SPRING TOUR: DJ Uiagalelei Talks NIL Deals & Benefits of Transfer Portal + Why Patrick Payton Is Ready To Run It Back vs Georgia - podcast episode cover

SPRING TOUR: DJ Uiagalelei Talks NIL Deals & Benefits of Transfer Portal + Why Patrick Payton Is Ready To Run It Back vs Georgia

Apr 18, 202432 min
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Episode description

Recorded: March 27, 2024 | In this episode of our 2024 Spring Tour we sit down with two of the BIGGEST names on Florida State's roster, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and defensive end Patrick Payton. Delanie and DJ are from the same area in California and immediate hit it off. DJ talks about what it was like transferring from Clemson, his conversation with Dabo, life before and after NIL, and his expectations for the season. Patrick hops on the pod right after DJ and we get a look into exactly how he gained his notoriety so fast. Let's just say you have to be a different breed to do what Patrick did in his first game. Florida State is in good hands with these two leaders going into the 2024 season. 0:00 DJ Uiagalelei interview starts 1:20 Journey from Clemson to Florida State 2:10 Playin pre-NIL and post NIL/Transfer portal 3:00 Why he chose FSU 6:00 Nervous to tell Dabo he was trasnferring 9:00 The bad side of NIL 15:00 Playing against Deion Sanders ---- 18:46 PATRICK PAYTON INTERVIEW STARTS 19:00 Playing at Miami Northwestern 20:00 Being named 2022 ACC Defensive Freshman Of The Year 21:00 Mistake of entering the transfer portal 22:30 Not telling coach he was going into the game his freshman year 24:30 Reaction to missing the College Football Playoff 26:30 Georgia game was a fluke 31:00 Smelliest guy in the locker room


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Transcript

Speaker 1

D j Oui langa lay I'm.

Speaker 2

Dowey what d j unga la ooy unga lay.

Speaker 1

Dj introduced yourself to the podcast.

Speaker 2

Man, now, thanks for thanks for joining us right before we popped on. It seems like you guys grew up in similar areas. Uh, Delaney, he takes great pride. He is great pride and Promona Pomona.

Speaker 3

You know what it is, bro, Stop playing well. So we he was like, I bet you he's not from Pomona.

Speaker 2

I said, Look, I said, no, I said, I said, I said, Uh. The page we got said he is from Riverside. He said, he ain't from Riverside. He from I'm gonna ask him. You from the town, You're already gonna know what's up?

Speaker 4

He said. He do know what's up.

Speaker 1

He said. Now, my grandparents grew up there, That's what he said.

Speaker 5

But my grandparents lived there. Oh, my dad, my brother, my dad's brothers, i' my uncles. Yeah, I grew up in Pomona. I lived there for a couple of years at my grandparents house for a couple of years. But no ship, I said, from the Empire.

Speaker 2

Yeah, talk about I want to get into right away because I feel like you have. You've had a fascinating journey starting at Clemson. You were like you were like you were the man coming out of high school. You go to Clemson, transferre to Oregon State. Now you're transferred to Florida State. Talk us through like the process of now the transfer portal and your kind of journey of going from Clemson, the Oregon State now Florida State.

Speaker 5

I think, honestly, Man, it's nothing now I would have thought of when I was coming out of high school like this, what I would have been at here at Florida State.

Speaker 4

I would have been at three different colleges.

Speaker 5

But I mean, I think at the end of the day, I think that's part of the journey, what guys had for me. I think that's the blessing in it. I've learned a lot in my five years being here in college and then for me, Man, I'm happy to be here at Florida State.

Speaker 4

I'm excited for the next journey. But it's been a blessing.

Speaker 1

Man.

Speaker 5

Guys put me through some trialge stribulation, some good, some ups and downs. But for me, Man, I've been able to come out of the fire on the other side and just learn through the times that God's giving me.

Speaker 2

So I've been blessed in the When you were at Clemson that was like the pre and ile era, right.

Speaker 4

Yeah, right before the state, right before.

Speaker 2

I think about talk about how that's just developed over time because you obviously wouldn't.

Speaker 1

Be here if the transferport and all that stuff wasn't going on. Talk about how like you've witnessed it all kind of come to light.

Speaker 4

I think it's been crazy.

