >> What makes him a great player is, player, sorry about that,
01:21 is most definitely his effort.
01:25 No matter what, he'll find the ball.
01:27 No matter what, he's gonna push past.
01:29 It's his mindset.
01:30 He has to make the play.
01:33 His family depends on it.
01:35 That's the truth.
01:36 His family does depend on it.
01:37 So that's deep.
01:38 His effort is probably the best.
01:41 Yes, ma'am.
01:42 >> Thank you. >> Yep.
01:42 >> I think, Jaden, you and I had talked about this with Jenny before I walked out.
01:47 But how'd you wind up at IMG?
01:49 What was that process like?
01:52 >> For me, I just tagged along.
01:55 My cousin was going there and they didn't really reach out to me or anything.
02:00 They didn't really, I don't even know.
02:02 It was kind of like a blessing.
02:04 I just tagged along with my cousin.
02:07 And- >> What's your cousin's name?
02:09 >> Same Santa, although he's a center that's currently at Georgia Tech right now.
02:13 >> Okay. >> Yes, sir.
02:14 >> And what was that like getting started there and
02:20 seeing the different path that that offers versus traditional path through high school?
02:28 >> It was pretty crazy, man.
02:29 I had no structure.
02:30 I had no time management.
02:32 I was consistently being lazy and here and there.
02:35 I didn't have a routine.
02:36 So going there, the structure, the routine, everything,
02:40 it shaped me to where I am now.
02:41 I feel as if if I had went to my old school, I wouldn't have gone to where I am now.
02:48 So I feel like IMG blessed me with everything I needed,
02:52 not only on the field, but off the field.
02:54 >> What high school did you go to or would you have gone to?
02:57 >> I would have went to Brownsburg, Indiana.
02:59 Yeah.
03:00 >> Was there a moment at IMG where that clicked with you as far as I'm getting on
03:05 top of this stuff and you felt that shift?
03:07 >> To be honest, that's a great question.
03:11 Yeah, it kind of seemed seamless and I think that happens to a lot of guys.
03:16 I didn't even realize it until my family called it.
03:20 I didn't realize the work that I was putting in was actually being sewn out.
03:24 So yeah.
03:26 >> Jaden, there's been guys that have come to Oklahoma, really good high school
03:29 defensive, interior defensive end, Tommy Harris, Gerald McCoy.
03:35 Sometimes they play right away, sometimes they don't.
03:37 But I asked Brent what he thought about you and
03:41 David as potential contributors right away.
03:43 He said, I think they got a great chance.
03:45 What makes you think you two could be regulars in the rotation
03:50 out there as freshmen?
03:52 >> Like I said, worth ethic, just technique.
03:59 Technique is really big.
04:00 I have to master that.
04:02 But even if we don't, we're gonna keep working, even if we don't.
04:08 That's the goal though.
04:09 >> Do you feel like you're playing a position that probably is a hardest almost
04:14 for freshmen to get on the field?
04:16 >> Give it up for yourself, it's okay.
04:19 >> [LAUGH] >> I think so, probably.
04:24 Probably, I don't know.
04:29 I don't know.
04:29 >> I think one side of the line or the other.
04:32 >> Yeah.
04:33 >> Maybe center.
04:34 >> Yeah, definitely weight gotta be a big factor.
04:38 I think that's really hard for some kids.
04:40 They come in light in the gaining aspect and building that muscle.
04:45 >> Danny said he's already gained 25 or 30 pounds.
04:48 What's your situation look like since you got here?
04:52 >> They want me pretty heavy.
04:53 I came in 279, 280.
04:57 I'm already 297.
04:58 So yeah, I've gained quite a bit.
05:01 And it hasn't affected me at all.
05:04 Running on the field, I don't feel different at all.
05:07 That my mindset was different in high school.
05:09 I thought it would, but college is different.
05:11 >> How much are you eating to gain 17, 20 pounds,
05:15 whatever it is that you want here?
05:18 >> They bless us with meals.
05:20 So whenever I can, just snack.
05:23 It's nothing bad, Chipotle, Chipotle's a big factor.
05:27 Healthy bowls.
