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Press Pass | Press Taylor on preparing for Cowboys defense, balance with run game · Press Pass

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  Speaker 1: Uh, No, you know, it's it's all about how healthy
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: is we We love when our guys practice, and we
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: love when we get to see it, and we think
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: that goes a long way, especially for us, you know,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: first year in the system, UM, building chemistry with quarterback receiver,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: it goes a long ways. But I think it says
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  Speaker 1: a lot to his preparation, UM, the way he was
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  Speaker 1: able to prepare and play the way he did without
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: having two full days of practice there. But also it
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: says a lot about c J. Bethar in my opinion. Uh,
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  Speaker 1: you know, the offense just kept rolling. We were able
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  Speaker 1: to put in an entire game plan plan for c
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  Speaker 1: J to play, knew we could adjust if Trevor needed
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  Speaker 1: to play UM And I really think that Wednesday Thursday
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  Speaker 1: practice last week, we didn't miss a beat as far
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  Speaker 1: as the way c J ran everything from the huddle
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  Speaker 1: to appline scrimmage, it was great. So in the past
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  Speaker 1: couple of weeks it's been a different receiver that's really
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  Speaker 1: stepped up in a big way at each game. Does
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  Speaker 1: that just kind of say, you know, how how game
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  Speaker 1: ready each guy is, But when their numbers called, I
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  Speaker 1: think so yeah. Um, And it's just you know, a
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  Speaker 1: credit to to the roster we have offensively, you know,
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  Speaker 1: we we feel like there are a number of guys.
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  Speaker 1: If a defense were to do something to try to
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  Speaker 1: take away one guy, we have another another cup of
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  Speaker 1: guys that could step up in any moment, have have
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  Speaker 1: a game. Um, if the flow of the game kind
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  Speaker 1: of dictates that the next guy steps up. It's not
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  Speaker 1: like there's been a conservative effort to go in and
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  Speaker 1: say this guy's gonna get all the targets. It's kind
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  Speaker 1: of the ball finds the guy that's supposed to find
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  Speaker 1: at certain times. And when Trevor's playing that way and
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  Speaker 1: operating that way and somebody has a big game, it's
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  Speaker 1: just kind of a byproduct of It's not necessarily we
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  Speaker 1: went out with the intention of Evan having this huge game. Um,
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  Speaker 1: the ball just kind of found him. Trevor did a
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  Speaker 1: good job getting to him, he did a good job
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  Speaker 1: getting open, and he took advantage of his opportunities. You then,
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: with Doug mew long enough, probably as much as a
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  Speaker 1: certainly as much as anybody on this stat uh. If
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  Speaker 1: you had to pick one trait of Doug that makes
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  Speaker 1: him an effective NFL head coach, what would you say.
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  Speaker 1: It is consistency. That's easy. Consistency. He's the same guy
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  Speaker 1: every single day, walks in the building from the way
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  Speaker 1: you you know, we lose five and a row, whatever
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  Speaker 1: it may be, we win a big game. He comes
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  Speaker 1: in the next day with the same approach to the staff, um,
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  Speaker 1: the same same idea of just trusting the process. So
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  Speaker 1: you know what you're getting with him. You come in,
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  Speaker 1: you're not worried he being a bad moods in good mood?
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  Speaker 1: Is he? This is he that you know exactly who
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  Speaker 1: he's going to be with the coaching staff, with the players,
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  Speaker 1: his expectations, where you stand, and so it's easy to
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  Speaker 1: do your job that way. When you when Doug called
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  Speaker 1: you about the job, how much of a factor was
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  Speaker 1: Trevor Trevor being the quarterback influencing your decision or was
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  Speaker 1: it or was it just hey it's Doug, I'm going No.
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  Speaker 1: That was a big part of it. You know. I
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  Speaker 1: was very happy with the situation I was in Indianapolis,
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  Speaker 1: loved working for the guys I was working with. I
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  Speaker 1: think the world of Frank Reich. I was very excited
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  Speaker 1: about what could potentially be there. Um obviously feel terrible
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  Speaker 1: for what happened up there with the situation with Frank
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  Speaker 1: and all that, But I was really excited to run
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  Speaker 1: it back there. I love the staff I was working with,
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  Speaker 1: So when Doug called, it wasn't just a foregone this
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  Speaker 1: is going to happen. I'm going wherever Doug goes or
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  Speaker 1: anything like that, or you know, I'm gonna go interview
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  Speaker 1: with him and see what it works. But you know,
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  Speaker 1: obviously there's a lot of appeal um getting to be
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  Speaker 1: involved in kind of building the offense um as we went.