Speaker 5

I think Nil transfer portal, I think for me Man and I, al's been a blessing. I think it's been huge for me. For me, Man, it's been able to take care of my family, be able to make extra means for my family, be able to pay rent, be able to pay for different stuff for my parents, mom and dad, and different stuff like that. So for me and I, al's been great. I mean that's something that I would have never thought of. That's helping my family out of help my life out, being my life a

lot easier. And then transfer portal, I think it's something that's been for me Man, it's been beneficial. I mean, be able to tri If it wasn't for the transport, I wouldn't be able to be here at Florida State. So for me, Man, I'm super excited about my time for this next year of Florida State. I'm thankful the transferport. I think it's a great tool as long as people use it the right way. But I think it's great.

Speaker 4

So what made you come back to the ACC though? Coming back? For me, Man, I feel like Florida State is the best fit.

Speaker 5

I feel like coach Norvel, coach to Cards, coach Atkins, everyone here on the offensive staff, I feel like it's the best fit for me. I felt like the offense played to my tools and my strengths, to what I want to be as a quarterback when I do as a quarterback. And also I felt like Florida State, Man, I feel like they're on the rise, Like they had a great season last year. Should have been the playoffs

in my opinion. But I feel like, Man, everyone's here hungry to get a national championship, win another AC championship, and that's what I want to do. Man, I want to be able to come here and win, be able to get developed, be able to be a great player.

Speaker 1

In their coach novel, why don't why didn't it work out with Clemson?

Speaker 5

I think it's a multitude of things. I think for me, Man, it was a blessing. I think coach Dad would think all the people there, my boy coach Streeter, my quarterback coach, and all the guys that were there. But I think it was just it just didn't work out for I think it was great at times. At times I was there, I think things went well, but obviously things didn't work out to how I thought it would and probably how

everyone else started with at Clemson. So for me, Man, I felt like I wanted to go somewhere else and just go somewhere different.

Speaker 4

So that's why I ended up going to Oregon State.

Speaker 1

Do you feel like it was like a clean break break?

Speaker 5

I think I think so. For me, Man, I wanted to start. I want to go somewhere. Fresh Man hear in my mind, I want to go somewhere. I want to do something different on offense, learn a different scheme, and for me, I want to go do something different.

Speaker 4

Played my strengths better.

Speaker 3

Us being in this our age and not being able to experience the portal like when you do hit the portal. What is the feeling like after leave leaving a team, do they feel like you turn your back on them, Like, I mean, what's that feel like?

Speaker 4

Locker room?

Speaker 5

I mean, honestly, when I left Clumps, it was tough because I mean all those guys I was there for three years, coaching staff, the guys, support staff, all my players. I mean all those guys. I was boys. I was tight with them. I mean, honestly, I didn't want to leave. But it's also like kind of like a business ission, Like, man, if I want to be able to get to be my best, I need to leave, you know, I need

to leave the situation. And it's tough, Like I mean, when you're on a team, you're putting out tons of working with guys every single day, like you're out here in the summer, put it in working the summer, the spring, then the season comes around and doing everything with your teammates. You're around the guy, so you're bonding like you guys are close, like it's a brotherhood for a lot of

people talk about on the locker room. I mean, you guys know, being in the locker rooms like you're super close. So leaving that part it's tough. We obviously know in your heart, like it's the best decision I gotta do. But and depending on how you are as a teammate

and as you are as a player. I think the locker room that the team that you're leaving, I think it shows like if the team's okay with you leaving, like, man, you know what, DJ could be your best, like do your best wherever you go, or some cases is like man, I forget that dude.

Speaker 4

If that dude like man, we ain't want to hear anyways.

Speaker 5

I think that depends on I think that shows what type of person you are in the type of character that you left on that team.

Speaker 4

And then the people around you.

Speaker 3

So did you ask for their blessing when you did hit the portal?

Speaker 4

Like I just want to know, like, do you go and talk to him?

Speaker 1

I'm about to I'm thinking about making a move.

Speaker 3

Yeah, I'm like, yo, you know I didn't. It's not working out the way I thought. I wanted to know I'm gonna do this anyway. I just wanted to see, like what your blessing is because we didn't get to experience it. And I feel like it's a great opportunity for players nowadays because you do have the opportunity. Ain't going away you you like, are they fired off? The quarterback coach and you get a new one in he don't like you, like it gives you that statute.

