All Access: Smith on first training camp

Radio seven eighty one to five point FWBBM. We are at Bears training camp out of at Nazarene, getting ready for what's going to be fundight at Soldier Field Saturday Night, Family Night and the chance for the fans to get up close from personal with their twenty nineteen Chicago Bears. Our guests today on Bears All Access brought to you

by IGS Energy. Here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score the outstanding inside linebacker in year two, Roquan Smith kind enough to join us after a fun practice. It was for me as an observer. It was a fun practice real Quin because there was some hitting involved, there was some tackling, it was a lot of live drills going on some goal line, some rapid fire, get the kicking team out there and bang through a field goal. It just had a real good, high tempo. How'd you

feel about today's practice? I felt great about today's practice. It was definitely good from the standpoint of felt more like a game with like the live periods and um having that so getting a chance to go against the offense live men a lot, and then I thought it was like just another step in getting those game ready. Well, it's right up a lot of guys, alleys, because you

guys are a physical bunch on defense. You guys are flying around, but guys on the offensive line they want to be able to get in there too, put their fingers in the dirt and come off the ball. So did you feel like that kind of set the tone for what you guys are thinking about it the night before you knew you're gonna do it, so it kind of set the tone for the day. Oh, that definitely

sets the tone. And um, you love it as a defense when you're able to go live but being smart at the same time and then just having a chance just to tell on someone. So you love that time looking at him smiling. Just to set the scene here, you have a T shirt on and says it says Bears Linebackers hit squad. Is that a team issued shirt or did the one of the players haven't made it?

That's the team, this team issue. So it's more so we got got together the inside linebackers m with the coach Delion, and um, we came up with a slogan for ourselves and UM we said we're the hit Squad, so you know we hit everything. Does each position have one? Or is it just the linebackers right now? It's just us as I know right now? Okay, So, um, there's

been a lot made of music at training camp. Do you like the music or when you're trying to learn and get coached up and stuff, could the music be down a little bit? Well, how do you like it? Because you know last year having a short period of training camp, now you're here full time. How do you like the music? I enjoy the music. Um, I love like you know when we mix it up. So it's a little diverse, you know. So it's not just one

thing here today. It's like different all every day. So I love that, and um, it gets more crowds and get all of the crowds into it. Are you hearing it or that just in the back of your mind? Well, depending on the song, I can't hear it. Depending on certain songs, I'm like, Okay, this is getting me going right now, even though I'm already going. But definitely some songs. So if Kan Brown's on, you're dancing, Uh yeah, I'll vibe.

It's more kind of it kind of mellows me out, just having me thinking more so, I'm more so laid back when it's when that's all and I'm just thinking about everything. I love k Brown. I do. I love Kan Brown. I bet you didn't. You're looking at me right now. You're I don't even know you don't even know me, right, but you know, to explain the time, explain the big time. Who Kan Brown is, what he's all about? Yeah, Kan Brown? Um so, most he's country.

He falls under the genre of country, but like he's a little different, not your uh back in the day type of country, not your hell billy, but he has definitely has some country to him. And um, well, so you kind of grew up in the country. Was was country music a part of your young guy existence? Or were you off off the beaten track and listen to something that young guys like yourself would Well, I was all around. I listened to country, R and B rap, but country I did. I started. I got more into

it in high school. I had a couple of buddies who were just like these huge country fans, and then we used just riding car rods and going on dirt roads and different things like that, and it was just like that's all they were playing. So I'm like, oh man, it's growing onto him. Man. That's how it started. Well, like I like um Kane Brown, Swindale, m Old Dominion. I heard a little Zach a little Eric Church out at practice today, so that was definitely great. Luke Combs

I like him a lot too. Swindale, So yeah, all of those guys, Um, I like it. But as we continue this, I mean they're playing hard rock, they're playing old stuff, they're playing new stuff, they're playing rap, They're playing a lot of different stuff out there. So it is fun to watch the guys because every even some of the offense. Kyle Long likes dancing. He's dancing out there. He's dancing, ready to go into the cold top he's always moving around. That's a guy. You wouldn't think it

would be dancing. You wouldn't get this guy to I dropped dead. If he was dancing time not dancing, we would you have answer prance No. But the thing about it, what I like about it is walking on the practice field, you're kind of tired, lethargic, and then all of a sudden you start hearing the music. It gets you jacked up a little bit, and it can take you from kind of you know, ready to get ready to get excited,

and it can be motivating the music. I definitely agree. Yeah, I feel like if you are down a little bit, just having that music, I feel like, in the sense of music is energy, So like I kind of like it. Sometimes you may be thinking a little slow than like certain lyrics in this song or like this song that maybe play just makes you want to go even harder. You know. I have a question. So last year you

miss training camp and now you're full. You're full and you've been a part of OTAs, You've been a part of Mini camp and everything. So what you did last year while you were in your contracts situation until being ready for training camp this year? Did you do enough last year? Did you not do enough? Or are you more prepared this year because of your OTAs and everything, just you know where you're at from from a year ago.

