10-21-25 The Scott Satterfield Show

Very pleasant, good evening, everybody. Greetings from the original montgomery In, home of the world's greatest ribs. Welcome to the Scott Satderfield Radio Show. I'm Dan Horde, along with the head coach of the twenty first ranked tied for first place in the Big twelve uce Bearcats. Let's here for Scott Saderfield. As you can tell by the noise in the background, we have a tremendous crowd tonight here at the original

Yeah, absolutely, I mean, you know what that's it's I mentioned this earlier.

You know, Jeremiah Kelly.

You know, we're wearing a remembrance for him as well, and our guys wanted to to wear the shirt. We're wearing his shirt every game day, and so our whole team puts that shirt on and remembrance of him and of course Jim number seven with the microphones a great tribute.

To him, and I want to honor him the rest of the season.

You know, he loved by everybody, and you know, like I said, I mean, he's a very through and through and I'm glad you know we're playing like we are right now. That's what I told his family on Sunday when I went by there too. And I know he's looking down as proud right.

Now, no doubt about it. I suspected Jim Senior and Jim Junior talking about the Bearcats being twenty first in the country. Looking ahead to the upcoming of five games left in the regular season and the goal of getting to Dallas and playing for a Big twelve championship. Got a big game coming up on Saturday. It's homecoming in

Yeah, I mean we've been a very efficient offense.

I mean the negative for us this year probably is just not having the ball. I mean, you know, we're toward the bottom of the really the country in time of possession and number of players that are run.

But part of that is the fact that we are scoring fast.

You know, we're moving the football and just like last game, we had the ball four possessions in the first half. That's not very many, but when you're scoring touchdowns and all four possesions. That's twenty eight points, so I mean, obviously we'll take that.

You know. And I think, you know, I think we get sometimes.

I think all of us get a little frustrated when we don't go score because we think we're going to go score. You know, it came out in a third quarter and we went three and nut, and I'm like, man, what the world's going on?

You know?

You know, I think we get a little s falled. I think, you know, coaches and players too. But that is a good thing. I mean, we were very efficient. I was talking to someone today about how it's maybe my the first time that in my career that we've had so many players that we don't mind if any of them get the ball. You know, I think usually over over time you have there's always been you know, maybe one running back or a couple of wide receivers that hey, we really need to get the ball to

You know.

One of the great examples was Cyrus Allen had one catch two weeks ago, and then he gets three touchdowns this week. I mean, you look up, Noah's catching the ball or Jeff Carwell's catching the ball, like it really doesn't matter.

You got two running backs that are very effective when they're in the game. You know, our tight end room is an exceptional tight end room.

I mean, Joe had I don't know, five catches I think in a touchdown, you know, in the game Saturday. So I mean, we just have so many weapons and then it all starts, and you guys know it starts up front. I mean, our offensive line is playing out standing this season. They're giving uh, you know, Brendan a lot of time to throw the football and they're opened up some great holes running it, so you know it's running.

It's very efficient.

I would say the offensive line gave up one sack this past week, doubling their season total. They have all two in seven games. Had the opportunity to visit with Joe Cotton earlier today, your left tackle, and he was like, in the huddle, they were just crestfalling. Ah, we gave up a sack, which is a wonderful thing when you're playing at such a high level that allowing one is considered heartbreaking.

Yeah, you know, and that was Brendan. I was on him. What he went on the old line.

I mean, he'll he'll be the first to tell you we had a play call and he got stuck on one of the receivers, but the primary receiver. Actually it was the first touchdown pass to Cyrus Allen. It's basically the same play and Cyrus is opened again. You know, he

I thought Joe Flacco threw some good passes on Thursday night, and then I saw the one that Sores be through to begin the fourth quarter on third down and sixteen. I haven't seen many throws better than that in my life.

That was an incredible throw that play, because you're right, it was. That was the start of the fourth quarter. So we had time so you know, TV timehouse last forever. So we're sitting there about four minutes and talking about, all right, what do we want to run on this third and long play.

It's hard to pick up third and eighteen.

So there's a lot of thoughts that were going through our heads.

You know.

The play we had called was a was a three by.

One play, was a dig route to the field, about a fifteen yard dig. We thought that could pick picked it up and they're like, well what if they play man, Well, well, just want to double move on the single side, which was Jeff Calwell, well, they came out and played cover two, which cover two normally you'd hit that dig route. Soresby just happened to look over there to callwell, he said, I saw some grass.