Speaker 4

Yeah one percent.

Speaker 5

I mean I think my first time I told I called that one and let him know, like, hey, man, I want to probably enter the portal.

Speaker 1

I'm nervous for you.

Speaker 5

I was definitely yeah, I know, like, yeah, I was definitely nervous. You know, that's not a conversation you want to have. That's not an easy conversation to have. It's like if you're trying to like you're a head employee, you want you know, you're talking to your employee, or like you want to go talk to the boss. Yeah, you know what, man, I think I'm leaving. So I mean that conversation wasn't It wasn't. It wasn't the easiest.

But coach I think Coach Sweeney he understood where I was coming from and then obviously he didn't want me to go, but he understood, you understood.

Speaker 4

Where the place I was at.

Speaker 5

So I appreciate Coach Sweety for that making that conversation a lot easier than a lot of head coaches w instead of screaming like no, hell no, you're not gonna leave not gonna leave me. But he made that easy and he understood the process. We need absolutely transparency.

Speaker 1

You live in the world.

Speaker 2

We're all we all we all love capitalism, we all love making money, we all love having all of our decisions after our careers. Everything revolves around you know, what are they paying here? What are they paying there? Since you are somebody who has experienced the pre in IL and now the NIL for what it is today, Like when you're making the decision to go to a school back when you when you first went to Clenson, back when we played, You're like looking at it.

Speaker 1

Is it a football factor?

Speaker 2

You look at all these different assets of why you go to school?

Speaker 1

How does that change?

Speaker 2

Like how much more does that like maybe not mean as much with the whole nil, Like is it more financially driven? Yea, when you make your decisions now when you are doing the portal in the NIL and everything else. I think high school I think is definitely different. I think I mean it depends. I think it all depends on case the case scenario. I think depends on the athlete. What are there means? Like some athletes say, hey man, no, oh see everyone their.

Speaker 5

Goal is trying to get to the NFL and get developed in college and go to a great place where you get developed.

Speaker 4

But in il it's it's also a plus. You know.

Speaker 5

It's like, hey, you know what I do want to make some money. I want to be paid for. Like in some cases athletes like, hey, this is what I feel like I'm worth, Like this what I want to get paid for. And colleges will pay money out there. So it is blessing and stuff like that. But I think where it gets tricky is where people just want to go like, hey, I want to go here, like I just want to get paid. You know, they're just

going money first. At the end of the day, where you make your real money as when we make it to the NFL. You know, like this money in college only lasts for a short amount of time. You know, you're not making the big bucks for like all these NFL players see they're signing their second contracts, some guys' third contracts are making hundreds of millions of dollars. Like that's where you're not getting paid that much in college.

Like that's that's where you make the real money. So when you're going through the process, I would say in high school, you're still going through the same process as you were before.

Speaker 4

At il you're looking.

Speaker 5

Where you're going to get developed, where's the best fit for you as a player, and where you're going to be able to shine at to where you can be able to make the big bucks in the NFL and be able to be ready.

Speaker 4

I think that's how it.

Speaker 2

So like in your brain as an athlete, does you say it checks all those boxes? Then does it kind of like fall in a range of what a team might be willing to pay for them to meet all of the standards that you're kind of going through in your head.

Speaker 4

I think with that part, I think that comes second.

Speaker 5

You know obviously, like when you're going through it, you're picking the team, and then whatever the money is, I think that's a bonus at the end of the day.

Speaker 4

I mean you also you also, I mean you're it's also a business.

Speaker 5

So you want to be able to be paid what you're worth, Like you don't want to get cheaped out on anything, just like the NFL contracts.

Speaker 4

You're like, man, like, this is what I'm worth.

Speaker 5

Like, don't come out here with some bull with some bull crap and tell me I'm not worth this, you know, So I feel like it's also it's like the real world. I mean, you got to be able to you got to be able to conduct yourself as a business person as also as an athlete at the same time.

Speaker 1

Yeah, it's always so fascinated by that.

Speaker 2

Mean too, they're such a different like they ultimately they're in the shoes of like like he was just saying, because when we're choosing the nfls, if we're choosing an NFL teaven free agency where we feel like we're getting compensated the best, or if it's a way better fit or a winning team here right there.

Speaker 4

You might take a little less money, might take a little less money.