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  Speaker 1: But then, yeah, Trevor, I'd be lying. I said, Trevor
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: won a huge draw to Jacksonville itself just because you
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: knew the talent that was there. Obviously had had a
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  Speaker 1: struggles rookie year and for a number of reasons, but
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  Speaker 1: you knew the skill set. You knew the talent, and
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  Speaker 1: then just watching him and you know, researching him, talking
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  Speaker 1: to people that have worked with him. You know, it's
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  Speaker 1: been everything and more getting the opportunity to work with him.
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  Speaker 1: You're up in the booth when you saw Trevor Lawrence
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  Speaker 1: pull that ball out on the one you're outline. You
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  Speaker 1: knew the play call, how surprised for you, sprised. It's
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  Speaker 1: a lot of no, no, no, no no, no, Okay, good
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  Speaker 1: he scored. And then it's hey, Mike, let's talk to
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  Speaker 1: him about not pulling the ball when he's not supposed
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  Speaker 1: to that whole deal. So it's one of those he understands, um,
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  Speaker 1: and we're not going to make a living going off
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  Speaker 1: script like that. But if you do, you better score
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  Speaker 1: and they understand that. And so uh, I kind of say,
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  Speaker 1: he got lucky, but good bye him. He got in
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  Speaker 1: the end zone. Let's not do it again. So it's
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  Speaker 1: not Dallas this week. Um, I know Michael Parsons is
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  Speaker 1: like their guy, but I wanted to ask you about Diggs.
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  Speaker 1: What kind of stands out about him when you watched
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  Speaker 1: Dallas This film Skills Ball Skills is the first thing
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  Speaker 1: that jumps off the tape with him that there's a
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  Speaker 1: ball that if somebody throws a ball that just misses
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  Speaker 1: slightly and he's in the vicinity catches. He's got some
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  Speaker 1: great catches, um, stuff that you'd be proud of as
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  Speaker 1: a receiver. And it feels like he has a receiver
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  Speaker 1: playing dB in terms of the way he tracks the ball,
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  Speaker 1: goes after the ball, Uh, he just does a great
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  Speaker 1: job from that standpoint. So we're very aware that, you know,
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  Speaker 1: we need to be great at contested catches around him.
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  Speaker 1: We need to be aware where he is. Um, how
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  Speaker 1: he's playing is his vision on the quarterback is a
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  Speaker 1: vision on the player, however that may be. So it
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  Speaker 1: definitely jumps off how he's able to track the ball
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  Speaker 1: and catchaball. Do you think the chest match between Trevor
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  Speaker 1: and him is going to be one of those games
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  Speaker 1: within the game this Sunday, Um, you know, there's always
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  Speaker 1: there's always a give and take with things like that
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  Speaker 1: of understanding that and it's really just kind of by
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  Speaker 1: situation within the game. So he's certainly one of the
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  Speaker 1: impact players that we've identified, at least on our our
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  Speaker 1: side of the ball. So we're aware where he is
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  Speaker 1: and you know, we'll we'll go about trying to attack
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  Speaker 1: them the best way. We think bustibles or you know,
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  Speaker 1: just running roll offens. Are you gonna have to give
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  Speaker 1: the tackles help in some ways? No, you certainly have
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  Speaker 1: to be aware. I mean, we think it's kind of
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  Speaker 1: foolish to just come in and let the best player
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  Speaker 1: beat you because you're stubborn enough, I think we can
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  Speaker 1: just do what we need to do. You know, we're
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  Speaker 1: aware of we always identify the guys we think need
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  Speaker 1: extra help or extra attention in some way, shape or form.
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  Speaker 1: But now how we approach him and handling a player
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  Speaker 1: like that, And you can't forget that DeMarcus Lawrence sitting
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  Speaker 1: on the other side and is having a great year
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  Speaker 1: as well, and it's a great player for a long time.
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  Speaker 1: But you know just the way you affect those guys,
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  Speaker 1: whether it's extra presence, whether it's running away from him.