There wasn't a whole lot of grass, quite honestly.

There there was about four defenders and he kind of thread the needle right in between all four and Jeff being six to five, you know, did a great job of going up and getting that and getting a huge play. That was a point in the game too, where momentum was shifting. The crowd was into it, their players were on their side, it was into it, and that just hushed them once we got that, and then we ultimately went and scored again.

Thirty eight yard gain on third down and sixteen and an absolutely gorgeous throw to Jeff Caldwell. We don't have to talk about not having any interceptions anymore. Matthew McDoom with a pick and a school record a one hundred yard a run back for a touchdown. The old school record was ninety six yards by Bob del Rosa in nineteen fifty eight. Oddly enough, also against Oklahoma State, which is pretty incredible. But we saw Matthew mczoom think that pick back one hundred yards.

Yeah, that was We've been talking about this all year. Can we get an interception, you know, and then challenging the guys every single week and also trying to get a touchdown outside of offense, you know, offensive touchdown, you know. So this is our first touchdown that we had by the defense and to our special team.

So that was exciting as well.

With the interception, great job our guys getting some blocks there and once he hit the.

Sideline, we knew he was going. He's one of the faster players we have on our football team.

And you know, hopefully that that just you know, that burst the bubble so we can get a lot more of these interceptions.

All right. One negative, you gave up more than two hundred rushing yards for the first time this season. And I think it's either three straight or four straight games where you've given up one fifty plus. If there's something that you have to shore up on defense, that would seem to me to be at the top of the list.

Yeah, you know, And we go went back and looked at the film. There's about four plays where they got loose on us. Then one of them went for forty one yards on they cracked the safety in our corners got a replace right there. We didn't replace fast enough and they hit the sideline on that one. There was a couple of up up the middle where we've got to spill it. You know, we played on the wrong side and they hit it up the middle. I mean that was just some bad fits. And yeah, we got

Their quarterback, Sawyer Robertson, leads the nation in passing yards. He's typed for first and touchdown passes. What impresses you about him, Well.

Yeah, I mean he's you know, he's a guy who came in transferred in i think for Mississippi State, and you know, didn't play right away, but then once he got the starting role, there really just took off and they won their last six games last year to finish the season, all conference games obviously, and did a nice job. And this year and they're scoring a lot of points. You know, the record I think is four and three,

You know.

The last two weeks, you guys know, we've played two running quarterbacks that can can go get extend plays, but he's really not that.

He's more of a sit in the pocket and make the throws. He's got some dynamic.

Weapons on the outside of number thirty four is a six three, two hundred and twenty pound wide receiver that can really run. They have one of the best catching tight ends in the country, number one, I think Michael Triggs his name, and he's a two hundred and forty pound.

Guy that can run.

And then they got a couple of little slot guys that can fly. So they're gonna put a lot of pressure on our defensive backs with the way they can throw the football. You know, we certainly have to do some things to try to slow that down, and you know, knock on them. This year they have turned the ball over, you know, so again we have to be able to you know, create turnovers and and or get stops on fourth down. I mean, I think that's gonna be critical

So the Bearcats and Bears Saturday at four o'clock or pregame cover Gun Saturday will start at three o'clock. We're going to take a time out when we come back. Question from the audience here at the original Montgomery In home of the world's greatest Ribs. It's the Scott Sanderfield Radio Show on seven hundred WLW. Throw crossing route caught Cyrus Allen.

Ten five touchdown Bearcats twenty six Cyrus Allen.

That was the first of his three touchdowns and they were all different. That was on a crossing route. Then there was one on an option pitch where he came behind Brendan Soresby, caught the ball as a running back essentially and scored and then going in motion for a pass close to the line of scrimmage and running in for his third touchdown of the game. We are at the original Montgomery In home of the world's greatest ribs

Coach, you've talked about the amount of weapons you have and how it's one guy one week, it's another guy next week. What does that do for the playbook knowing that you have so many different players that can do so many different things.

On every play, Like, how big can the playbook get?

Yeah, we don't want to get it too big, you know. I think the one thing about our guys right now are playing at a high level.

They're playing fast, because it's not extensive.

I think the plays that we have run the best are the plays that we run every week, you know, so there's a lot of similar plays that we run each and every week, and.

We've had great success on those plays.

