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O-Zone Podcast: OT Walker Little · The Jacksonville Jaguars Official Podcast Network

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Ozone Podcast presented by by Star Credit
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: with Jaguars senior writer John Osan. All Right, welcome into
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: this week's Ozone podcast presented by by Star. And Uh,
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to this guest because I haven't had
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: a chance to get to know him with COVID. You know,
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: I think everybody knows by now, we in the media
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: cover the team haven't really gotten a chance to talk
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: to players face to face. I've read a lot about
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: him and interviewed him a couple of times. Today's guest
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: is Jaguar's rookie offensive tackle Walker Little. And first of all, Walker,
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: thank you for doing this. Yeah, of course, thanks, And
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: I've got to thank you. If anybody is tired of COVID,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: it's got to be you. I mean, everybody is, but
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: your career has really sort of been shape by you've
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: dealt with it. Um, you know, just uh, I guess
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: talk about your weariness of it. Everybody is, but you've
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: got to really be Yeah, I mean I've had an interesting, uh,
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: interesting time with COVID. Obviously, it uh kind of canceled
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: my senior season of college, which is probably the biggest
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: kind of memory of it. Um. I had COVID before
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: that season. Um, I had it again earlier this season,
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: so I've I've gone through it with COVID, and uh,
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: it's definitely changed a lot. But there's one thing that
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: you know, I thought it's taught me. It's just kind
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: of like be where your feet are and control what
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: you can control UM, And the team's kind of dealing
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: with that right now. I thought a lot of guys
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: go down with COVID recently and that's what we're preaching
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: to each other is just kind of control you control. UM.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: All you can do is your job and do is
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: invest your ability. Where are you at mentally in terms
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: of that, Because again I wrote about you around draft time.
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: People know your story and it's been such a long
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: road back for you from when you last played extensively,
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: which I guess was what two thousand I remember this right,
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: two was when you last played really extensively. Um, not
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: necessarily physically, because I get the idea that physically with
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: an a c L after a couple of years, I
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: assume you're fine physically, but just mentally, where are you
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: at in terms of you know, football, your approach, et cetera. Yeah,
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  Speaker 1: I mean I'm I feel back to normal now. I
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: mean i'd say before this season, before getting drafted and
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: everything and coming to the Jaguars definitely weird, uh not
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: having played in so long, and uh more so just
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: with COVID kind of cans in the season even you know,
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: right before the season, we weren't really able to have
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: a normal team atmosphere. So I missed a lot of
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: just being around a team, being on a football team,
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: which is weird for someone who's you know, been playing football,
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: been on teams. They're a little kid. Um. But since
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: I've been back, it's been back to normal. I mean,
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: obviously I haven't been the starter of this year, so
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: I haven't got to play in those many games I
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: would want to. But um, I've got a chance to
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: practice and you know, protest against great players every day. UM,
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: get better learn under two you know, great tackles with
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: Cam and Juan um and a great coach with coach Warhop. Um.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: You know, I've got a few opportunities going to the game,
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: which has been great. Um. So I feel like I've
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: gotten a lot better this year. I've learned a lot
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: and just being back on the team and being back
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  Speaker 1: in the locker room has been awesome. Now specifically that
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: this week a very strange week around the Jaguars. I'm
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: gonna go out on a limb and assume you've never
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: been through anything quite like this. No, no, not. I
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: mean as long as COVID has been around, it's usually
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: always been you know, one to three guys that may
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: get it, and a lot used to be like there's
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: five guys on team. How it was like, well, what's
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: going on? U? And now I guess was a new
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: variants just spread so much easier. We just we've had
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: a lot of guys you know, the past week catching
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: and have to stay at home and it's it's been crazy,
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: a lot of new faces in the building and uh,
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: you know, we're hoping we can get some guys back
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: before the game, but it's been it's been a while
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: the past few days. Now that said, it is a
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: you know, I assume we'll knock on wood here. This
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: is being recorded on Thursday right now, you're starting Sunday.