I definitely would say being here in kemp is like huge for me, and then as a rookie not really knowing what to expect coming in the NFL, and then like having this training camp, I feel like along with last season, I feel like it kind of like motivate, like with the tackles, Like I get my tackling down in training comp. I don't just have to worry about going out to a game. I get the thud here more as like last year I wasn't thud and so it's like I came out a little rusty. So I

definitely think it's a lot of great things. And then just having a live contact and just like with the speed of the game, you can never really plan for that. I feel like and I feel like with this year it's been great for me. Did you know that you guys are gonna get out of today? Like did they let you know when you're getting ready in the locker room, Hey, we're gonna have some live periods, So put a little extra hair air in your helmet, you know, spatch your

shoes up, tape your hands. Were you ready for it? Oh? Yeah, I was definitely ready for A coach had mentioned it before. So like, I'm just like whenever today I'm ready, just call my phone. Yeah exactly, I'm ready to go. And you don't need an invitation, do you? Because one thing, you know, you are the nicest guy around. I mean, you have a big smile on your face all the time. But when you get out there, all of your athletic ability, your god given size and speed and quickness, they all

come together when you tackle. You are an explosive tackler. Have you always been that type of tackler who can uncoil on contact and finished right through somebody? I would say I did do that a lot in high school, and then when I first got to college, I was kind of like I was more so just trying to like hit guy's lord. And then I got um at like the end of my sophomore year, had a heart to heart with my college coach, Glenn Schuman, and he was just like, man, you're like because I was a

little light at playing the linebacker position. And so then I got up to like two twenty five, and he's just like, man, for that's why I looked like for. He was like, well, I didn't learn it then, but that's what he said. He was like, forced equals mass time acceleration. So when it was like that, I'm like, man, I am two twenty five. I can't run pretty good, so like, why don't I just like uncoiling to someone? And then I started trying out, trying that out chest

chest to chess with people. And then after that I was just like, hey, man, that's all she wrote. You know, you bring up your sophomore year. Can we talk a little bit about September twenty First I went to Notre Dame. You going to Georgia they play on that day. You know, now you're a year removed from college football. You have a lot of memories that you've happened to you at Georgia that got you to the point where you're at. Do you still you still pay attention? Are you still

excited about it? Because you know Notre Dame going into Georgia, it's gonna be a big game. It's definitely gonna be a big game. But I'm definitely it's definitely close to me.

Two of my best friends are still playing at Georgia then there last year, so it's like I have to pay attention to those guys, and then they always ask me what did I think of the game and different things like that, and also just you know, going to Georgia and then we already beat We just beat Notre Dame when I was there, so I'm expecting them to do the same game. You know. So you got young college friends that you're still tight with, they know you're

at this level. Who social media is between you guys, more you to them or them to you? I would I would say it's more of them to me in a sense, or we're just more takes. We'll just takes between the phone and whatnot like that, because like I don't really like a lot of times they'll say different things on media. But I'm just like you, they're shy away from it, right exactly. You don't want it to get You don't want to touch that stove and get burned. If you do, you do it once and that's the

end of it. Have you ever tweeted something or posted something on Instagram that you wish you wouldn't have at any point in your life? No, that's good now would keep it down. Ro Quan Smith our guest here on Bearzol Access. It's brought to you by IGS Energy. Our engineer coming down to Bourbon eight today. Paul Zerrang and the Great Greg Miller is here as well as our producer, the Great Greg Miller, who knows his music better than all of us combined, with all due respect. A drummer,

he plays drums, you know, in a big way. So the hidden talents behind the scene of the Bears don't mess with g money. This is Bearzol Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Welcome back to Bears. All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and home warranty products to over one million customers across the country. Learn more about IG Energy at igs dot com. Jeff Joni at Tom there with you, and Roquan Smith our

special guest this week, live from training camps. It's a rare opportunity. Whenever we get guys to come in here, we do appreciate it because it's hard work out there. You got football in your mind. You want to get your rest and you gotta get your your food, your your liquids and all that stay hydrated. Then you got more meetings today and it all wraps up with walk

throughs and all that. There's a lot going on for your training camp, but it's also a time to just take a deep breath a little bit, and it's our most genuine opportunity to really get to know players you know at this setting. So we do appreciate you coming out. We had Mitch on to open things up from training camp last week. But now in your second year, you know, as a rookie, it is like what David Montgomery says, you have two years one moff listened twice as much

as you speak as a rookie, right. I say that to my kids all the time and to some other

people to tell they don't listen right. Right. But now now is there a natural comfort zone to be really be you, you know, as Matt says, Yeah, I definitely feel like that because like going into your rookie year, you don't know really what to expect, and so with that year going through, you've kind of learned everything, know what they expect from guys, coaches and different things like that, and now you're here, You're kind of like, oh, I've