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes you run two guys like that, um providing help
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  Speaker 1: in some way, shape or form, whether it's somebody slicing
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  Speaker 1: from the opposite side, somebody slicing outside in an extra
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  Speaker 1: presence there, from the back, from a tight end, from
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  Speaker 1: a receiver, whatever that may be. But you kind of
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  Speaker 1: that that's certainly on Monday, the first thing you say
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  Speaker 1: is how are we gonna stop Michael Parsons and DeMarcus
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  Speaker 1: Lawrence from reck in the game. So then it kind
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  Speaker 1: of everything you do when you're building your first and
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  Speaker 1: second down plan, when you're building your third down, your
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  Speaker 1: red zone, you know, the two minute situations. It starts
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  Speaker 1: with how do we keep these guys from ruining the game.
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  Speaker 1: Ready is your rookie center for what he's going to
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  Speaker 1: see on Sunday. I'm sure he'll be prepared. Ready is
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  Speaker 1: he based on thirteen stars? Ah? And he's son of
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  Speaker 1: a phenomenal job. You know, if you look at these
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  Speaker 1: rookies and guys like this, and obviously Luke has a
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  Speaker 1: ton of experience, especially playing in the SEC, playing in
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  Speaker 1: some really good defenses. UM, it doesn't ever feel like
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  Speaker 1: he's come across that rookie wall, at least mentally. You know,
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  Speaker 1: he he continues to learn a lot. He's extremely sharp,
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  Speaker 1: very impressive. Um. But you look at you know that
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  Speaker 1: their classmates, their tammates from last year, their season's over,
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  Speaker 1: They've they've got a month to prepare for a bowl game.
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  Speaker 1: They've been done since Thanksgiving. Basically, we're in this playoff
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  Speaker 1: push where every game is do or die essentially. So
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  Speaker 1: it's certainly a challenge. That's kind of where that rookie
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  Speaker 1: wall comes from from those guys, But it's not something
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  Speaker 1: we've noticed with Luke so far. Uh, he's been able
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  Speaker 1: to lock in every single day. He's done a great
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  Speaker 1: job identifying things and just to see him and Trevor Uh.
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  Speaker 1: Their communication their growth through the season has been impressive
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  Speaker 1: every game going forward as do or die from a
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  Speaker 1: play call or from a you know, game planner standpoint,
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  Speaker 1: Does that put more pressure on you guys knowing that, Uh? No,
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  Speaker 1: I don't think so. Uh. You know, we approach every
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  Speaker 1: game with kind of we have to win this game mentality.
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  Speaker 1: We're you know, we're going to every situation now. We're
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  Speaker 1: not looking ahead. We're we're locked in right now on
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  Speaker 1: the Cowboys and what the I guess, the troubles that
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  Speaker 1: they present to you, and so that's got our main focus.
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  Speaker 1: We're not we're not worried about anything beyond that. We're
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  Speaker 1: worried about putting the best product out there for three
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  Speaker 1: hours on Sunday, and then at the end of that
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  Speaker 1: three hours, we'll pick our head up and see where're at. So,
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  Speaker 1: travesy t in, how do you get the running game
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  Speaker 1: back on track? Yeah, that's certainly something we want to
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  Speaker 1: continue to do. Now, every game is a game within itself,
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  Speaker 1: you know, the way you play. You know, we've certainly
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  Speaker 1: faced some really really good run stopping defenses here recently
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  Speaker 1: with Kansas City Baltimore. Uh, Tennessee. Particularly of those three,
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  Speaker 1: I think they're all top six in the league and
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  Speaker 1: run defense, so we knew what we were getting into
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  Speaker 1: and the challenges they could present. Now we felt like
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  Speaker 1: it was best to win the game through the year
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  Speaker 1: against Tennessee. We had our runs here and there, but
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  Speaker 1: we kind of made a commitment to throw on the
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  Speaker 1: ball and then you know, the guys produced. They made
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  Speaker 1: a bunch of plays that you can't turn on the
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  Speaker 1: tape and say we schemed a ton of guys open
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  Speaker 1: all the time, but our guys just stepped up, made plays.
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  Speaker 1: Trevor delivered um Evan obviously you had a great game
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  Speaker 1: for us, but the surrounding pieces. Agne had a huge
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  Speaker 1: third down catch force on a scrambled drill, which is
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  Speaker 1: they're want anybody open. Those two just made a play
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  Speaker 1: and the line the backs did a great job holding
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  Speaker 1: up in protection. So uh yeah, certainly are a run game.
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  Speaker 1: Getting going to an important and important part of our emphasis.