You know, a lot of the stuff that we are doing now that's a little bit different than last year. Obviously we're going faster, no huddle, a little bit higher tempo and higher pace, but more of the run pass option plays, and so we can want to play and it may look completely different four straight times you run it. You know, one may be a handoff, one maybe a quarterback poll and he's running it, or there may be three receivers that we can hit in that same plate.

Gary, Yeah, coach, you're talking about all the rushing.

Yards of people are getting.

Against us on the three five three.

It seems like most teams I see to play that one of the five will become a fourth down or a rusher or whatever. But seems like we sit back and to me, it gives up three, four five yards before our guys were able to come up and get it.

Yeah, No, you're right.

There's certain probably just our base defense where our guys are off probably seven or eight yards and by the time running back gets it, it's coming up. You know, now he's already got two or three yards on that, especially if we're in a especially if it's a first and tent where you know, you're maybe back at a normal position. Obviously, when it's a short yardage, everything gets tightened down, you know, and then now.

You're you're right there to be able to stop that. You know. It's it's a.

Fine line there between not wanting to give up a big play as opposed to you know, giving up a yard or two yards. I mean, and I think, you know, and then it's all all about what defense you're into, you know. So it's at times we got to switch it up and bring more guys. I think this year we have done more for down where we take a player and we walk him on the edge of the defense. We've done more of that than we did last year,

Obviously.

Okay, hey, coach coach Shaven talks about the rat poison. If you start to get a little more notoriety, how real is that and how do you keep the guys grounded?

Yeah, I mean, I just think it's human nature.

Anytime you have success that you know, people are all patting on your back and and telling you.

How good you are and all that.

I mean, uh, we've got we've got a very mature team. You know, this team I feel like every time to go on the field is trying to prove something, prove that they belong.

I think, you know, we're not too far removed from not having success.

I think we got a lot of players that went through that that that is not forgotten and and like you know, for us, you know, just like last week going to going to Oklahoma State, I mean, there's a lot of guys on our team that went through that that game two years ago. It's a bad feeling, you know, and I think the guys that did that express that to the rest of the guys that.

Were not here and made that clear. You know.

And this team here, I mean I remember playing this these this team two years ago have been different and now we're playing them again, and you know, we got a different team, we got a different mindset, and you know.

We were playing with a chip on our shoulder. And I don't think we're gonna lose that.

I think these guys are trying to prove something every day and it was that way at practice today.

Jeff Hey, sad Hey doing question for you. Well, by the way, congratulations and going bowling. Very excited about that. But how is the Godfather doing this? He gonna be able to go full full war here pretty soon or where's he at?

Yeah?

Yeah, you know, he's still battling the injury. Obviously, he's good to get him back out there. He's but he's not one hundred percent yet. But I think he is getting better. You know, certainly Saturday night was not at his best. His presence is great, you know for our guys and then and to see him out there. I

All Right, phillisays her hand up, John gets her the mic.

Coach, What was the most pleasantly surprising.

To you besides the win for this past week? Yes, oh, man, pleasantly surprised.

I don't know, I'm surprised about anything this weekend. I mean, you know the fact that we only had the ball four times, but we scored you know, four touchdowns. That was that was really good. I mean, I don't know if I've been a part of that. Usually if you only get the ball four times. Usually you're playing an option team, you know, who occupies the ball. You don't get you get eight possessions in a game to only

A good thing.

I keep waiting for one of these games where we do have a lot of a lot of time possession, we do have a lot more opportunities, you know, as we continue to move along, you know, that's something that that will be. That would be a pleasant surprise if we could get that.

For sure.

I thought the most pleasant surprise might have been the first time you'd ever seen a banana conga line.

You did take a little glance up there and saw that during the game. That's pretty interesting, all.

Right, Next question, coach.

Something that is cool about college football and the changing landscape is obviously the pageantry and passion of college football fans. The Big Twelve has a ton of awesome fans. There's always a little bit of conflict that goes on. We want to know what your thoughts are on the tortillas being banned at Texas Tech.

Yeah, I'm I'm in favor of that haven't played there last year, and uh, you know, several of them are almost hitting you on the field.

They're hitting the referees, they're hitting our players.

I realized it's a great It was a tradition for them, and they were having some fun with it. But obviously they took it a little bit too far, I think, And uh, you know, it's everybody's got their little thing they do, but I think when you're throwing things and actually hitting people that that is taking a little bit too far.

So I'm actually glad they're bannon it quite honestly, Bob.

See.

I think I saw on the internet that someone in this room is on the Coach Bear Bryant Coach of the Year watch list.