05:28 >> Healthy protein, pleasure, I got you.
05:30 >> Yeah, just trying to eat healthy, but also gain.
05:34 >> Yeah, but eat a lot, right?
05:35 >> Yeah, yes ma'am.
05:36 >> Do they have a calorie count that they want you to try to achieve?
05:40 >> That's a great question.
05:41 I'm still talking with them, our nutritionist.
05:43 I think they do.
05:44 They do have that, but I haven't gone with them yet, but I will.
05:47 >> It seems like it's working if you gain that much.
05:49 >> Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.
05:50 >> What's the goal?
05:51 >> Definitely 300 plus.
05:56 Yeah, going to SEC can't be light.
05:58 Or you're gonna get punished.
06:00 We've seen that, our coaches have seen that.
06:02 They've played through it.
06:03 So yeah, definitely that.
06:05 >> Coach said that he'll be starting out in nose tackle.
06:09 Did you play that much at IMG?
06:10 Or is there a drastic difference between playing standard defense tackle and
06:15 playing three tackles?
06:17 >> At IMG, I was the nose tackle, yeah.
06:20 I didn't play, I played wherever they put me, actually.
06:23 They put me at five, I'd play five.
06:25 They put me at D tackle, so I don't really see a difference.
06:27 I feel like it's the same technique if I was just to move down a spot to play
06:31 defense tackle, three technique.
06:33 I don't feel like there's a big difference, but that's just me though, yeah.
06:36 >> Jayden, I wanna ask you about David.
06:39 It's been a long time since there's been somebody like David to have the
06:44 expectations that he does, especially on the defensive line.
06:46 How have you seen him maybe embrace those and attack them?
06:52 >> Just his work ethic, his effort, his mindset, consistently coming in,
06:57 grinding, just doing what he can.
07:00 And that extra step, we're always going to treatment,
07:03 even if you don't need it.
07:04 And he's pushing, when he does that, he's not only pushing himself, but
07:07 he's pushing me.
07:08 When I do that, we're pushing the whole team basically,
07:10 it's like a domino effect.
07:12 So I feel like he'll do everything he can.
07:15 >> What did you see from him at IMG last year that makes you know that
07:20 he's gonna be as good as everybody thinks he can be?
07:24 >> Actually, at first, his technique wasn't all that.
07:31 But the thing he had was effort.
07:33 He would get pancaked.
07:35 As soon as he would get up, he'd run straight to the ball,
07:37 20 yards deep and make the play.
07:39 His effort, he had to get to the ball, he had to attack the ball.
07:42 And that was amazing for me, technique.
07:46 And that's what they coach him up on, and he's doing really well now.
07:50 >> How beneficial is it for you guys to go through that together at IMG,
07:54 get recruited together, be here together now,
07:57 go through everything as freshmen?
07:59 >> I think that has ultimately strengthened our bond.
08:03 We're consistently seeing each other every day, we're consistently competing.
08:07 We're bound to be brothers, you know what I'm saying?
08:11 It was written in stone.
08:12 We were gonna go to college together, you know what I'm saying?
08:16 We were bound to, so I think it's definitely strengthened our bond.
08:20 >> Are you guys roommates?
08:23 >> Yeah, we're roommates right now.
08:24 >> What's it like living together?
08:26 >> A little trashy, no, I'm just playing.
08:28 >> [LAUGH] >> It's been pretty good, man,
08:32 nothing crazy.
08:33 We study here and there.
08:35 It's like having a brother as a roommate, so I'm very blessed for that.
08:41 Yes, sir.
08:42 >> You guys played together, so you guys really became a great dynamic duo.
08:47 Talk about playing with him and what that's like on the field.
08:52 >> Playing with him is pretty crazy.
08:54 It's just, if he was unblocked, then I was blocked.
09:00 You know what I'm saying?
09:01 If he was blocked, I was unblocked.
09:02 And either one of us was gonna make a play, and I always depended on him.
09:07 These big players make big plays, and that's what happened whenever I played
09:11 with him, and just seeing him and his effort has been amazing.
09:15 >> So in the recruiting process, did you guys talk about going to the same school?