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  Speaker 1: But you kind of just will do whatever it takes
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  Speaker 1: each week to win. If we feel like throwing it's
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  Speaker 1: what we need to do, then that's what we've gotta
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  Speaker 1: be able to do, and they're a way to that
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  Speaker 1: you can get Travis involved in the passing game. I
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  Speaker 1: mean he's been He's got one of the lower target
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  Speaker 1: shares of us starting running back in the league right now. Yeah, certainly,
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  Speaker 1: whether it's a screen game, quick game, whatever it is,
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  Speaker 1: getting the mountain routes. But uh, you know again, it's
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  Speaker 1: kind of a game by game basis of what gives
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  Speaker 1: us the best opportunity to to feature our best players
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  Speaker 1: and the best matchups and then uh, basically how we
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  Speaker 1: approach the defense something practice to give you confidence to
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  Speaker 1: run that kind of stuff. He's done a good job.
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  Speaker 1: It's just kind of within the game and the schemes
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  Speaker 1: we get to. We always carry plays that he's involved
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  Speaker 1: in the past game, and he's whether he's a primary
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  Speaker 1: target or a secondary target, and you know, the ball
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  Speaker 1: just hasn't really found him in these situations so far,
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  Speaker 1: do you guys? Balance isn't necessarily we were in before
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  Speaker 1: you run, before you pass, right, being able to kind
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  Speaker 1: of do being able to do both spending gives you
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  Speaker 1: that's the way you emerge balance. Absolutely. We we do
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  Speaker 1: not care if we're fifty fifty at the end of
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  Speaker 1: the day in terms of we ran the ball thirty
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  Speaker 1: times through the ball thirty times. It's are we good
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  Speaker 1: enough to do whatever it takes to win that game?
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  Speaker 1: And we felt like Tennessee, it was gonna be throwing
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  Speaker 1: the football, and we threw it. However, forty two times
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  Speaker 1: he completed thirty balls. Um, that was what we felt
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  Speaker 1: like it took to win the game. There's other games
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  Speaker 1: we've gone into, uh and we felt like running gave
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  Speaker 1: us the best situation or gave us the best possible
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  Speaker 1: ability to win the game. There's other games you go
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: in thinking we're gonna run the ball to win the game.
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: It gets shut down or the past game gets going
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: and you you pivot through the game. But we'll do
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: whatever it takes to win the game. We don't go
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: in this thing saying we need run it this many
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  Speaker 1: times and throw it this many times to win the game.
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: You get the ball, end you gotta get it, pick
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: up one first down and make sure of the games
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: for the way you Travis gets you the Birthday Animal exactly.
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: You have the line and Travis stepped up his third
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  Speaker 1: and three. I mean, everybody in the building knew we're
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  Speaker 1: gonna run the ball, and they were able to execute
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  Speaker 1: and get it done and then the cool thing was
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: just the emotion everybody showed afterwards. Everybody's celebrating the first
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: town knowing they just iceed to the game right there.
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: Like TV's ability to see read. Yeah, I mean, I
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: think that's one of the things. Just watching him, if
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: you didn't watch anybody else, And the way he throws
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: the ball, at the conviction he's throwing the ball with.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: He's certainly a guy that like just watching him, you know,
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: he's prepared, he's confident, he knows exactly what he's seeing.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: There's gonna be a number of times in a game
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: where the defense pools you and it's really like those
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: are kind of what make the difference in quarterback play?
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: Is it your bad play turned into you got confused,
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: you held the ball, you took a sack, you got
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: you fumbled, you throw a pick, whatever is it? You
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: threw the ball out of bounce. That's the kind of
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: the next step the progression of versus. Now you turn
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: it into a positive play for us. And I think
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: you've seen some of that show up up, But I
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: mean with him, it's you know, because you did it
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: last week has nothing to do with this week. You
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: gotta do it every single week. And that's just as
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: a young team learning that this is a week by
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: week business and you can get humbled very quickly. We
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: know that firsthand experience part of it. You're getting Yeah,
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: I think so, yeah, I think and it you know,
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: I think it's a credit to Mike McCoy, Jim Bob Couda,
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: the guys that have prepared him along the way and
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: the way he um, c J and e J prepare
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  Speaker 1: each week. You know, they're they're here all time, all
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: hours of the day, asking a million questions, want to
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: make sure that they have ownership of the game plan,
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: the guys around him, understanding what the game plan is,
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: what the expectation is um and then you can just
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: see that chemistry grow for everybody across. But again, anything
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: that happened in the past has nothing to do it
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: this week. Now. You hope it provides confidence that in
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: belief and what we are capable of doing. But you
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: gotta go prove it every single play. Thanks yus