Congratulations.

But I was I was pleased with the play of our secondary because I think some of those sacks and some of the problems are actually caused by our coverage being so tight.

And I'm loving that.

Yeah, yeah, no, I think you know, certainly as we go along, these guys have gotten better at it, you know, and and some big opportunities and big plays when we need those big plays, and and this certainly this weekend is going to be a huge challenge for our guys on the back end, as I mentioned earlier, with these talented receivers they have, and you know, one of the best passing team in the country you're coming in here.

All right, any more audience questions? Okay, Amy, I.

Just noticed every third quarter we're like a sleep What.

Can you do to wake us up?

Oh?

Man?

We ask ourselves that every day in the office. You know, I don't I don't get it, don't understand, but I mean, you know, like I said, we scored four straight possessions in the first half.

We come out in the second half and we go three and out, Like what in the world happened right there?

You know, sometimes the defense wins, you know, and they did. I mean, we had I thought we had some good calls in there, and they came out with a little bit of a different defense and they just didn't match up and it didn't work.

Against those particular calls.

That's unfortunate at times, but you know, we're able to bounce back and go out there and score some more and move the ball.

But that's the cat and mouse game that goes on. You know.

Obviously you love to score every time you get the ball and be able to move it. It just doesn't happen that way. There's good coaches on the other sideline. They've had good, good players as well. Uh, you know, and then you're just playing that little cat and mouse game, and then ultimately you have to execute, you know, and and so that's a challenge.

But you're right, I mean, the third quarter has been.

A little I thought this time would be a little different because the last two weeks they got the ball first coming out, so this time we got the balls. All right, Yes, we're gonna get the ball and come out and do some great stuff. And we go three and out really quickly.

So that was not that that didn't work out like we wanted it, all.

Right, any more audience questions, Okay on this side, John John Daniel getting an excellent workout tonight.

Former high school coach, just asking about special team.

Seems to be a little better this year, yea, in terms of where I plays in the talk about a little bit.

Yeah, I mean it's been i'll say a lot better. Quite honestly and went in the field of position battles. You know, Max, our punter is done an unbelievable job. I don't have the stats in front of me, but how many I mean probably a little over half of his balls. He's kicked an inside the twenty yard line, which is pinning these teams back, which is incredible.

They have to drive the whole field.

You know, Steven's knocked down all our field goals, which is unbelievable, which is huge man in this and then in the way the margins are so tight in this league. I mean that is absolutely essential to get knocked down those field goals. And our guys are covering like I mean, Kwava made a tackle I think on a twelve yard line or inside the fifteen yard line covering the kickoff in this game last game.

You know, our guys were taking a lot of pride in it. I think it were really close.

In a punt return, I mean many Covey had the punt return against Kansas, they call it back. I think we're really close to breaking one of those. We've had some really good kickoff returns Logan Wilson, some of those guys getting some good blocks We've got a couple of tight ends here tonight that were on that kickoff return team, so you get the guys to get to talk to them.

But really excited about our teams.

I still think we can get better with the special teams, and I think as we continue to move on through this, this last of these last five games, we have to do that.

All right, let's squeeze in one more question.

Jim Kelly's family here and this is the niece's nephew brother, and I'm a sister in law. If Jim were here, what would be a one liner he'd use for this Baylor upcoming game?

What would you say?

Or maybe whatbody screamed during the game?

Well, you know he was fond of the word yes, with multiple exclamation points stated multiple times. Meg Ryan's style from when Harry met Sally, So that might it might be it. There might be some yes, yes, yes. After a few Brendan soarsby touchdown passes. All right, we'll take a time out. We will meet a far of Bearcat

He's at the ten for five touchdown. Bearcats unappropriate highlight to feature coming out of the commercial break because we have two Bearcat tight ends joining us on the Scott Saderfield Show tonight, and I'm delighted to introduce.

Them to you. We'll start with the person directly to my right. He is a sophomore from Lewis Center, Ohio that is near Columbus. He wears the number eighty seven, let's hear it for Bearcat tight end Gavin Grover. And next to Gavin, we have a red shirt freshman from Berea, Ohio that is near Cleveland. He wears the number eighty three, Devon Zaharski. We just heard at Joe Royer highlight. Dudes having a phenomenal year. He's obviously going to be an

I have just learned how to carry myself better. You know, he's a good dude. He's cool with everybody around the facility. I mean he works hard, whether it's the weight room or the field. So it's been cool to see how he carries himself at elite level, almostly a pro, and kind of like try to follow in his footsteps, Devin.