seen this before, I've seen that before. So things kind of, you know, get repetitive in the sense, but you can't get complacent at the same time, so it's always every day like you got to attack certain things. But it definitely is more of a like, I feel more comfortable at your social hour at night, two hours at night. What do you do at that time? Who do you gravitate towards and what kind of like you know, before bedtime? Funding can you have? Oh well, I tend I don't

tend to gravitate anything to anyone. I'll normally like do something in the tubs or do something like in the training room, and then I'll just normally go in there because I'm not really on my phone much throughout the day, so I'll probably just go back into the room, make a few phone calls and whatnot. I don't really hang out as much, right But you got some guys that have big personalities too in that linebacking group. And I think of and he's now healthy he had a bad

hand injury last year. Is Josh Woods. He's a fun guy to watch. He's a very interesting candidate for this football team and whatever capacity that they envisioned for him, especially as special teams. And Joel Eya Booney Way another guy in your draft class, a guy that is also you know, god given size and speed there and then Danny Trevethan. I told he looks five years younger right now. Seriously, I have not seen him play this way, running with

total reckless abandon in charge. You know, I'm sure you've had an impact on him as well as he's had an impact on you. And you guys are really the group of you guys and Nick Kakowski, there's some other guys as well. You guys are really playing at a high level, it seems right now. Do you feel that way? I definitely feeled out why I feeled that way. I was thought out Trevethan. I feel like it's great. You know,

he's been great for me. And then I think, you know, just with the young energy, but man, like he's playing his tail off and like I've never seen a twenty nine year old movies as he's moving like at the position linebacker, and like what he's doing right now is really good. And I think we're just like making the best out of each other and we're doing all we can to get each other better. We see one I see he sees some stuff. He'll always like say hey, bro,

I see that or this and that. And then with Quick, I feel like Quick Quakowski is really playing well this UM, this UM training camp and whatnot, and I'm just like, I see a lot of great things from him. And with Ea Booney Way, I feel like he's been consistent this training camp as well. And with Josh Wood, he's definitely an interesting guy, you know, coming from safety and having a year one year at the linebacker position. But I definitely feel like he's getting more downhill and like

his athleticism shows and flashes. And then we have kp who's a veteran as we all know, a great special team and also can step in and play some backer. And then we have Thurmines coming around. He's doing doing some good things for us. So that's definitely UM. That's definitely good. Kevin Pierre Lewis and jam Jamir is a

first year player at of Indiana State. For you fans out there, you know when they talk about new offensive coaches, they talk about the breaking in time of learning the terminology and there's a you know, the timing is different.

Everything is that there's their similarities to that. When you get a new defensive coordinator, a new position coach, does it take time to learn new things or are the coaches learning you guys rather than you learning a new a new UH style or terminology or what a defensive coordinator brings. Oh, well, you know, it's obviously different when

you have a new coordinator. But at the end of the day, we've been together since UM when when UM coach mcgunodam got hired, which was earlier this year, so we've definitely had time and like, I feel like we're doing a lot of good things together. And so you're kind of familiar with the terminology they use from the you know, because me, I grew up in the offensive side of the ball, and it seems like it takes a lot longer to master the terminology is a defense

is a less terminology to master. And because I see you guys using multiple fronts, there's a lot of difference to this defense. And it's not you know, it's not a forty three defense, it's not a thirty four defense, it's not a bear defense. It's a little bit of everything. Do you like multiple fronts, And was your experience in college like kind of one or two dimensional? And now does it seem like there's a lot more on your plate. I felt like in college we did a lot of good,

a lot of different things all over the place. You never could tell whether we were three down, four down. And I feel like here I'm enjoying it. And then, but defense is in a sense, defense is just simple simple. All it is is conceptual. So like everything is a concept. So like I feel like if it's like you know fires, it says a fire zone defense, you got three hundred three deep, so like different things like that. I feel

like everything kind of goes into a concept. So it's not that hard when you when you think about it, just like you put things together in group things inside Linebacker Real Kuan Smith, our guest on Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The Score brought to you by Igs, Energy, Jeff and Time with You as well as this second season rolls in for you. You accomplished the heck of a lot as a rookie.

There are high expectations on you, and I'm sure you put them on yourself as you go to bed every night. And think about your day and you look to the future, what do you see for yourself? I just want to be the best version of myself. That's what I tell myself each and every day, not trying to live up to anyone else. What did anyone else I've done? Like in the passage, it's more so about attacking my weaknesses each and every day and just being the best version

of myself. However I can do that, whether that's getting extra reps doing this, or maybe just like having my path level even lower, so like different things like that, but I definitely want to just be the best version. What do you think of Mark Deleone, the new Ins linebacker's coach. The first thing that pops in my mind is energy, high energy. I definitely would say that high energy.

