Will Grier

time for a segment. Ain't got the giggles, man, dumbass, That's why it's down for a big dummy, you big dummy, super duper. So, of course we we like to either find an article or where we have something that's happened in current events whatever, but this is one. I'm a I'm a I'm a North Carolina guy, but something always happens in South Carolina. South Carolina. You can bet your bottom dollars, sorry, Scharlamin, you can bet your bottom dollar

that something happens in South Carolina. So a former state trooper in South Carolina is accused of inviting a woman over instead of booking her at the County Jail after he arrested her on suspicion of a d u y. Now, we're not going to use his name and how did they find out that that transpires? So we're not going to use his name. But he was arrested and booked at the Newberry County Detention Center. The jail Newberry the

same jail where the alleged misconduct occurred. Surveillance footage from the detention center and this officer's car camera reportedly captured these events from the previous something you it's live, be careful to say now. According to the arrest warrant, this officer arrested a woman on a d watch charge and took her to the detention center about an hour northwest of Columbia, South Carolina. He took a long way, but

instead of booking her, h he he shot her. Shot, He shot and shot, and he said, would you like to go back to my house? Would you like to go back to my careb what however he said, it is how he approached her. She reportedly declined the offer. Didn't they know my brothers, I'm not interested. I'll pass. When you are drunk and you're telling someone no, that is a clear indication they're not so, so she sidestep

Barry Sanders and kept her ballace. So she declined the offer, and the police officer drove the woman to his cousin's house where he must be where where he hugged her and come pplemented her appearance. Quote, she sloppy, drunk and you're a police officer. And she said no, and then you turned into wear my hug ache and you wear my hug first of all, had cuffed, handcuffed, and I'm drunk. Yes, right, I'm off for for these incredible hulks, yager monsters, seven

yager monsters and with like n T like. She did not have sex on the beach, and she she is intoxicated and it's telling you know so after so, after declining, drove the woman to his cousin's house, hugged the complimentaror. He later text her back and offered to say, you know what, I'll get your d you watch you RDS dropped if you come back to my career. So she told him no, drunk, Yes, I wonder what Her response, Hell, no, you know why because you are you big dummy, big dummy,

Come on, bro, He didn't text her. First of all, he's texting her, so that means he went through the paperwork that's called stalking. I mean, it don't look like she just gave him the digits, so I'm gonna especially if she already had declined, So it's I think it's likely to say that she wasn't interested. So how did you get her number? Anyway? Woa? Yeah? So now the South Ronina Highway Patrol asking the state investigators to investigate this incident. And yeah, I think pretty much this dude's

gonna lose his his his ji. He is gonna lose his job. And you know what, And I'm sorry that happened. I'm extremely sorry that happened. But there is a little bit you got to accept. Okay, maybe you didn't take the first though, Yeah, maybe you didn't take the second though, but the third and fourth. Sometimes you gotta throw your hand in, man, I don't throw your hand in. You can't play every hand. Let's throw it in. You cannot text someone you arrested, well to hang. I have a

have multiple questions. The biggest question I have is why do I want to date someone that was just showed me pretty bad decisions? Oh? Yeah, I want her to have the children. I want her to be the mother of my children. I'm not bad and that if I know, plenty of people have done that, plenty of people, but I But if I'm in this situation right there, like, oh yeah, that's like dating. You're the prosecutor and you date the defendant for murder, you know who I want?

I want her right there? Who's the one who sloppy try to dry and hit the car behind her? She was trying to leave out that was trying to fare level part behind. That's who I want. Oh yeah, you turns was like vomited right now. I don't want her so anyway, her breast of mine. Secret seven introducing to you, sergeant big dummy, you big dummy, unemployed, big dummy man. I hope we got somebody better to him. Coming up on the Cut to It podcast, we've got Will Greer,

a quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. He's a native of Stroll at North Carolina and he was all Big twelve playing for West Virginia University after he left Florida Universe. Will Greer on the Cut to It podcast, is your real name? William? Will I am stop it? I don't know. What's your middle name, Chadwick. It's a family name. I was the first born, so I got the I got the family name, William Chadwick Greer. Alright, our first segments

called get iced up, their icebreakers. They're random questions. I have no idea. What's coming? Smithy is pre selected bees, Smitty, go ahead and give Will the first one. All right, if they made a movie about your life, who would you want to play Will in the movie. Matthew mcconnaugh, No, hesitation. That was like pretty loaded. Yeah, you thought about that. I thought about that ship. Okay, So how was such a great actor play such a non speaking role in