I mean, Joe's a really good player, man. I mean you said it here yourself. Things he does off the field, like him being a leader, him him showing us us young guys like what to do. I mean, that's a huge part for us.

But yeah, and you guys have added another veteran to the room this year, and Patrick gurd who was part of a national championship team last year at Ohio State. Obviously he's primarily used it as a blocker at UC. But how about what you've learned from observing him, Devian, you can start first this.

I mean as a blocker myself. I mean, he knows his stuff. He's very smarter on the playbook. He knows where to block, how to block, how to position block, and all this. So just taking stuff that he shows and using it for myself is just I mean, it's really important me personally.

He's talked to me a lot about like mindset, like not getting down on myself after like a bad play because I'm strutting with like mentally like having a bad play, getting upset, But like he's really helped me like see, like it's not the end of the world. You just got to move on to the next plan and keep going. And having that those both those guys as a mature veteran presence has really been helpful for.

Us going into our second years.

I mentioned you got you're both Ohio kids. Explain how you wound up at Cincinnati, Gavin, you go first.

Honestly, I've always wanted to be close home. Big family guy.

I have a big family of two brothers and a sister, So I've always wanted to be near them and their families now as they've gotten older, and Cincinnati was one of the places didn't really think of. Like I was a Columbus kid, like Ohio State was everything when I was growing up. And then I saw since I making the run to the college ball playofform, I was like I had to see it, and my first ever college football visit was here to Cincinnati at like the old bubble in the old facility.

And it's really cool to see them working.

And I've talked to some other schools throughout the process, but since I was always home from the very start.

Devin, A big thing for me was when I was getting recruited, was you know, the relationships you build with coaches, and I mean coach step was always you know, on me, on me, asking how I'm doing. And you know, as I've gotten here and I've been here for a while, it's still the same old coach. Like you know, he's always checking on you, He's always taking care of was. He treats us like his own and I mean, I think that was really what sold it for me, was I mean him being a great recruiter.

He's an interesting guy because he was an excellent quarterback as a player and now he is doing a tremendous job as a tight end coach. Do you think his experience from playing quarterback has helped him, you know, teach the tight end position in some way, Kevin.

It definitely has. I mean, being quarterback, you got to know the whole offense and know everything.

You know, knowing.

What the tight end does and like you have to know what he does based on what other guys are doing. So I think having the knowledge of his quarterback and like, I feel like it helps.

You know the game so well. Yeah, being a quarterback, you know, you know everything. But also him just being a people person. I think he could teach anybody on the on the field at all times. I mean, he knows his stuff, He knows the playbook like the back of his hand.

And as I said.

He's just really good with people. I mean, everybody loves coach Up.

So you two guys are part of the same recruiting class. Did you get to know each other in the recruiting process early on?

We had we had a remember we had a visit pit together Pittsburgh and we talked for like an hour on that visit.

We were talking about since then I came up for both of us.

Oh yeah I really like Cincinnatiyeah, me too, stuff like that. So yeah, we've like known each other through that. I think we took a visit to Cincinnati together and like the the Winner the January when the coaching staff first got there with coach step coach Tyurfield, all that, and we've done to know each other a little bit now our roommates.

So now there we go. So I'm gonna ask you guys to talk about each other. So Gavin, you go first. What you like and respect about Gavin.

Gavin is a very very smart football player. He's fast, you know, he could run routes very well, and he's just a big target. And he's also just you know, like a good kid. And I've always gotten along with him.

And yeah, and the same question for you about Devin.

Well, first, I was a good roommate.

No, I wasn't sure about it at first, but but well, I've enjoyed this company over time. I mean I've been lived with him since since I got here in January twenty twenty four. So he's been good. He's great on the field. You know, he played d line in high school and you could see it the physicality takes to the offensive side of the field. So I think he does a great job with that. And he's developed. He he's pretty quick too. I would say he's quicker than me.

All right, So there's been one big highlight that you guys have provided so far this year. Gavin you were the person that provided it. It was the Kansas game. You caught a pass about thirty four yards away and ran thirty three yards in eleven inches. I mean it looked like a touchdown. You came down with the ball over the goal line, but I guess your knee touchdown just short. Did you think you were in?

I was really close. I was really hoping we'd get a review. But I don't think Kansas wanted that to happen, so it didn't.