09:19 Did you know you were gonna go to the same school?
09:21 >> It wasn't really a big factor.
09:25 We both have goals, and whether that was to play with each other or not,
09:31 but everything ended up falling in line, which is amazing to me.
09:36 And it wasn't the goal, but as soon as I committed, I saw the goal.
09:41 So yeah, I needed him to come, so yes, sir.
09:43 >> How much have you found yourself around DJ Terry,
09:46 just trying to gain everything that he knows about college football?
09:51 >> He's probably our defensive line leader, and he's helped me and
09:56 Stone amazingly, everything from his knowledge on the field,
10:00 from off the field, from little techniques here and there.
10:04 Actually, the whole room, they just coach us really well.
10:06 It's not a compete, it's competing to win.
10:10 It's been amazing.
10:11 They just, if I have a question here and there, they'll instantly help me.
10:15 And if it's wrong, they'll help me a different way, just to make me understand.
10:19 So DT and, or DJ Terry, and all of them has been really amazing to me.
10:25 Yes, sir. >> If you go back to,
10:26 you know, talking about David, go back to when you first met him.
10:30 Do you remember what your first impressions were, and if there was a first
10:35 time or one of the first times when you're like, this guy's different?
10:39 >> Yeah, like I said, he fell on the ground, and I was like, yeah,
10:46 the ball's 30 yards deep, he's not gonna get it.
10:48 It was probably like a random practice we had.
10:50 I saw him get up, and the effort he had, he ran all the way down and
10:54 still tried punching the ball out.
10:55 And the coaches were, they saw that too, and it was a spark in my eye, man.
11:00 It kind of motivated me in a way.
11:04 It kind of showed me where I needed to work in order to be on this type of level
11:08 at IMG.
11:09 >> When did you first start thinking that playing at this kind of level was
11:13 possible for you?
11:15 >> That's kind of always been my mindset.
11:19 I need to make it for my family, no matter what.
11:22 Even if it's not football, I need to make it for my mom and
11:27 the people that have sacrificed so much for me.
11:29 So I definitely say going in IMG and stuff, just having that vision.
11:35 >> How's that relationship with Coach Bates grown from time you arrive as you're
11:42 about to get ready to get rolling with spring practice full swing?
11:45 >> It's gotten really close.
11:47 We've definitely strengthened our relationship.
11:49 I've A-ing out with him.
11:52 I've learned, I've played with his kids, Jojo, he has two twins, his daughter.
11:58 His amazing wife.
11:59 They're kind of like a second family.
12:02 Yeah, I can depend on them if something happens out of football.
12:08 It's really close, and I think that's amazing from him.
12:12 >> How just reinforcing is that,
12:15 that everyone talks about the family atmosphere at Oklahoma, but
12:18 then when you get here, it sounds like your group's really close, Coach Bates.
12:22 How much is that just a boost?
12:25 >> I think it strengthens our bond, and not only that,
12:31 I think in doing that, it leads us to more winning.
12:35 The more comfortable we are with the guys, the more family feel we have with them.
12:40 I feel like we can definitely go out and compete the best we can by doing that.
12:44 >> Seems like, if I remember correctly, defensive tackles last year,
12:51 talking about Coach Bates, he's a technique.
12:53 Is that something, not necessarily hard to accept, but
12:57 you need to have it to play really well, but how easy is it to learn from him?
13:02 Seems like he's a really good teacher.
13:04 >> He's an amazing teacher.
13:05 I don't know if you've seen it, but he breaks everything down really good.
13:09 He has acronyms here and there.
13:11 >> Yeah.
13:12 >> Yeah, just- >> I've seen him on TV.
13:13 >> Yeah, he got, yeah.
13:17 I'd probably say Jaden from Indy, I'm not done yet.
13:22 Yeah, I like that one, especially cuz it's to me, but yeah,
13:25 I got some here and there, but yeah, nothing but amazingness.
13:29 He's a very technique guy because everyone can weigh the same,
13:33 everyone can be the same, but
13:35 technique is what can ultimately be the factor of you beating a man.
13:39 So he's been nothing but amazing.