Latest / The Jacksonville Jaguars Official Podcast Network / Press Pass | Travis Etienne Jr. On Run Game Revamp and Forming an Identity

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Press Pass | Travis Etienne Jr. On Run Game Revamp and Forming an Identity · The Jacksonville Jaguars Official Podcast Network

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Travis, if you could just describe when Press says that
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: the run game was taken down to the Studs this offseason,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: what does that mean the Studs and rebuilt.
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: I feel like just this's kind of a whole revamp,
• 0:15
  Speaker 2: just the way that they kind of been installing, just
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: the way he's kind of emphasizing more of the run
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: game and just making it our identity, just really just
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: putting a lot of more focus on coming off the
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: ball and just being disciplined and being a physical football team.
• 0:30
  Speaker 3: You obviously ninety overall in that and just what was
• 0:33
  Speaker 3: it feeling like when you saw that, and just how
• 0:35
  Speaker 3: are you feeling?
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: And now I feel great, man, because I remember my
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: first time when I first got here, I was a
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: seventy eight, and then I was kind of anxious to
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: get that up and then I got injured. So next
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: year I was a seventy eight again. So it's a
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: long way from that seventy eight, and I just have
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: that nine as of starting point. Is a great feeling
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: as a competitor as a running back, and just just
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: one continue to get better, continue to do what I
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: can do, be the best player for myself, for the team,
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: and it's going to work out well for him.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: Is anyone ever happy with your Madden raiding ever?
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: Oh? I mean you and I not. I mean that's
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: the only way you're truly happy with your h with
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: your MAD rating.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: How is it being back out there with pads and
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: being able to be more physical?
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: Like, it's a lot better because I feel like the
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: defense is always physical, that overphysical when youever you don't
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: have pads, and now when you do have, pass's able
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: to just to define a little more, a lot more
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: for you and I'm able to like to deliver a
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: little blow and they're not even like just a tag
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: off on me and say I'm down. It really got
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: to kind of wrap up and uh really just trying
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: to bring me to the ground.
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: Take had a couple of different Skirmishess. Does he seem
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: like he has a little bit more bite to him
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: this year? A little bit more edge?
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: I would say, I want to say edge. I would
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: say he's a lot more smoother, He's a lot more confident, confident,
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: he's a lot more just he's not as ancists he
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: was last year. I feel like you could just kind
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: of tell he got he getting the swadder U behind
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: behind his pads, and I feel like I love that
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: for him because he's going to build vit apart for
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: us to be able to just be a great team.
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: You've seen from the younger guys in the running background.
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: I feel like the ability to learn, the ability to
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: pick up. I feel like they all kind, they're all
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: like physical. I feel like they all want to run
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: behind their paths. But I feel like this guy learned
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: the NFL and learn that you can't just bounce everything.
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: Everyone's got to speed. Everyone's fast, and you gotta just
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: kind of just get vertical, give what the defense gives you.
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: And let's saying the next down you.
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: Think everybody did.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: Did you go through that?
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: Now? Everybody like getting the confidence after you missed that
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: first year? So do you kind of understand what Tank
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: was going through last year a little bit, you know,
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: and now trying to figure it out a little bit?
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, most definitely, because I feel like you got
• 2:33
  Speaker 2: to understand whenever are you coming from Compton in the NFL.
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: You used to being the guy, the big guy on campus,
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: and then when you get to the NFL's kind of
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: like being that freshman all over again, Like no one
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: really cares who you are. No one really knows who
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: you are. You gotta kind of just rebrand yourself. And
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: I feel like last year was a kind of learning
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: curve for him because he was always the guy at
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: Ardman since he came in so and just he never
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: really had a guy like me in the running back
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: room with him. So for him to just understand that
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: he was locking and do his part, I feel like
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: he really learned. And I could just tell just the
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: way that he's been just approaching the game. And I
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: feel like coach Macki has been helping him a lot,
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: just get his IQ so much more further along, and
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: you can see it in his play. He was making
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: a lot of players out there on the field for us,
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: just the way he's marine just waiting hitting the hole,
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: just him catching the ball, looking the ball in. I
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: feel like it's not even day for what he was
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: last year.
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: Impressive to talk a little bit about getting him going
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: and ideally how that would take a bit off your work.
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: But do you agree, do you see that as a
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: potential being to hit period or how would you see
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: that way?