But it was.

It was a good experience for sure, first career reception. So I was kind of just I was going going as fast as I could to that goal line.

Yeah. Good. And and Devin, you were ready to charge out there for the PA tea.

I was running in there, and I was so happy for him, and I was like, ah, come on, like I thought he was in. I was halfway on the field when he called it.

So let's talk about this season to date. You guys have won six straight, You've climbed at number twenty one in the country. You're focused on Baylor this week and trying to keep this rolling. Has it exceeded your expectations so far this year? Or is this really what you guys expected to do, Devin, you go first.

I mean I think I could agree with everybody. I mean, I think this is what we expected to do. I mean most of us probably think we should be seven and zero. I mean that first one was tough. I just think they had a better day than us that day. But if we played him back, it wouldn't even be close. And I think we just need to keep it rolling. I mean, the offense looks great, our defense looks solid. We're going and it's a good team. But I think

You know, the new pieces we had and brought in those transfer guys that really fit the culture. Like they don't just go recruit, but they want guys that fit the mold that coach Syerfield and coach Niko have set. And I think they did a great job with that. And this offseting was transformational and it changes and I think we all knew that something special was coming this season, and now we see it coming to Fruish and its giving us even more confidence to keep this thing going.

Cincinnati has a great legacy of tight ends that have gone on to play in the NFL. Obviously, most notably Travis Kelcey is gonna go down as one of the all time greats, but there are a bunch that have made it. Is that a thing in the tight end room trying to continue this legacy, Gavin, I'd.

Say, yeah, I mean we've all chasing success. I mean we see the Josh Wiley, Travis Kelcey, Josiah Daguara like, those guys have precedent that we got to be elite and the elite tight ends come from this school. So I mean, I definitely say we're chasing those guys every single day.

Yep, definitely.

I mean it's a hard position to play and you have to be elite at it, and we've had a bunch of elite guys do it, so I mean that just sets the tone for us to keep being great like those guys were, and I think we're gonna get there.

It is a unique position to play. You guys have to be able to do a little bit of everything. You block, you catch, You've got all sorts of assignments on any given play. The Bengals tight end coach James Casey says all the time, if I was gonna hire somebody i'd hire a tight end because they have to do everything. How much do you enjoy all of the responsibilities that come with the position, Gavin.

I enjoy it all.

I mean I enjoy casting, passing down on them, but you also enjoy getting your nose in there and getting the dirty work with those on alignment, because I mean, they do a great job, and I try to replicate that as much. Obviously weren't as big as they are. But I like stick of my nose in there and getting something that's good. You get a little angry one day a can stick your nose in there and hit somebody.

Yeah, I mean it's nice catching balls, it's nice. It's nice blocking. I like blocking a lot more than catching balls. But I mean that's just me.

Yeah, all right, We're gonna take a time out when we come back. Questions from the audience for Gavin and Devin. This is the Scott Saderfield Radio Show. We're live at the original Montgomery In, Home of the World's Greatest Ribs on seven hundred WLW. We are back at the original Montgomery In, Home of the World's Greatest Ribs and the Scott Saderfield Radio Show. Tuesday nights eight to nine whenever the Bearcats have a game. They do have one more buy coming up in a few weeks. But how we've

We got Callen with a question, what's the biggest difference between high school and college?

Devin go, first, biggest difference between high school in college?

I mean, I would say the biggest difference is talent. There's a lot of difference in talent. And I mean the schedules are a lot different. I mean you wake up so much earlier, you lift more, you have practice a lot more. It's just like a totally different ball game.

I would say that like at the high school level, like most of the guys who are playing on these college teams were the best or one of the best players on their high school team. And then now you go on to the team and everybody's the best player on their.

High school team.

So you got to compete with those those older guys who were the best in their team, and now they're getting the better on this team and so on and so forth.

All right, very good question, Jeff.

All right, so you said you were a defensive alignment of high school.

Was that correct?

Correct?

So what was a transition like to go from defense to offense and how hard was it and did they have to talk you into it or did you always want to be a tight end?

So I put my senior year of high school, I played defensive end and tight end. I played just a lot more defensive end because we kind of only let people play one side of the ball. So the transition wasn't incredibly hard, but it was. It was different. I mean, you know, going from one position of the ball to the other side, like it's a little confusing. You gotta have your head around things. But once you once you get it, you get it.

You know what I mean. Did you play any defense, Kevin?