Speaker 1

Like that's what our decisions are based around. Then too, I almost.

Speaker 2

Feel like as a as a college athlete, you you do have to like try and stay like I guess true a little bit to like where can I develop a vehicle?

Speaker 1

Because they're like, you know what I mean, they're young.

Speaker 3

Well, I mean once you stop performing at a high level, them nil deals stop. You're only getting it because you was a top high school athlete. Are you that college athlete? And they paying you for that reason? And sometimes I feel like young athletes don't understand that, like, yes, you are great, but once that performance drop, them nil deals.

Speaker 4

Drop when they won't pay you. It's just like the NFL.

Speaker 3

Once you don't perform at a high level, what you get, you gone.

Speaker 5

It's no different than free agency. You're in the pus. It's no different. Like it just like you said, like if you're gonna go somewhere and take the best fit, like yeah, maybe it might not be a little bit less money than somewhere else, but like at the end of the day, it's the best fit. You're going somewhere where you're gonna be the best fit to where you can be able to make a lot of money.

Speaker 4

So that's where I think, because.

Speaker 3

Sometimes I feel like when they do give you all that money, they expect you to perform right now, working it up right now, like first rounders. If they don't before they get two years after that's tag a year, but they gone.

Speaker 2

You feel like the locker room overall has like shifting a different mindset with all the nil and guys understanding who's making what come in here. I don't know if you guys do, like I don't know if it's like public knowledge, but do you feel any shifted off from when you were first in locker room and Clemson toil your last couple of years.

Speaker 5

Honestly, I don't think so. I think it depends on the team. I think some cases, you hear some teams, they might get they talk about like oh, man, like this guy's making this much, like why am I not making that much? But I think when you're in a brotherhood here like a Florida State, I think everyone understands, like, hey, man, you make like this is your money.

Speaker 4

You make your money. But like at the end of the day, man, you come here to work.

Speaker 5

You know, no matter how much money you make, how much money you make off the field, Like, man, at the end of the day, you got to come in here and perform. You got to come in here to the list, Like you're not missing no work that's because you make an x amount of money or you're in the portum made this much money, Like you're coming here to perform, Like there's a standard to be met each and every day, no matter how much money or if you make.

Speaker 4

No money here.

Speaker 5

So that's why I feel like in Florida State, there's no difference with how much money, say everyone makes, like there's no difference with in Il with before and since I've been here, it's like is your brotherhood, man, You're coming here to work.

Speaker 4

There's a standard to be met. You know how much.

Speaker 3

Money you make and you know what I do with some research on you, like if these guys don't know like you really care about football, because you did. You were drafted by the Dodgers as well, correct, yeah, yeah,

but didn't sign the contract. Yeah yeah, didn't sign a contract though, So that just shows you like dedication to the football, Like even though yeah, we know you got a great NIL deal, but you could have signed with baseball too and had a contract as well with them, but chose to play football strictly, So that that says a lot about you that how.

Speaker 4

Appreciated there about the game. And the money really doesn't matter.

Speaker 3

You just want to be in the NFL and I know your family that's what they want to see you doing.

Speaker 4

Oh yeah, and that's why they worked so hard to get you to where you at.

Speaker 1

You know, definitely, No, That's what I said.

Speaker 2

It's everybody's curiosity is so high with all this all the NIL stuff, and it's crazy. You have like a you have a unique case and journey because you've kind of been in both worlds and you're going, this is your fifth year. Yeah, fifth year? What what what made you leave or transfer from Oregon State? Did the coach leave or the whole staff left?

Speaker 5

My head coach left, So after our last game and the next day our head coach, you ended up taking the job in Michigan State, coach Smith. So when he left, my quarterback coach, my tight end coach, my coach in the first place, we had the main reasons why I

was there. It was the whole offensive staff. And like when he left, the whole whole offensive staff left, and he was he was the offensive guy, my quarterback coach, lineman, offensive line, my tight ends, and that's the best damn near the whole offensive staff left.

Speaker 1

So I'm like, dang, yeah. Like when that left, and.

Speaker 5

Then the Pac twelve, like not having a conference anymore, or now that's being not in a conference anymore, like that did help as well. I was like, well, shoot me, I want to be able to compete for a national championship. I didn't know like being in he can't, but I've being in a conference, like in a big conference AC Big twelve, Big ten, and SEC.