I think he's a great asset to our room, and with him being in there, he's and what he tells me every day, you know, he just be the best version of yourself each and every day, and I just try to do that. And I always have that reminder from him as well, you know, you got to attack it like it's your last day. And then with Chuck

in the background as well. So I definitely love that if you're to sleep when saying I didn't have the best version of me today, well, I'm definitely I'm definitely going to bed and push Like like, man, I've had like I left like two or three plays out there. I wish I can get back, but you know, you scribe for a perfection, but that's never really possible. But like,

I definitely want to be there. Have you ever had a play because I know I have and I still had players that haunted me from my career when I was playing that you ever have a play that haunts you still in your head when you think about it on tape or just either they're just the mistake you made that you know that you'll never do it again. Oh yeah, There's there's plenty things like that that's happened like since probably college and then like a couple of

plays like that in the league. You just be like, man, I really did this, and you can't when you look back out of you like I can't believe I let myself do that. But like things happen, but you can't just you can't live in the passage. Just have to keep going, right, you got one to really haunt you. There's there's a there's a few. So trying to think of I'll have to sit here and think of like which one hunts the moment. I prefer to think of the opening game against the Packers when you came in

and you sacked the court. I mean, you've talked about this before and this show is we did it in Mexico as a matter of fact, when you were kind of enough to join us. But that is some entry into the National Football League. You couldn't even have scripted that any better, could you. Yeah? Man, Like, as I thought, think back to it, and then like when it happened, then I like go go Like at the end of the drive, I go over to the south line, Like, man,

my first play, I had a sack. Like how many people can say that they had, like, let alone a tackle, but a sack on their first place. So that was definitely a very sweet It's like a baseball player hitting the home run at their first half bat in the major leagues. Yeah, that's something you'll never forget. That's for sure.

The only thing that would have been better. I'll win in that game, but you guys will get another crack at them Opening Day Thursday night, September fifty soldier field as the Bears get ready for the twenty nineteen season opener. After the commercial, I want to go back and readdress, readdress the sack question on something I read this offseason. You got it. That's time fair. I'm Jeff Joniac with the real quand Smith here on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy to the School. The Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you by Verizon. Anthony Adams and Lauren Screeden cover the world of Bears football on and off the field every Sunday night at ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago, or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot Com. Around the Bears official app, Jeff Joni Act top There roll Kuan Smith, the Bears inside linebacker, over one hundred and twenty tackles in his rookie season

last year. A bunch of sacks, hats and picks had a lot of fun with a twelve and four football team. And Tom Thayer out of the break, wants to know a little bit more about that old bing sack against the Packers in twenty eighteen. No. I was reading an article this offseason and they talked about predicted sacks of the Chicago Bears defense. It said Khalil Mack is predicted to get seventeen sacks. But what made it surprise me is they said Roe Kuan Smith is predicted to get

ten sacks. Is that are you capable of that? Is this defense have the willingness to allow you to do that? Because to me, I don't know if it's an exaggerated number of seventeen for Khalil or ten for you, but shoots you get ten sacks, you know you got your ticket to All Pro forget the pro ball. Is this defense built for that that possibility? I definitely think that's a fair assessment. Khalil, You know, Khalil speaks for himself.

And then it all just depends on one on one matchups I get, you know, versus the backguard and different things like that, and taking advantage of those matchups and coming through and like making the most of it. So we're you know, as you see a guy on the line of scrimmage a one on one matchup, but you know, a defensive outside linebacker against an offensive tackle or an

interior one. So do you know when you have a one on one pass for rush of opportunity and you know when it's going to be against the back specifically, because I really think you have the clear advantage on that where you get a running start at the back. A lot of them don't have repetitiously done that a thousand times in their career, like offensive lineman do. Yeah,

I would. I would definitely say I know um more more often than not, just based on offensive tennesseeas and whatnot, and like if they're slide protection or if it's just you know they're sliding, then just the backsteps up and so different things like it all. I think it varies with each and every offense. Yres that sack against Green Bay. Did you know you were Russian? Or was it reaction according to the flaw of the play? No I knew.

I knew I was rushing on that play, and I guess it was a good play to um, get me started, first play, first play of my career, to like just warm me up, so send me on the RUSS. So that was definitely pretty sweet. Broquan Smith, our guest here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy. Did you get stronger in the offseason, because you know, when you guys are coming out, you don't get a lot of opportunity.

You're traveling around interviewing for jobs, and you're getting ready for a combine. You know, it's not getting ready for pure football, it's getting ready for your forty and so forth. So have you added some armor to the body a little bit? Yeah, I've definitely added some armor to the body, and I've done a lot of soft tissue stuff as well. So it's just trying to make my body feel I didn't. I felt great at the end the last season, but

I'm trying to make this year feel even better. So it's just all about building them to um what I've done, what I've done in the past, and just staying more healthy. You never never really felt a rookie wall. Yeah, yeah, I mean you heard about it, right, You must think when's it coming? But that's good to hear. Yeah, I definitely heard about it, and like guys would be like, yeah, I'm in a rookie wall or whatever, and I'm just like, man,

I'm waiting. I'm waiting for it to come, and I never I never had a visit though, well, with as many games. As you win, the rookie wall kind of goes away. Now if some of these rookies are facing three and thirteen season or something, that rookie wall can come early. With all the fun you guys were having with club deb at the end, how'd you do in club dub? Were you a big dancer in the club double?