I played defensive end as well in high school. I enjoyed defense because I don't know, you didn't really have to think as much as just going.

Go get the ball, Go hit that guys, go ahead, exactly, go for the ball.

All right, Gary, I played defensive and in middle school, I'm sure you terrorized the middle school kids.

John Daniel Okay, guys, you're both Ohio guys. One Mid Ohio, one Northern Ohio. Let's go back a couple few years. Was always a big discussion in Ohio. Southwest Ohio is the best high school football?

Is that true? Devin? Do you care to start?

I mean, I'd have to disagree with that. I think North we got a lot of good got a lot of good teams, and I just, I just I just don't agree with you on that one.

Respect Do you want to course, do you want to speak up for the Columbus area.

I always hear about Cincinnati and Northeast Ohio, whatever, But I think I think Columbus got some of the most competitive football in the state of Ohio. You know, we got we got some good, good ball players come out of Columbus.

Not the name many.

Yeah, good respectful answers. You're both wrong, but but that's okay, Dave.

Question for both of you, what's been your coolest moment here as a bear Cat in the last couple of years.

I'd say just right now, honestly going through this now, you know last year wasn't didn't come out with wi Wan. You know, we wanted to have some more success but I think this year were really putting it together and it's been excited to watch.

You know, it's good good to get on the field.

Now.

We're both figuring out our roles in this offense and trying to help the team best we can, whether it's offense or special team. So, I mean, I'm having a great time right now and I'm enjoying this team.

I would definitely say getting my first catch in that game last year, I mean that was awesome. I Mean I don't think you could replicate a moment like that.

So, yeah, what.

Game was that for? Refresh our memory? Houston?

All right, Brian, So you guys are both kind of like you're the next wave.

You're the guys.

Going to be who we're talking about the way we're talking about Joe Royer in a couple of years. So you're not having as many snaps yet, but you have roles that are important. How do you keep yourself mentally focused when you don't have as many opportunities but you have important opportunities.

Yeah, So we we're always still in the playbook. We always still have to know what we're doing because we still get a ton of reps in practice. So you have to know what you're doing, and I mean being a we're both four core guys, like we're on every special teams unit, and I mean that's seriously a huge role. I mean you somebody here said of themselves, the special

Yeah.

One of my old coach from back home told me, like, just prepare every week like you're a starter, And I think that's it's definitely what we should be doing because I mean, be prepared whenever someone gets to bumps or bruise or like you have to go in and play a little more just because some of the other guys are tired.

I mean, it's always ready to be prepared.

And like he said, like figuring out specially special teams is a huge.

Part of the game.

And you know, with with our new special teams coordinator, and it's working out really well and our guys are really buying into what he's teaching us. And I think that is a huge role that this team is kind of taking on and gotten better at.

We saw it in the Kansas game. Too. Joe Royer went into concussion protocol and you get thrown in there in a very close game going back and forth. You know, neither team ever led by more than one score, and Cincinnati didn't skip a beat. I mean you came right in and came through a big plays.

Yeah, I just had to be ready to know Joe. Joe's a big playmaker on offense with the big shoes to fill. So I just did the best I could. You know, I prepared myself that week like I would have been the starter, even though Joe's obviously the starter. But I've been playing the best I could, and I like to said, I think made a good impact on them.

Doubt absolutely, all right, Bob.

So, I've heard a number of players described this past offseason as the toughest, most challenging offseason that they've ever faced. Is that baked into the culture now because we see when you go through that, that toughness, when you when you're confronted with that, what the payoff is on the field. So expected to be tough next offseason.

Oh yeah.

So when I first got in here, I wasn't early enroll lye. So I came from you know, waking up at noon, eating bad breakfast and going to school for a couple of minutes, waking up at five thirty in the morning, lifting as much weight as I've ever have, and you know, and then running and all that. So that was when I first got here a lot. And then this season, this offseason was even worse than that. I mean, I don't even know, I know, Nico, Coach Nico's gonna find some way to make it even worse

Coach.

Oh, yeah, Coach Nico is a great guy and he really knows how give us a good workout. Just safe to say that, Yeah, definitely, the off season has been a huge infinis emphasis for those guys. Coach sat gives Nicos the rain, Nico the rains, and let's lets some work with us, and he does.

He does a great job.

I fear that the first description that you provided there, Devin, was my son's college experience, right, University of Colorado.