Speaker 4

It's kind of hard to compete for that national championship.

Speaker 1

Verd So was that when the Big twelve kind of got blown up.

Speaker 5

To be at Pack twelve, it was crazy, like it's in the summer. I mean, for me, I grew up on the West Coast, grew up and I'm from sun California.

Speaker 4

I grew up a SC fan.

Speaker 5

Years of me watching the Pack ten Pac twelve just get dispersed and just leave.

Speaker 4

It was crazy.

Speaker 3

Yeah yeah, but I mean you you're in a greater opportunity to have success by going to a national championship being here, especially after what they did last year.

Speaker 4

You know, we'll be excited to watch and see what you do.

Speaker 3

Definitely, when when we found out I was interviewed, I'm like, that's my dog.

Speaker 5

Yeah, I know, I'm like.

Speaker 1

I'm for really Laney Walker Delaney was fired out.

Speaker 4

Yeah, I was fed like, yeah, that was my dog. Yeah.

Speaker 3

So I'm glad that you got to do this interview and we got to meet you, and man, I like everything you're doing.

Speaker 1

So you know, we wish you the best. I appreciate you to find the stead real quick. Y'all didn't play? Uh if y'all play Colorado. Last year we played Colorado. They remember they Colorado Oregon. No Colorado's they start falling down? When when did you all play that played them like towards the end of the year. I got you.

Speaker 2

I got you, because if y'all played them earlier, I'll be curious like all the everything that was kind of coming with Colorado Prime and everything else, crazy reality going against and be like, yo, you know you're like wanting to take everybody down.

Speaker 4

There's Hella cameras on the field. That's all I remember.

Speaker 5

Like I got to the field and it was packed and like cameras everywhere, like Hella media.

Speaker 4

I was like, damn, it's crazy.

Speaker 5

Constant show. Yeah, constant show. It was wild, Like I ain't never seen that many cameras on the field.

Speaker 1

It was.

Speaker 4

It was wild, Like on players, it was crazy following plays.

Speaker 5

I think they had Kirk Franklin there. I was like, damn, Hella celebrities and Kirk Franklin like k yeahs and stuff come out.

Speaker 4

Like oh damn this this Hella fire. Kirk Franklin.

Speaker 2

They let a lot of yeah, they let a lot of stuff. Dudes will be like doing their vlogs and stuff. It was all types of celebrities on the FI. I'm like, Yo, they led celebrities on the field during the game.

Speaker 4

Yeah, that's what I was like, Man, who's coming to the game. I'm like, the celebrities gonna be at the game?

Speaker 1

Like who? Your thoughts? Your thoughts on not making the college football playoffs? You guys want you guys?

Speaker 5

Yeah, obviously I wasn't on the team, but I think I think, honestly, I think they should have made it.

Speaker 4

I think that sucks. I mean, when you go.

Speaker 5

Underfeel, I don't think they should have made it here.

Speaker 1

I think they just like sitting back, didn't get in.

Speaker 4

I think it sucks. I think I knew. I mean, I know in Florida State about saying.

Speaker 1

Trouble.

Speaker 4

I know, yeah, about saying a tough position.

Speaker 3

Yeah, we always got we gotta mess with people every time. But uh yeah, I mean my situation with that, the Florida State situation, you know, I don't it was a tough one th quarterback. I think that was a big play, but yeah, it was. It was the play.

Speaker 4

That's what that was.

Speaker 2

Like, they have the top two guys, the top two cats went down.

Speaker 3

That's what I'm saying. So that hurts you. I think that, but you know, Alabama is the Alabama ball.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

I was just hoping I wanted Michigan to go down, and so in my subjective personal opinion, I thought Alabama was more of a viable option, a healthier option to take down Michigan.

Speaker 1

So there was nothing against Florida States.

Speaker 3

Then against Florida State. I just didn't have trust me. I wanted y'all. Yeah, I know that's that's better though. I'm glad they're doing that because they realized they jacked Florida State, so they was like, we gotta put twelve.

Speaker 4

You know, you want to championship and don't go like, I mean, what else are you supposed to do?

Speaker 5

You know, even with an injury with you and Travis getting hurt, Like, man, when you win your conference without your starting quarterback.

Speaker 4

I mean, that's gotta say a lot.