the movie? A non speaking role? What do you mean because I don't talk? No, he's just you from Charlotte. Oh wait a minute, wait a minute, my purpose Charlotte on it, Tom, I'm sorry Lexington also known as Let's Vegan. Have you ever heard that he from Charlotte? He's from Charlotte? Has he not supposed to come on? Right? You know I have fin final editing, so keep no. That was

a promise. I know where you were going. All right, now, I just joke out joke kind of So we need you to sing any verse of Hale West Virginia, Hale West, the fight song. Yeah, it's specst Virginia, It's spect Virginia, the pride of every mountain. Come on you young lads, come on you old grads, Espect Virginia. Now we eat you. Ra ra ra. He got part of it. Yeah, I'm looking into the first verse. It's in the first verse. I know, I know. Down y'all at the bottom. Listen,

I want a lot of games in West Virginia. We sang that song every time. Big flex West Virginia is not a big flex we want Hey, we want a lot of games West Virginia. Can you pull up our fellow West Virginia alumni? Who rated himself? Who raided himself? Austin posted about he rated himself. He read the Let's Tavon. Austin rated himself as the top He rated the top ten best most exciting, most exciting college football players. Would you like to hear? Of all time? Would you like

to hear some of the people? He had keep keep padding. I gotta find it. He had some um where would do you think braxter Miller is yes of college players? Is that like he's high on the list or that's a tough question because he's in the football fraternity and I don't want to know. Look, I like the way Braxon Miller plays football. I don't think he's in the top ten most exciting. I'll give you the list. I got the list now, but yeah, you're absolutely I'm gonna go.

I'll go. It's gonna count down ten to one. Alright, alright, number ten, this is Sam on Austin's list. Number ten, Jabrill Peppers. All right, yeah, number nine, I mean this is a pretty like is this like in the last couple of decades or all time? This is all time, all time, all time, all time, number ten, Oh bocal number nine, Michael Vick. I like that number nine. No, I like it's no he's up there though, he's hold on,

he's a step ahead of Jabrille. Yeah, for context step he just ran a four to seven as a two year old man, and he's barely a step above a guy who cannot four to seven in his twenties. Yeah, Michael Vick is my favorite football player of all time. I love Tavon Uston. I already don't like this list. Okay, oh well, you just getting ready. Number eight Peter Wark the list, Peter Wark is still two steps number and the step above Michael Michael Vick. Yeah, I don't agree

with that. Number seven, Braxton Miller two steps, two steps and in front of Michael Vick, Mike, yeah, I don't. I don't agree with that. Number six. Lamar Jackson. I like Lamark. He's in there, man, he hadded, he he was, he was electric in college. He had he deserves to be in the top ten. I agree with that. Number five, the same list with the real preppers. But continue number five. Johnny Manziel. He was exciting for it was exciting. He was exciting. Now he's not more Again, I don't like

the tim t Bows. Then Johnny football is my guy, though, Man, he could be your guy in the context, in the context of exciting you all times. It's exciting, it's greatness. Johnny Manzell is not great. We ain't saying the only thing I will say about this, and we're saying the best players all time. I didn't say best in any list that there's one through ten. Johnny Manzell was not on my ten. Alright. When you talk about all time of anything, especially when we're talking about all time, and

we're rating them in order. Yes, that is a different thing. Number four your teammate Christian McCaffrey. Exciting, Yes, yep. Number three sa Kwan Barkley all time, keep going. Number two on the list of most exciting college football players of all time. Number two is Tavon Austin. Mr Gadget himself there was number one. Number one is Reggie Bush. I think we can all agree. You can. You can argue that it was Tavono. So there's Reggie Bush Tavon. So

here it is Reggie Buss Lambo bent Lea, Tavon Austin. No, no, no, no, I'll say this. He made the list. He made the list. That's the he made. No, he made his own list. That is his list. So we after this banter, we discovered it was his list because it was it was trading on social media, like it was on EESP and all the stuff, and I'm looking at the court and I'm like, wait a minute. Source Tavon was on his social media like bro gonna do I love it? I

love I love Tavon Austin. Number one. I think he's I think he was one of the more electrifying players ever in college. I mean he did some like whatever he did in the pros, whatever he's he's a hero in West Virginia. He's a hero and he made the list. If I made a list, I put myself up high to you know what I mean, Like you gotta put herself up high. Yeah, I mean herself. He was at the mountaintop. And that's why I said, I can tell no. No. All I'm saying is I respect the confidence. I don't.