I wasn't a big dancing club dub if I'm being Nunns, but I can get in there, throw my hand due to pivot thrests, you know, so jump up any and so. So now this offseason, your first offseason without the extreme time commitments that you had last year. What fun did you have? What did you reward yourself with? Well, I had a trip down to Mexico, as my friend knows about, he was down there as well. And then I had a trip over to the Bahamas with two of my

good guy friends from college. So that was pretty much it. And then I was back in school, so I was trying to do that stuff there. How was at How was it I did the same thing I played my first year of professional football that I went back and finished school. It was kind of you know, it's kind of fun in that sense because you knew what you

were gonna do after. Was it fun for you? It was definitely pretty chill because all I would do just like and then I was still at the universit of George, so it was more like I eat their food, So I go in there, get the food, and then I just go to class and then work out, and then after that just hang low and then just hang out with the guys. But that was definitely chill, just knowing I'm not like obligated to work out at this time or that time. It was more so when I wanted

to are you working out in their facilities? I was very nice. Now, are you a guy like you know Lebron Lebron, You know, he he'll work out at you know, two o'clock in the morning. Sometimes he'll work out, you know, first thing in the morning. Whatever. Are you a scheduled guy? Do you like working out in the morning or would you you can't fall shleep, Yeah, I'm gonna go and work out for a couple of hours or anything like that.

I know. I'm more so, you know, whenever my schedule, I like, I'll have my schedule and it's just like, okay, I have time here to get my work out in but I feel like sometimes if I don't don't have anything for the rest of the day, like I would rather get it in the morning, so I'm like, I'm free for the rest of the day. What was your earliest class? My earliest class this summer was nine fifteen,

all right. Yeah, you know, some of those guys they shy away from those eight o'clocks and stuff, and you know, start getting rolling academically at ten o'clock. But it's nice to get it out of the way. And yeah, I'm sure Georgia it's always nice and warm down there, so it wasn't like the polar vortex that we are living

through up here. Yeah, it was definitely pretty sweet bend down in Georgia, and then like it prepares you for the heat that you're gonna face out here in Bourbon at you know, I feel like I'm down there running in ninety five ninety eight degree weathering. You rarely see that here, are you Donald school? No, I'm going back.

I'm like fourteen fourteen credit. I was away. Good for you, you know, That's one thing I really respected about James Daniels is you know, come of going back to Iowa and finishing, and I think it says a lot to the young kids and stuff, and it's important for them to see that the education, the academic side of it is important to him. And then to unveil his Chicago Bear jerseys as he's walking in graduation at Iowa. I really admire him for that, and I admire you for

going back to Georgia and putting in that effort. Absolutely have a huge minded respect for James for doing that and then doing some of it throughout the season and like throughout the springstet. That was definitely suite and I'm definitely happy for what will your major wind up being. So I was eCOM, but I just switched this summer. I just switched this summer just to try to finish up quickly to what come. Okay, very good, Now, I don't want I'm not rushing you off. Okay, you're yere

two of hopefully a fifteen year career. But do you have bigger future plans at all? You know, regarding what you're studying, what your education isn't Why did you and he can what about it intrigued you? And now into the communication stuff. So initially I started out with ECON so I had a really good budd of His name was Reggie Carter, so he played linebacker before me. He was like two or three years older than I am, and so I kind of looked up to him when

I first got to college. And then I was like, yo, so Reggie, what are you majoring in and whatnot? And he was just like econ, you know, um, you know it's great in the business school stuff like that. So then they saying, I said, okay, well I took like my first song, I took like a micro I think I took like micro econ. And then I'm like, okay, I did pretty solid in that. And then like the following like in the springtime, I said, okay, well I'll

take a macro, so step up. And then it was like, okay, this not as bad as not as bad as I would have thought. So then I got into it. And but the whole reason I got into it because I just knew like Terry, but like even though I backed out now, but Terry business school. I was like, if I was a major in econ and whatnot in business, getting a degree from this business school and then playing football here at George's gonna like line me up with so many connections, so I was more so on the

outside of things. And then like once this stuff like all unvailed for me, like going first round and whatnot, I'm like, you know, it'll be great to have that. I got that background, so like I kind of know a lot about the business side of things, but even though I'm not like obtaining a degree in that. And then I just said, okay, I'll switch to come like and I feel like that's so broad as well. And then it kind of given me a lot of different avenues.