Speaker 2

Yeah, that that was an unfortunate I mean, yeah, yeah, that was a tough situation.

Speaker 1

But hey, thank you, man, we appreciate you coming on to watch. We got to come out. We was we was out last night.

Speaker 4

We hit the township.

Speaker 3

I don't think he goes to that type of stuff, but I heard about it just like, you know, I.

Speaker 4

Just said township. He like, what go to that?

Speaker 1

Going out?

Speaker 4

Tell you he don't do that stuff?

Speaker 3

Is being a yeah great the great athlete?

Speaker 4

Yeah athlete, Yes, that's absolutely bro.

Speaker 1

Do they Miami in Northwestern didn make you watch the Year of the Bull for each season?

Speaker 4

No, make you watch it, but you watched it.

Speaker 1

I watched it.

Speaker 6

Yeah, it's a stable Yeah, I watched it. Definitely watched that. She was crazy you yeah?

Speaker 4

Yeah?

Speaker 2

Or the shower or the shower postgame meetings are they a little different now?

Speaker 6

Yeah?

Speaker 4

A little different?

Speaker 6

When well, I was there with coach maxes that it's basically the same. He just he can't move as much like coach Max. He was a deeper coordinator on new videos. He was the head coach when I was there, but he was he was exactly the same when it came to screaming and cuts and all that. But but he couldn't really slop people, you.

Speaker 4

Know, running around. We can't really move as well as did you ever try? You? Yeah?

Speaker 3

Everybody, everybody get it.

Speaker 6

I remember one time we was after like our first two games. It was in the gym, and he was going player for player, like even all the star players on the team like it was me Cam Kitcheners from Miami to safety Ramelo Grenson. He telling everybody what they're doing wrong. He came, he said, Patrick, I don't care how many touchdowns he school, you still ain't doing nothing this year.

Speaker 4

He was one of those type of players, like everybody respect.

Speaker 3

How did they feel being rookie defensive Rookie of the year for the ACC It felt great because like just going through the season, I didn't even know I was how it turns to even wind over.

Speaker 6

I was just trying to play in just put my name out there and make plays for the team. And at the end of the season, coach Novel called me. All the coaches just called me out. Woke up one morning. I thought I was in trouble, but everybody called me. They congratulated me, and I just felt great. I felt love from the similar family and everybody.

Speaker 3

And that's what's up. Like they come out be rookie defensive Rookie of the year, ball out, do what you do and then to come back, you know what I mean, and still be successful here and uh, you know, we got to talk about it because we heard about it. But the portal, why did you mention the portal when after having so much success here in Florida State.

Speaker 6

It was a personal matter with like us and my family when it came to certain stuff with and I and all that. But I had to put my mind to it just knowing that then I really is at the next level for real, and I love Florida State. So it was like, I know, it was a big mistake on mind behind like when I think about it some day, I'll be trying to think about it. When I do think about it, I know why I messed up.

Speaker 3

Money can to that because you're a Miami guy, so you Florida all day, like being here in Florida State, not too far from your family. But I understand what you're saying about situations with your family and you got to do the right thing for your family to be successful.

Speaker 4

So I understand that.

Speaker 3

When we read that, I just wanted to hear it because she was like, no, I'm not hitting the portal.

Speaker 4

I'm actually gonna stay.

Speaker 3

And I see that as a big thing because you look at some of these players that's coming out of Florida State right now, top ten draft picks, dudes moving up in their stock, and you are one of those guys that's on the board already, it's being can be in the top ten. You know what I mean if you, you know, keep doing what you're doing, practice your craft, and be successful as you are here in Florida. Stay And I see that just by watching your film and uh, the way you go out there and play the game.

Speaker 2

Yeah, man, how how quickly do you feel like you were acclimated to the to the game speed or being out there on game. They coming from Miami Northwestern, you obviously played at a high level in high school, But how quickly did you realize like, oh, yeah, yeah, I'm still the same cat that I was. I was still the same cat, and I'll be able to catch on all this stuff quick.

Speaker 4

It was really the year I won the Richie of the Year.

Speaker 6

We was playing against Louisville and I know, y'all know jer Verse that saying he had got hurt. And so when he got hurt, he just came off a big game to LSU. So everybody looking at him like, oh, he's the guy, He's the guy. Like even I was like that still my god to this day. But he had got hurt. He had a little mind, a little injury that he couldn't play for the rest of the game, and I just knew, like I knew something. They needed somebody to step up at the time, and I had nothing.