Not one I owed her. Nope. If he was sitting right here, I tell him absolutely not. I'm not gonna slander my West Virginia. First of all, I don't agree. First of all, I'm not slandering. I'm just stating when when I hear all time Tavon Austin is not on the list, Johnny Manzel And and here's why I'm not even on the list. When you're talking about it, I

like Peter Wark, Michael Fick, Reggie Bush, Lamar Jackson. I will say, when you talk about most exciting, I mean what Tavan did against Oklahoma, like put up six fred something all purpose yards did be I didn't watch, I really did. The guy's exciting from like every time he was back returning to kids, something could happen, you know what I mean? It had that that Devin Hester feeld of like he could break he did, and Devin Hester and he actually is should best. Now you're barking up

my Tree't even talk about that. Devin Hester was outstanding in college and it transferred to he was also outstanding in the league. Tavan was outstanding in college watching the pros. Still waiting on it and is fast? I only going off college football, bro, it's still fast. Are we moving on? Yes? We can move on? Okay, cool, appreciate it alright. Number three, give us one thing that you are afraid of or

scared of. I hate snakes. If I'm walking around outside, even in like a backyard, they're probably never had a snake in it. I look around for snakes. I'm scared. I'm terrified of snakes, not spiders, though some people, like everybody, everybody's because you want the spiders real quick and looked around like you had like we said that, not spiders, h No. But the reason I said that though, because most people say this, spiders are like scarier or they're

more scared of spiders than they are snakes. And I totally disagree, all right. You never people always say they're scared of spiders. Scared spiders. I'm not scared spiders. That's kind of scared of heights. I don't do heights. Do you get shaky? No, I just don't go. Don't you just don't. I don't know, I don't know to get shaky. Yeah. Yeah, Hey, that's like how like how high does it start to? Like I'm not I don't go, but like what you get on the ladder, Like if you get on the ladder,

you don't want to go. But I'm not getting on the ladder to go up on a tower. Yeah, Like I'm not like a huge, like my house is a huge, but I can get on the roof and you're cool. I'm cool. So it's like, but you won't go onto like uh like the tour of the Empire State Building, Like you know you're not interested in going out there. I've talked, I've been there, I've taken the elevator. I'll look out on the No need to exactly why I feel?

How is he going to edge? And nothing? Now they now is different where they have cages, they have the stuff, so you don't look over there because some people have attempted to do some things that are not very good. All right, So last one, and I think this is really interesting. Would you rather lose your front tooth or shave your head? Oh? Shave my head all day, all day. I would have thought you wanted to. You you wouldn't want to. I get, I get why you think that?

Why why was that? Got long hair? Like I've been my hair's been I'm going my hair for like two years now. But rather shave my head? Why? What? What? What would losing your tooth do? I don't know did it would do? Like? What can we replace it? Like? What? What's the like? It's your ugliness however you want to fix it? I mean, all right, I'll say this. I

wouldn't mind having a bus cut at all. I would mind if I had to walk around without a front to mess up, messed up my whole the whole spiel, yeah everything, if you lost how confident with the whole beard and hair thing? Though? If I lost my TI, it would just mess it all up. Yeah, the whole thing, the whole thing, like the smile, everything, the confidencement. Yeah, you have to be alignment or a hockey player, like you don't see hockey players that like you know on

movies or stuff. Number five, we don't even have a file. If you couldnt be a wire, not be a quarterback, could you still play football? That I've thought about this. It's a tough like. So. Actually, David Sills, one of my receivers in West Virginia, was a quarterback. I don't know who he is. He was a quarterback up until when I he came back the first year playing receiver. Seriously, first year playing he was a quarterback his whole life.

Came back played receiver and caught like touchdowns and then yeah, humble, he's on the he's with the Giants now was on the active ross and stuff like that. So and he made you Now he's granted, he's probably a better athlete than I am, but he had never played receiver ever and was able to make that switch. We have to take a break and the morning thing, we gotta pay some bill. You got checks. I love cut to It, and I love it even more when you download us

and subscribe, and you can follow us on social media too. Smithie, where where at at? Cut to It? On Instagram? What about Twitter? At? Cut to It? Facebook? Cut to It featuring Steve Smith singr what about online? And you can follow Louis at cut to It podcast dot com where you can buy merch and you can subscribe to this wherever you listen to podcasts. I got all my answers questions. Um, yeah, I got all my questions answered. That's what I'm here for, a brother cut to a podcast dot com. Did you

always know you wanted to play quarterback? No, so, I yes, in a way. I also played basketball and baseball growing up. I loved both positions. Basketball is a shooting guard. Um. And then in baseball, I kind of I jumped around, played shortstop, center field, first base I was a catcher. I was a picture. Did you play those prior of football? I played it all kind of together. Yeah. So I started playing football and I was like seven, loved I loved football. Um. As I got older, I got my

first offers in football. So East Carolina was my first offer ever sophomore year and then uh, it kind of took off after that, but that was that was like my first That's when I started. Those are my first offers, so I, you know, kind of committed to football after that. Um, I had played other positions. I played safety, growing up and stuff like that. But when it came down to like what I was gonna play in college, I mean,

quarterback was the only shot I had. Um fast. Now, I was fast, I was a really good athlete, but I never I was the quarterback of my team. I never practiced playing receiver or anything else. So again, it would have like and I probably could have made the switch then and done something, but now it was too late. Yeah, I mean it got too late in college for sure. All your fast switches left. All right, let's get down to it, all right, So where where are you from?