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  Speaker 1: Within everything else in the NFL, it's still all about opportunity. Uh,
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  Speaker 1: talk about that opportunity and uh, I guess your approach
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: to preparing for this and I guess it is what
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  Speaker 1: a big opportunity really is. Yeah, I know, it's a
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: it's a it's a great opportunity for me, a chance
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  Speaker 1: for me to play play against a really great defense,
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  Speaker 1: great pass rushers and good defense all around, really sound
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: obviously because Belichick always has them ready to go. Obviously
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  Speaker 1: one of the best coaches, if not the best of
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  Speaker 1: all times. So it'll be a great test for us
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  Speaker 1: UM as an offensive line and a great test for
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  Speaker 1: me personally. And I'm excited to get out there and
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  Speaker 1: just play a game and um, you know, see what
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  Speaker 1: we can do. If you can think back to when
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: you were I mean, I'm a load of people know
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: you were number one high school recruiting the country when
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: you're coming out, Um, what a path it has been
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: since then for your right. I mean, could you ever
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: imagine when you were in Houston, you know, sort of
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: the wide eyed walker a little, that it would take
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: this path four or five years. I guess it's what
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: that's what you said earlier than you've learned that it's
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: about being where your feet are. Yeah. No, I mean,
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: I think one thing that's always kind of kept me
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  Speaker 1: straight to is um, I never like went into all
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: of these situations expecting anything I got. And I didn't
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: go into the high school expecting to end up being
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: the number one recruit. I didn't going to college expecting
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: to start and have a great career in it. Ever,
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: like a dream of being a high draft pick. I
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: mean that was stuff that, um, it would be awesome
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: to happen, but you know who knew, um, And so
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: stuff just kind of came to me through a lot
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: of hard work and figuring things out. So I've been
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: grateful along the way. And obviously, yeah there had there's
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: been a lot of twist and turns, but again, yeah,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: it's been grateful for for what's given to and the
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: opportunities that you do have and trying to take advantage
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: of them when they're given to you. And I'm sure
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: how much on social media you're aware of, but you know,
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: as a young player, as a high draft choice, everybody's
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: sort of been pining to see you play. Hey, I
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: want to see walk a little. Is that cool at all?
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: Are you looking? I mean, is it fun to have
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: that support? I'm assuming it's not something you pay much
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: attention to. Yeah, I mean again, yeah, I don't pay much.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: Didn't tell over the hero. It's about it. But um,
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: to hear from you, I mean, that's great. I'll love
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: to have the support, but ultimately it's just, Um, we're
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: all here and we're all trying to execute a job,
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: and whoever the best managed to do that job, it's
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: gonna go out there. And I've been working, you know,
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: every week to try to prove myself and prove my
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: teammates that you know, I'm ready to play. I'm ready
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: to step in the game. Um, you go out here
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: this week and have a good wee get practice and
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: try to prove myself out this weekend. Um. Yeah, It's
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: just it's a great opportunity and I appreciate support from
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: the fans, and I hope I can give them a
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: good product. I talked to a lot of rookies over
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: the years we've been in your situation. They come in
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: and they're not playing a whole lot as much they
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: would like. As a rookie, I know we can get frustrating,
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: but it almost seems silly to ask you if this
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: has been a difficult year. I guess because of all
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: you've gone through that I assume you have perspective on
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: it different than a lot of players would in your perspective, right.
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: I mean for me, it's been a great year. I
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: mean I've had a chance to one just beyond an
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: NFL team, Uh make a roster. Like I said again,
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: you know be my learned from two great tackles, learned
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: from a great offensive line coach. I feel like I've
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: played a lot better, but I played before, and um,
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: obviously I'm always wanting guys to field. I'm competitor and
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: I want to play. UM. But I understand where I'm
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: at and I like to do is focus on my
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  Speaker 1: job and focus on getting better, um each day, so
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: that you know when the opportunity does come like this weekend,
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: and you know I can be ready and I can perform.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Have you played enough yet? I think it's been about
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: the game and half two games total. Um, have you
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: played enough you have to tell yourself, hey, I can
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: do this. I mean, are you seeing things about your
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: game when you watch film, when you're out there? That's
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: that is giving you confidence moving forward? Yeah, I think
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: the times I've gone out there give you confidence. Every
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: rep you know you're out there and I'll we're going
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: against you know, starters in the NFL. Gives you confidence
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: as well as Um. You know, our coaches do a
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: good job giving me a lot of opportunities to entire
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: guys go against Josh, go again smooth um and they're
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: you know, great pass rushers themselves. So um, just every rep, um,
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  Speaker 1: it just keep you kind of keep stacking and keeps
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: still building your confidence. Um. And so yeah, I feel
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: very confidence go out there and perform my job, and um,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: feel good in the system, feel good just operating out
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: there and being ready to get up. Um, here's the
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: call and then next you to play. If I asked
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  Speaker 1: you what the starting offensive line is Sunday, could you
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: even tell me yet? No? I don't. I don't think
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: I could. I don't have to. I tell you to
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: wait untill we show up fund Sunday. I lot to see.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: Oh Um. But yeah, we're whoever it is, We're gonna
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: be ready. And we talked about everything. It doesn't matter
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: what five guys go out there. We know we can execute.