Does it help you because you're gonna be a guy, It's gonna get interviewed a lot because you are a starter and a you're a player very much on the rise. You could have made the Pro Bowl last year. You're you're headed to that type of career. Does it help you to take classes like in that particular curriculum, to sit before Jeff and time and do interviews or get on TV and do interviews and kind of get you

used to that more. I definitely feel like that. And then a lot of times you feel like you kind of know what like people are hinting that they may not say it like exactly, but then like from like the different things in the class you've learned, you feel like, Okay, this is where we were trying to go right here,

this is where we're trying to go here. So like it definitely definitely helps, and you know, and it gives you the opportunity to increase your brand because when you can sit there and speak in front of some difficult scenarios, if you are losing a game, winning a game, whatever the scenario is, the better that you can present yourself in the business sense that you started your college career with.

You're kind of you know, earning money and presenting yourself as as a quality speaker and someone who can answer the difficult questions and promote the brand of the NFL and promote the brand of Roal. Kuan Smith. Yeah, I definitely agree with you. And it's about just keeping your composion just you know, doing whatever you can, like being honest obviously, and just doing what you can and just

answering the questions to the best of your ability. You're doing a good job of a real quant Smith our guest here on Bears All Access Time for a break on Chicago's Sports Radio six seventy to score get up close to the twenty nineteen Chicago Bears and enjoy Illinois Bears training camp now through August tenth and bourbon A Illinois right here where we are right now. Get free

tickets at Chicago Bears dot com. Jeff Joni act out there inside line like a real quant Smith off to a great start for twenty nineteen, and the fans have really turned out last weekend. As we all know, better than seventeen thousand fans showed up on the two days. It's tough sometimes at early practice eight fifteen for the treukdown from various parts around around the state. But have you guys really felt the love? We've definitely felt the love.

I was like, man like the first day when they said twenty two thousand fans coming out, I'm like some of the guys, even like in college, didn't. It wasn't like, you know, to play in front of twenty two thousand, But that was definitely sweet. Just show you how much

the fans love the Bears. Didn't you get an indication though, I don't waste stadiums last year when you'd start seeing more Bears Jersey filter into an opponent stadium than you would the home team and then when you guys are winning games on the road, you would hear that chat let's go Bears, Let's go Bears. You kind of got an understanding of how important you guys are to the fan base, but really how much the fan base is willing to support you guys. Yeah, that definitely means a lot. First,

I've seen it in Arizona last year. We're in the dome and next thing I know, I look behind in this like a crap ton of Bears fan. I'm like fantas fan in Arizona, Like how many order they travel? Well, you know, they find any warm weather city as a destination as a vacation to come and support the Bears because you know, we sit up in the broadcast booth and it's unbelievable how the voice of support is, you know, filling up the stadium because yeah, we lived through some

lean years. But when you you know, you turn it around, man, they're there in droves to support you guys. And obviously the indicator out here and you can hear it every time the kickers are out there competing for their job. Every time they hit a kick, you hear the roar of the crowd, which you know, it's it's inspiring. No matter what position you play. I definitely would agree with that you have great support throughout each and every position.

They're definitely out there routing on the kickers, so you know, that's definitely pretty sweet. But then just having those guys just you know, cheer you on all throughout practice and you just feel that energy coming through coming to practice initially and just having all the fans they're shouting your name and stuff. That means a lot and just show

you the support that you have here in Chicago. Isn't it crazy when you think about you So you're growing up, Oh shoot, just say, you know, six, seven, eight years ago, you're just a kid down in Georgia trying to be a football player. But you know, I haven't even in high school. Yeah, you got college and now you're an NFL player at what do you know, twenty two, twenty two years old. Twenty two years old coming out of that gate and they're chanting your name. That's some heavy

stuff that you got. Like you gotta compartmentalize all that. Like you say, you know, just be the best version of you. But how do you not let it get to you? You know? And a good I mean get to your head. Yeah that that definitely says a lot.

But yeah, as a kid man, even in high school, uh, college, to be perfectly honest, dream of having moments like this where you like, you see different things like hard knocks and then just guys out of training come practicing, their fans are all day and like to be in a position out of still still seems surreal. And I just remind myself on a daily like it's a blessing to be here, and I just gotta do whatever I can to keep myself here as long as you know I can.

You know, you got Mitch obviously is the guy. In my opinion, his draft class kind of began to set the tone for the culture. And not that they were boisterous about it, but it's just the way they are approaching. They wanted to be the vehicle to make it. Eddie Jackson included. And then you got yourself twenty two, You just turned twenty two. You got James Daniels. He'll be

twenty two on September thirteenth. At center, one of the most important positions in football inside linebacker in this defense, you know, extremely important position that's a lot of weight to put on the shoulders of twenty one and twenty two year old guys. You would think in a league that, you know, some of their best stars are the ten

year veterans and the big name quarterbacks. How do you look at that, you know, as a young man, If I put it in that kind of context, I would say, first and foremost, I have to give it to the guys upstairs. Is going on, not because like are the talent of the guys that we've drafted the last couple of years speaks for itself, But I think it starts with, you know, good dudes, good human beings, and um, I feel like once you start there and like guys have

a like they're more are good. And then it's like those guys can handle those type things and like you can handle the pressure and you kind of know what to expect in a sense, and you're always gonna give your best regardless of the circumstances, and you're just gonna control the controllables. So I feel like that's that's definitely

a main thing to it. Jeff and I were walking through the fans yesterday and I saw a fifty five sixty year old guy with a roll Kuan Smith throwback jersey on and I said, hey, that's a that's a nice jersey. First of all, have you bought any of your own jerseys yet? And is it weird when you see him out there for sale? Like he says as a twenty two year old kid, Now they're selling roll Kuan Smith jerseys. Uh, that's definitely pretty crazy. Um, but