And the place you call your hometown? So I was born in Charlotte, U n c C. I lived up north, about twenty minutes north of here. Kind of moved around a lot. My parents were divorced, uh so I lived with my mom most of the time, and my dad kind of got more custody as we got older, so I bounced back and forth. But they moved a bunch.

So I kind of say Charlotte just to generalize that, because I didn't live in one place for more than you know, three I think I lived in Davidson for three years of my mom that's probably the longest I ever lived in one place. I did not really shape your your view on the world because Charlotte has grown so much, all right, I know it's it's changed my view of the world. Um, you know when I first moved here in two thousand and one, compared to now,

it's Charlotte is a whole different place. Downtown uptown is considered Actually it's it's it's ever changing. I have some family, that's that's from Charlotte. No, you got a lot of family. We're gonna talk about that because I always run into people. I run in a will Greer family folk. Yeah, the career is a legendary. Yeah, oh that's my nephew. Yeah. A lot of my family has been here a long time,

so they've seen it even more drastically. I mean, I got my dad's uncle sixty six years old, was born in Charlotte and has been here for sixty six years. So you're talking about like the growth, Like he was here when try On was a dirt road. There was no uptown. It was not it was not the place you see today. I mean that's the that's the thing that my dad, you know, was was born raised in Charlotte. He he lived kind of over by the the Y m c A. And Carmel. I mean now Carmel's like this,

you know, nice super nice neighborhood and everything. But he, I mean he'll drive around and I mean even more so than me. So I mean I was here twenty years ago. I'd come down to even the city or whatever, and um, drive around and I mean it's south end to see what it is now just for me, but my dad. For my dad, it's like the neighborhoods, like you see the houses, like I mean they're just knocking down houses and building a million dollar houses everywhere around

like surrounding the city. Um, and just it's it's like it was neighborhoods that he grew up, like riding his bike and you know what I mean, playing stickball, playing football plan and to see just the I mean just the traffic alone, the roads, the stores, that everything that's like grown around the city even is like so different

than than it was twenty years ago. Um. So you know, just in that in that aspect you growing up and seeing this place grow and obviously growing up when were you born, so when it was just a thought of a football team and then possibly going to the games and then eventually now participate in that game. In those games and being in that jersey. What what is it

like for you? Yeah, so it's it's it's crazy. So um but put put more emotions on the crazy park because it's not it's not often that someone grows up in the city they end up playing. Yeah, it's it's not normal. Well, I I mean when I was coming out of the draft that Carolina wasn't even on my radar, like I I mean, I was one of the like

top guys. So I was, you know, thinking of the quarterback needy teams, like who's like in the teams I'm meeting with or whatever, And um as I started to fall in the draft and Carolina just picked me up because of value, Like they just picked me based on you know, they didn't need a quarterback. I mean Cam was here, they had Kyle coming back, whatever. Um so I was kind of surprising. But when I you know, they didn't really sink in until I put the practice

jersey on and went out to the practice field. I was like, because it wasn't on my mind to come here at all. You know, I was going to play football. You know, you're going to a job to play football. And then when I came here, it made it like this whole like you know, hometown thing, Like I'm looking for a place to live in my hometown, you know. And you know all the little Nicks and Crane, Yeah,

and everybody knows them as my success. You had families all here, I mean, like my my my family has gotten to watch my kids, you know, grow up, you know what I mean. Like that's something that I don't know if I would have had if I went somewhere else, And you know that that's been really cool, but it was It was never I never related the like NFL to playing for Carolina. It wasn't like a thing that I ever, like I guess wanted or tried to manifest. So you obviously watched the game or two in your

you know, when you were younger. And then that first time you're dressed, you know, not necessarily playing, but just dressed. Are you out at UH training camp at at Walford and you're out at fan fest and you're out there practicing And now this time, instead of watching and observing,

you are participating. How was that you have to kind of I had to kind of almost blocked that child, Like why because I had to perform, Like I quickly would like go there and be like, damn, this is cool, Like I, I you know this, You're right, Like I would grow up. You know I've watched you catch that post in two thousand three against the Rams. I was like, yeah, the skinny post is neck. He scored with it. And