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: Is there anything? Uh? Particularly as you look forward to
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: the off season, from what I've read about you and
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: heard about you, I know you're gonna be working on things.
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: You're gonna be focused during the off season. Getting better
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: anything particularly you're working on. Any thoughts on your off
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: season playing yet, I mean a few thoughts is just
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: you know, obviously the your body is kind of your
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: job here, so it's always developing your body, getting stronger,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: just being able, especially now you're going through an NFL season, um,
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: seeing how long and how grilliant it can be and
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: how much it demands, and everybody gives you a perspective.
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: You know, the guys who are gonna be around this
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: league a long time with guys, we're gonna be strong
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: and uh so strengthening my body, um, just being mobile, flexible,
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: things like that, and then yeah, there's a different things
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: in my game that I want to just keep building on.
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: Nothing that I would say I can't do now. It's
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: more so just making things habits, making things where it's um,
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: you know, just first nature. You don't want to have
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: to think about. It just kind of comes. And so
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: that just comes from again reps and reps and reps
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: out It's where you go out there on a Sunday.
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: It's pressure situation. Maybe you're laid off the snap kind
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: of whatever, but it's so natural for you that you're
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: gonna do the technique, how you're supposed to well for
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: the final thing we do want is we call it
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: the ozone five five. It's just five fun quick questions
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: for you, no right or wrong answer, walk a little.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: What was your last binge? Watch? Oh? Man? Uh? Yellowstone
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: is I'm currently watching it right now with the new season,
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: I've watched all of Solid right. Yeah, this past season's
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: been a little slow, but it's a It's a great show.
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: I love Yellows and it's one of my favorite new
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: ones in the past few years. The last song you
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: heard in the car this morning? Honestly, don't think I
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: listened to music this morning, but I listened to a
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: lot of Dell. I love Adelle, listened to her new
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: album She had this show. A few weeks back. I
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: watched So I'm Big at Delfans as one of the
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: most highly recruited players in your senior year. Tell me
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: who the toughest coach that you had to say no
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: to was. I would say too, I mean saving it
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: is always hard to see is who he is. But
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: then I would say, um, uh, coach Pittman. When he
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: was at Georgia, he was all one coach. It was
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: the hard ones I felt a really good relationship with him,
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: and I still have a great relationship with him to
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: this day. But he was a hard one UM to
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: kind of go away from. It's always gonna be hard. Yeah, Yeah,
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: for sure, it's hard. Like I said in that office,
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: it's tough. And Tarlina your go to breakfast food, Um,
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: there are this place first watch, it's chain, It's right
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: by my house. I got what I ordered that a lot,
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: just traditional eggs, bacon, potatoes. The person in your life
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: that you wouldn't be here without. I had two fold,
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: Mom and Dad. I guess maybe more Mom. She's been
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: supporting me and nurtured me and the whole thing. And
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: I've always been there for me and huge supporter of
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: mine and even just moving to Jackson Wells, she's been
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: a huge help of helping move with things at home
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: and helping me with that part of my life so
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: I can focus on, you know, this part of my life.
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: She's a huge walker little fans. She followed me on
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: Twitter right after you got drafted. Oh yeah, she loves
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: she loves the loves of Jags, loves man. It's definitely
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: likes Twitter. We fantastic walk a little I know it's
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: a crazy week. I cannot thank you enough for taking
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: time to do this. I look forward to meeting you,
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: talking to you're working with you down the road. Thank
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: you very much. Yeah. Thanks John,