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: Most definitely, I mean, anytime you can have two guys
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: out there just being who they are, as players. That's
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: really great for the team. I've seen about Jamar Gives
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: and David Montgomery, both guys in the same system, going
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: over one thousand yards, and I feel like, why can't
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: that be yes, And I feel like it's only going
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: to help the team be so much better and the defense,
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: Like when I come out of the game, the defense
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: still Tank still brings a threat, and I feel like
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: it's going to continue to just help prepare less further
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: and whenever we're like so much further down the line
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: week seventeen, I don't really have all that back banging
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: and being up on my body. Tank really been helping
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: me and then, uh, I feel like it just helps
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: me fresher for a long time, and it really like
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: extend the longevity of my career forever a long time.
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: Because he's still the same guy like off the field
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: in the locker room that he was when he came
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: into Clungson.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Ah.
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah, mother, definitely, That's what I love about Trevor. I
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: feel like nothing much really changed. I feel like he's
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: still the same same humble guy that he's been to being.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: I feel like, although who he has everything he can
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: have worldly I feel like it never changed who he
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: was in his heart, and I feel like that's why
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: guys are here just just able to go out there
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: and just play for him because I feel like he's
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: a great He's a great guy, great, great person, and
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: I feel just gonna be a great father. So I
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: feel like I just love to just be with him,
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: and I feel like that's why we're able to go
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: out there and just get behind him through the ups
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: and downs and beable just keep pushing forward.
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: What did it mean to you in this locker room
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: to see him get a contract extension?
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: I feel like that was great. I feel like it
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: just kind of does shows that uh here, that that
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: the the higher ups want us to be here. I
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: feel like they they kind of see them the that
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: we made around here and they kind of just kind
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: of want to just give back and keep the cour
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: together and feel like we just keep doing what we're doing.
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: We have a real chance to win the Super Bowl.
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: A liven more better this.
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: Year than you did.
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: Throw flies, like, when what are you expecting out of
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: yourself this year?
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: Unbelievable year. I feel like I want to go out
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: there and just be the best player that I can
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: be for the team. I feel like week in the week,
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: I would just just get my just being healthy. I
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: feel like for me, health as wealth and I'm able
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: to go out there and just present a missimatch and uh,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: I just really want to see Coach just kind of
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: explore those matches more this year, and I feel like
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: that's going to help us be much better. And I
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: feel like they kind of get me more involved here
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: in the passing game. That's it's going to take my
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: game to another level because I feel like I've always
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: been electric with the ball on my hands is handed off,
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: but just from the gamme, the ball in the space
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: is going to be so much more crucial because I
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: feel like the first guy is never gonna talk on me,
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: and now just being out there one one with a back,
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: I'm gonna make a miss every time. That's gonna just
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: help just help our receivers get open so much more,
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: just help the defense so much more, Just just help
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: the run game. Just it's going to just turn the
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: offense like it's a whole new level.
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: Have you acquired George Georgia running black?
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: I do have an easy and jersey black one. I
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: got the black one with the little red my mom
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: asked me what I was going to wear it to
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: the game. So I was kind of thinking just put
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: my brother jersey on with a Clemson hat. I'm still
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: conflicted about that.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: So we're gonna see pretty excited.
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Oh no, they are excited. Tyson asked me who I'm
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: asked me if I wanted to make a bet of it.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: I'm like, man, heck no, I got to probe with
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: my little brother. So he was trying to get a
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: free with them.
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: You wear your own You should wear your own Clemson
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: dur should should?
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: I would, but then you retire my jersey. Yes, so
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: it ain't even my jersey no more. They didn't move
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: on from me.
• 6:45
  Speaker 3: I think at the end of last season, you talked
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: about wanting to take another step in leadership. Coach Matt
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: called you the alpha dog in the running back room.
• 6:53
  Speaker 3: What does leadership look like for you going into this year?
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: Just been there for the guys, just uh, just being
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: a show that could lean on, uh me, just kind
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: of just being oldheaded room. Now you know you're four.
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: I got a lot of experience under my belt and
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: just being there for them whenever they have questions, whenever
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: they need something, just reaching out on what I'm saying,
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: how they feeling outside of football, and just checking on
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: them just to make sure they're mental right, because this
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: is a very physical sport and I feel like if
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: you don't have your mental together, it don't matter like
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: that you won't be who you are as a person,
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: you won't be already as a player. So I fe
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: just checking on them from a mental standpoint is really
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: going to just help them move much forward and just
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: understand that that it's okay to be vulnerable and we
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: all hurt, we all got weaknesses, and we all need
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: to get better, and just kind of making those guys
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: feel comfortable in the room that way they don't have
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: to like try to hide, try to try to not
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: be who they are, and just let them feel vulnerable,
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: make it a safe space for them to come out
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: here and be open, talk to us, and we know
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: what's going over everybody in the room.
• 7:49
  Speaker 3: Thanks.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: Thank