Went in like I ain't even ask my coach if I was in, and I just went in and I made a player on the first very play I was and it was a screen. I ran down the screen. I made the play, and that's when my mind it just slowed down, knowing like okay, Pat, you got this. And I just went on the rest of it again. I just made it plays. Then the next week came and then I just went on from there.

Speaker 1

Just started getting more wraps. When you were you ran in and nobody was even saying.

Speaker 6

Nobody saying nothing. He just I looked at him, I said, man, and I went and out there, and then the next week I had got my first sack, and then I just went up there from there.

Speaker 3

So if you had twenty eight solo tackles, seven sacks, two force fumbles.

Speaker 1

Several people used yeah, like.

Speaker 4

Yeah, fresh, I mean.

Speaker 3

Hey, that's what you want to see when somebody go down, You.

Speaker 4

Going the game.

Speaker 1

Ball like that. He was nervous when you first went in.

Speaker 4

A little bit.

Speaker 6

It was a big game to playing Louisville on a Friday night, everybody watching. We was our first time winning the all white uniformia. Yeah, I was a little nervous. Yeah yeah.

Speaker 2

Take us to the moment where you guys are all sitting around watching for the College Forball playoff and Florida State doesn't get picked.

Speaker 6

I mean, it was very heartbreaking just knowing like we worked so hard from January all the way to December just to try to show the world what Florida State football is all about. And it really hurt me because of my own main man, Jordan Travis. I know he felt like in the moment, like everything was his fault. I knew what he was going through the first few weeks he got hurt like it was really because of him, because I knew he felt like, oh if Alli never

got hurt, we was gone in the playoffs. That's what it really was on my mind. I knew it was hurt for the whole team too, but I just I felt so bad for Jay trying because it wasn't his fault.

Speaker 4

For real, It's just football. That's so true.

Speaker 3

What he just said is kind of true, Like to be that player and didn't hear everyone say that's the reason why they didn't get in.

Speaker 1

Yeah, like, yeah, did you.

Speaker 2

Guys have an inkling that y'all weren't gonna get picked him? I mean, where did you guys feel confident?

Speaker 6

I felt like we felt confident coming off the Louisville game because our defense we played so good, and we had a true freshman out there quarterback respect the block game.

Speaker 4

It was his first game really out there. You know, a lot of a lot.

Speaker 6

Of kids can't just go out there as a quarterback and just go out there and just play like Joan Travis on their first game out there. And then our second sing quarterback he got a percussion in the Floorida game too, So that just made our defense play so good that game. So knowing that that was our mindset when we go in these playoffs. If we get into the playoffs, we just gonna play as hard as we can on defense.

Speaker 4

If they can't score, they can't win. And that's what we did. We hold.

Speaker 6

We held Louisville six points, two field goals, And that's that was really our mindset.

Speaker 3

That's real, that's really how that scenario win. Starting quarterback go out extreme quarterback concussion started true freshman and the Louisville Game championship. You get you know what I'm saying, and it's still get overlooked.

Speaker 1

Yeah, yeah, that was a tough I'm sure it sucked.

Speaker 4

It does.

Speaker 3

I mean from hearing it from they mouth, it's sound even worse just because it's like.

Speaker 1

The result is ultimately out of your control.

Speaker 3

Nothing y'all went what was it twelve and oh thirteen and oh thirteen and oh that was the first time.

Speaker 1

What happened? What happened with the Georgia game.

Speaker 4

Georgia game.

Speaker 6

I felt like, it's just Georgia, though the Georgia people know that if we had our full team out there, it would have been a complete different game.

Speaker 4

We just had.

Speaker 6

It was really how many starters on the on the D line, it was one started out me and then linebackers we oh we had d little one starter, you know dB only one starter sha He Brown in the same anything. It was for the offense, it's just all our guns felt like they had to go put together their training and get right and stay healthy for when they come for their pro day and draft time. So I respect them boys for doing what they had to do because that's that's them boys career.

Speaker 4

But that's all it was.

Speaker 3

I mean, because y'all that y'all kind of looked at the game as meaningless pretty much because they like, we just we should have been in the national championship. Since we been in a national championship, we about to go get ready for this draft. And I understand that, and that was probably like a team decision, because I like that's how we heard.