I have not bought any outside. I've taken gotten a few out from like my game jerseys and whatnot, but I haven't like bought any from the outside. But just seeing that, man, it just goes to show I think about them, Like, man, I'm like tremendously blessed, you know for people to be wearing my jersey, spending their hard earned money just to represent me in a sense, and like, man, it kind of like you know it, it makes you feel great, And it's like, man, I think these guys

a lot. What do you think about those throwback uniforms you guys are gonna wear during the regular season. I think from nineteen thirty six. I know Kyle Fuller unveiled them at the hundred years celebration. Uh, They're gonna make you look fast, They're gonna make you look big. What do you think about those uniforms. I like them a lot. I love to throwback when they first was unveiled and it's like, man, like, we were wearing knees, so it's like, it's pretty sick. I'm excited to um put them on

and then do some good work in them. How about the helmet? All the helmet is pretty sick. It reminds me of like of another college, like a college team helmet. Yeah, Michigan, Michigan. But but yeah, it's definitely pretty sweet. Did you wear different uniforms at Georgia or you guys pretty consistent about your home and way uniforms. Yeah, we were pretty consistent about all home and away uniform very similar to hear

in Chicago. But the thing was we did do like the black all black once um in my career to so that was definitely pretty Remember the gaming, did you win? We did win the game and it was versus h Uel Lafayette, right. But you know, sometimes because the Bears have worn uniforms like that in the past, and they sometimes they didn't have success, and then we're all superstitious and then you start thinking, oh, man, I don't know

if we want to wear that uniform again. But it's kind of cool because it's such a big part of sports nowadays, whether it's baseball, football, hockey, whichever, there's always the different variations of uniforms you got, So it'll be cool to unveil those and come out and play well and have the support because I think you'll see a lot of those jerseys in the stands on the games you play for those. Yeah, I definitely do. I feel like the fans love those jerseys and then as players,

we love them areself, so it's definitely great. All right. I want to go back to Danny Travisan explain to the the average fan what your relationship must be. What has blossomed in your relationship at inside landbacker. You both know the defense well enough to call it absolutely Danny,

he's a great guy to look up too. Came into the league except to me for who I am, and just like you know, trying to doing a lot of things just to get me better, telling me little things, little tricks, how to get this done, how to get that done, and then just a guy you can depend on out there, like if I messed up on something like he'd like okay, and maybe coming this well if I see something like telling him, so, I feel like we have that connection amongst each other, just like we

kind of know what each other is gonna do, play in and play out. And it's only been like one year that we've played together, but it's just been a connection that we've like kind of gravitated. Khalil Mack he blew. But I was on the sidelines in the middle of the fields today and he I honestly felt like Superman running by. I felt this breeze. And he was racing the shay Towns in the secondary coach because he has to be first on that ball when they start team.

Every time he's racing with Leonard, He's doing a lot of stuff. If you could just put into context what we're seeing here because we're it's a treat to watch him. Oh yeah, man, the guy's pretty special. As I've said before, like dating back to last year when I first got when I first got here, he first got signed, and then like seeing the guy and practice them like okay, it's practice right now. You know, you do go hard and practice, but I'm seeing this guy like flying, Like, man,

this guy's doing this in practice. I'm wondering what he's gonna do in the game, and it's like stuff I've never seen before and them just like, man, I see why he got like over one hundred million to guys special the way it was inscribed to me, it's like there's an imaginary rope that he's pulling everybody with him. He doesn't necessarily have to verbalize anything. It's just what he does. And do you feel that that he is basically taking that rope and hey, everybody follow I definitely

feel that way. What his actually it speaks for itself, the way he goes about his work day in and day out, and as a young guy me like seeing a guy done and things he's done throughout the league, it like I have no choice but to gravitate towards that because it's like, man, this guy, he's the example of like what you want want in your career and how you want to go about your stuff day to day. Ro Quan Smith our guest One more segment to go here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy to score final segment with Bears in Chat. Linebacker ro Kuan Smith. I have a great rookie season and looking forward to his twenty nineteen performance with Tom There. I'm Jeff Joni Yak, Paul's rank or engineer, and Greg Miller, our producer. Here at training camp as the Bears get ready for Family Night and next Thursday you open up

against Carolina Panthers. Don't know what the playing time is going to be for you guys, but you know to watch, even to the younger guys if that may be the case, execute this defense for the first time under Chuck Pagotto. You'll be sitting on the sidelines, possibly taking a lot of mental notes. I'd imagine two right absolutely, you know, whatever coast the sides, I feel like I'll be ready