All right, Phyllis, So you mentioned that you both went to pitt for a visit and Cincinnati then for a visit. Besides the fact that the Bengals beat Pittsburgh, which.

Is awesome, Yes, it was glorious.

What was the difference between the two schools that really just helped you both individually make a decision to come here, besides the fact that you're besties.

Now oh yeah, oh yeah, I would think just you know, my relationship with coach sat was was huge, and my relationship with Coach step I don't think I've ever been as close to a position coach or coach in general than Coach Step and Coach Set, So I think that was just a huge thing for me, is why I came here.

I'd say definitely Coach step in this coaching staff. I mean, it really felt like a family as soon as he came in here. And I know it's easy to say that with everything, but it really means that, Like he he checks up on it's like where his son. It's like he's a girl that and has four dollars. I feel like we're part of that family as well. I mean we've gone to eat at the other Montgomery in

You refer to them as besties, just so you know. They have different entrees that they've ordered tonight and they're splitting. It's my wife and I do you have two different things and split it? So I get the pork chops exactly, one pork chops, one rib. Split it up. You get to try up both, which is great. Oh yeah, all right.

Next question, Hey guys, you've been obviously to a lot of stadiums. How do you feel about playing Knippert versus the other stadiums. Obviously I'm feeling it.

Nipper's unique.

I like to get your input on that.

I think Nippert is something I've never experienced before before I stepped foot in Nippert. I think I went to the Indiana game as a recruit, but I mean from Columbus. I have playing the shoe holds like one hundred thousand, but there's nothing like that's place packed out with forty

Just run out the.

Tunnel at the beginning of the game. I'm ready to go.

So it's it's unique. I think it's it's my favorite statem. I know, obviously we're biased, but it's my favorite stateum to playing. Just for the fans and the atmosphere Nippert Stadium. I love it there, man. I mean, the fans are insane.

They're loud.

I mean, you get out there and your hype just because like it's going crazy. We're starting that new striping thing that looks insane. The student sections wild. I mean, the storming of the field was amazing. I mean I've never been a part of something like that, but it was awesome and it was it was amazing.

You know, did you linger when they stormed the field or did you get to the locker room quickly?

I was out there and uh my dad actually found me and so did my mom, and I'm like, what are you guys doing out here?

They charged the field.

I I love it. That's awesome.

How about you, gap?

I I enjoyed the field storm as well. I was out there in the middle. It was a pretty warm day and this student's rushing. I was like a fella that's have a panic attack out there.

There's a lot, there's people coming from everyone's way.

You like grabbing, you like tug at your holl Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah yeah.

Sorry.

I got one more talking about Nipper City. Have you guys had a chance to enjoy nip at Night, because I think that is the greatest college atmosphere ever. I'll put that against anybody in the SEC anything. Nippet Knight is awesome.

Have you guys got a chance to do that yet?

So I went to the Miami Ohio game a few years ago. We don't want to talk about that anymore, flushed it, but I went to that as NIP and I is a cool atmosphere. I say, I enjoyed it a lot, but it kind of got deflated near the end of that game.

I won't to speak about that.

But we had the TCO game last year, but the student section really wasn't fully there. So we really want We're hoping the end of the year something comes through and we can get a nip at Knight this year.

We need.

It could be college game day if both teams continue winning. Any other audience questions, We've got a couple of minutes to go. If anybody else wants to put up their hand, otherwise, it looks like we've got one over here, John, real quick. What's your favorite part of the you indoor facility? I know it's beautiful. What what do you like best about it?

Oh?

The training room. The weight room's cool. The training room is top notch. I mean we got cold tubs, hot tubs, a cryo therapy chamber that I sit in all the time. That's amazing, steam sauna, sauna, I mean, you got everything, float tank, red bed therapy. I mean, I could go on.

It's literally perfect.

Like there's not many things in this world that are perfect, but that facility is with the field, the weight room those are obviously nice, but the recovery modalities they've given us and that that facility are fantastic with as hot cold tub, there's an underwater treadmill for like rehab guys to get back. I mean, it's truly truly amazing. They have red light beds too. Those are super cool for covery that There's been a lot of re searched on that. That's a huge help for our guys.

All right, we are just about out of time, gentlemen, enjoy your rib pork chop split. Oh yeah, thank you for being here tonight. Congratulation has been a great season today. We look forward to doing this again years to go. All right, Gavin Grober and Devin z A Hirski Again, it's the Bearcats and Baylor Saturday at four o'clock. Our