Speaker 4

It was like a.

Speaker 6

Team decision where like, again, we're not gonna play so and then Georgia came out with that mindset, Oh, we should have got in too, so we're finn show the world. Yeah we finished show y'all what we're finna do to Florida State to get in with with their whole team, right, So that's it was just it was just I wish we could have had our whole team against them. They

was out there talking trash all. I just couldn't even say nothing because I feel me I could have been like, next year, bro, what we do next year?

Speaker 2

Growing up in uh uh ain't going to Miami Northwestern? What were some of your favorite schools growing up? Was Florida State your favorite? And that's what you want to play for.

Speaker 6

It wasn't Miami was as crazy as Florida State wasn't my favorite.

Speaker 4

I used to like Miami. My daddy. It was the biggest Florida State fan.

Speaker 6

Ever since I've been able to talk, he'd been talking about Florida State Deon Sam's guys like that, even when they won the national championship. I watched the game with him. He'd been his dream was for me to go to Florida State. You don't matter what what sport I played, whatever, He just wanted me to come play for Florida State. I really was a big Miami fan growing up, just because growing up in Miami is right there. You see it every weekend. Your grandma got it on until he

got it on. And then what's crazy is nah, my whole family don't even wear Miami no more. Everybody West Florida State. It's just but it was a yeah, it wasn't really a dream. It was a dream school just knowing it's in Florida.

Speaker 2

Right, But it was Were they close? Were they close in your recruiting process? Like, were you close to going to Miami or somewhere else over Florida State?

Speaker 4

Not Miami?

Speaker 6

Because I guess like no direspect to the new coach style, but the old coach style they scheme was a little different.

Speaker 4

In their positions.

Speaker 6

They seen defent ends that's like outside linebacker and stand up linebackers. So I guess they didn't really see me as one of them big interior detail because.

Speaker 4

You know, I was very skinny and stuff like that.

Speaker 6

So there's no disrespect that like Mario crystaball or nothing of it, because I know, like he's a big like he could recruit a lot of people down there, so I know if he was like coach, it would have been a little closer.

Speaker 4

But nah, they didn't really recruit me at all for real.

Speaker 3

But Jo Pops really was like Florida State, It don't even matter like all these other schools Florida States where you're going pretty.

Speaker 6

Much like you got on that zoon with coach novel, just listening to him talk and even if how bad I record was he had on first got here though, so I wasn't really paying attention to that. I was just focused on the way he talked and Holloway coach O'Dell talked because he was here for so but just listening to him on that zoom.

Speaker 4

It just it clicked.

Speaker 2

Yeah, what what team in the A C C Do you look forward to playing two most this year?

Speaker 6

This year, I feel like it's gonna be Clemson because it's gonna be a big game. It's gonna be a solid it's gonna be here. And you know our new quarterback DJ I know him like in his mind what type of game it's gonna be for him. So I know what type of game that's gonna be when we play Clemson, when we play Miami again.

Speaker 4

Yeah, yeah, that's gonna be the two big games there.

Speaker 1

You gotta you got any any other question for him? No?

Speaker 3

I think everything you answered was great and we had a great time talking to you.

Speaker 4

Man.

Speaker 3

I look forward to seeing you doing your thing. So you're gonna be a star in the NFL. Man, just keep your head straight and keep grinding.

Speaker 2

That's but it's nothing we got to hit in in the interview.

Speaker 1

Who is it smelliest guy in the locker room? Present a boy, dude, Kennon. We'll get right. We got to smell goods. We brought the goodies, so needs it the most.

Speaker 6

I'm gonna say, you gotta say one of the big guys the old line of d Line.

Speaker 4

It's one of one of the three hundred pound guys. But I feel like we got it going. We're good. But just for I'm gonna just say, Julian Urmela, I'm just trying to get you right.

Speaker 3

That's a free shout out with no shout out.

Speaker 2

Pat Thank you, bro. This is awesome man. That wish you all all the luck in the world. And yeah, I hope you become a monster in the NFL because we'll know we got to sit with you like right out of here, a c C Freshman of the Year. But but thank you, man, seriously, thank.

Speaker 4

You, Thank you. Bros.

Speaker 1

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