for whatever. And if I am on the silom, i am on to feel getting good reps or on the sideline, I'll definitely taking mental reps because you can always learn from any players. So I've always taking that with me

and I feel like it'll be great. You know, the Hall of Fame game was this week, and I was always a type of player if football was on, I watched it, and you know, you got very limited amount of window and at nighttime, but it kind of adds the seriousness to Hey, this is the beginning of the season, the commentators are critiquing the players on the field yield, the way they demonstrate what they're doing well or not doing well is kind of making deciding factor whether they

make the team. Do you watch any of the game and are you the kind of the guy that like me, I said that they had always added a little bit of a seriousness. When the game's actually started playing on TV, I would definitely say so. I feel like myself. I'm a football junkie, so definitely didn't send the game all.

I did watch a little bit before I went to bed last night and just sending this, like man, time flies, I just remember last year when this game was kicking off, and like now it's kicking off again, going in the year two. Unless you know that the wheels are definitely getting rolling. We're seeing vic Fanjio on another satelline. It definitely was, but he looks the same now. They're recovering from a kid He had a kidney stone. You know about that? Oh I didn't hear. Yeah, so he was

he was maybe iffy about making his debut. He's you know, he's got a kidney stone. He's trying to pass. I guess, so that's not that's not that's not good duty, that's tough duty. Well, you know, then you think of what Chuck Bogano has been able to overcome, and I think a lot of his appreciation for being out there coaching on the field shows in his enthusiasm and the way he coaches, because you know, I see him trying to get his message out there when the music is trying

to play and everybody gets the right message. Chuck puts a lot of energy into being a coach, and I think you almost have to to get the energy out of the players. Absolutely, I have so much respect for the guy going through what he's going through and just having the outlook that he have has on life each

and every day. Man, it speaks volume. And then like just knowing a guy who's once in like who's once in that position like man, you know, like Kafeel sar for himself in a sense, but he did not, so like it's great just having a guy like that experienced a lot, and somebody that you can lean know who've been through a lot of different times, having the experiences with some of the defensive players that he played with him.

When I saw Ed Reid getting interviewed last night in the game, and you think of the Ray Lewis is or the personnel that he was around throughout his career. You know, he kind of brings a little bit of clout with him that you know, this isn't a first time guy that's given a message. This is a guy that has a great deal of experience that's just trying to make me a better football player. Absolutely got a

lot of respect. Guy has a laundry list of great players that Eve Coast and UH have a lot of respect. And I feel like there's a lot I can still can learn from him, and I'll see what I can what more I can learn from him on a daily A lot of fans are very intrigued by what could unfold this season for Leonard Floyd. He's a Georgia bulldog like yourself. You know him very well. What's in his head right now about what this season means to him.

I think it means a lot. He's healthy. Um, he's looking to um come in and have a great Yeah. I feel like he've had a great all season, so that's big and um, I feel like it's definitely be a really good season for him, And I think is the start of something special for him. Yeah. I mean, everybody's rooting for him, and he's got all the tools in the shed to to really have a terrific years. He's expanding his game. He can be moved all over the formation. So I just we're in through a bunch

of names. We haven't even got to the secondary. The point is what Pogano is commissioning you guys to be. Don't don't give up on the idea that this could be one of the best defenses ever. He's pushing that theme to you, guys. I know he is, I've heard he is, and you look at the types of talent

you have. Are you guys believing in this? I definitely will have to agree with that in all seriousness because we have the pieces all over the fields, like no wink weak link anywhere, and I feel like if every guy play up to their capability, I feel like we can write our own story and that but comes with that, you have to like get better each and every day and not take any day lightly and um, you have

to take advantage of every opportunity. You can't you can't let anything go by, and you just gotta make the most of the moment you know, Jeff brings up a lot of different people. A defensive back when a Kiem Hicks gets angry, he kind of seems like he's He's the straw that stirs the drink. He brings a lot of energy into that huddle. For a guy up front, there's a nice having that big, strong body up there with the rest of those defensive linemen. But a Keema

is a powerful man. He's definitely a powerful man. I love having him in front of me. He demands a double team and I got a lot of respect for him. He brings energy each and every day. So having a guy like that that does the things on the field and Dan in the locker room is this speaks volume. And Balan Nichols is right behind him learning, So it's gonna be something real quant Thank you so much for this time. It was wonderful. You did a great job.

Good luck in twenty nineteen. We'll talk to you soon. Thank you, guys. Ro Quan Smith our guest here on Bears All Access. That's gonna wrap us up with Tom Fair and Paul's Oranger engineer, and Greg Miller, our producer, and the folks at the studios at WSCR Radio Sports Radio six seventy to Score. I'm Jeff Joniac. Thanks for listening, everybody. This has been Bears All Access, brought to you by Jess Energy on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score.

Thanks for listening. Did this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by Igs Energy and sponsored by Miller Lite