then I like my Uh. I even went to a couple of Panther games and like sat in the stadium when I was younger growing up just because I played football. My dad knew I liked to play football. It took me two games whatever, So I would like even in the stadium, like I can look up and see like where I sat, you know what I mean, and like I and I'll do that real quick. And then I

wasn't refocused. It was in section, so it's like right above the right above the handicap, but it's it's all the way it's all the way up, so it's under the second slash, third level right so you got the sweets and it's right there on the cusp right there before you go to the nosebleed. The reason I'm asking is, uh I got an opportunity to playing Candlestick right, being a FOURT Niners fan never got the chance to sit in Candlestick, but just to be there and go through it.

I remember the first time my rookie year we played San Francisco at Candlestick and it was awesome. But I I I sat in the moment I was gonna say, did you do with Will? Did not checked out? You didn't try to check out? No, I was like, man, I'm playing more than Hanks, right, I live. I lived that moment because for us, they they end up leaving, They end up you know, them on a place two

three years later, and then they moved to the NFC West. No, we moved to the NFC South because I was still in the NFC the NFC West, whereas Rams, Carolina, Atlanta and San Francisco and then San Francisco left, Tampa filled that void and they realigned. So I didn't. I didn't blow, I didn't block it out. I actually sat in it and it was really really cool. Yeah. I've done it

a few times. Like like I said, like if I'm when I go out to like play or practice, I have to like I have to block everything out and just lock in on the just because it's whatever is going on in my head, like I need full I blocked. I don't listen, like I block everything out and just I'm on I'm on the field, like that's just the way I've always played, is like I'm in between those lines. I'm I'm you know, but I'm I'm. I'm saying you gotta live that because it will help you actually be

a little freer. Yeah, I think you need to actually think about it and actually will tighten you up. So then you can go out there and you can start out. You can start you gotta Did you ever go to a practice? My mom took me down to Offord? All right, So who's who's the quarterback? Um? At that time? All right, he was out there throwing a pass or somebody you may know. So if he's stowing, he's out there throwing that pass. It was nice and then that that will

I received one up and get it right. So why can't you mimic that? Right? So you still have that little boy inside of you that you go, I'm just be I'm be gun gun slinger, jake, me throw it to my guy, and all of a sudden you're just throwing it and now it's less of a job. Now it becomes you just kind you kind of just you're playing with house money. Yeah right, yeah, no, I agree.

I think I think there's a balance and that, like I think that I could be better at living in the moment and being more loose and playing like having that child Like it's still a game. Now. You still go out there. You still you still go out there and just and sling it and receiver, we go out there and try to make that one hand and catch or that impossible. You gotta have a little bit of that for sure, for sure, because you gotta be able to do it. Like that was one thing I always

did in practice. I would catch your ball a certain way. Just let me see if I could try this. Like I'll let a ball if I'm going on a deep over and the quarterback throws and leaves me, I would let the ball go over my head and I catch it right there. To wearing the game where I had to concentrate. I know that guy is gonna hit me, but if I'm doing this, I'm gonna drop it. But now if it goes over there, bang, I just right there. Now he comes hitting me, was right there, you know,

just kind of living that childhood. So speaking to childhood, how would you how would you summarize the way that your childhood affects you as an adult right now? I think the the main when I think back to like my childhood, it was surrounded by sports, Like I grew up playing football, basketball, baseball. UM. I just love to compete. That's what I did. So I most of my childhood memories are me sitting at AU tournaments, basketball, baseball, whatever

it may be, UM and playing ball. And I think that I learned so much of my life skills from being on a team playing sports. UM. That kind of got I mean all I did. That kind of got me away from doing anything else on the weekends because I I filled my schedule up with UM with tournaments and games and practices, and I just wanted to be great at whatever I was doing. Like I was, you know, practicing my left hand with basketball or like hitting balls

in the cage or whatever whatever the sport was. Like, I was just all in and just focusing on that. And I think now that I'm kind of in the professional field or like now it's more of a business, I've started to kind of you know, peel back the layers of like what's outside of sports, right, you know, because I feel like I lacked a lot of that growing up. Like I was so I guess focused on sports that I I wasn't opening my eyes to the

rest of life in the world. Um So I think the past as an adult, you know, especially having kids, you know, I've kind of started to you know, see life for what it is and see kind of where I fit in or what I truly care about other than just football. Do you feel like something. I don't feel like I think miss something is fair, but I think it's it's more so just like I, I wasn't as in tune with just I was just like I

it like I kind of black. I just you know, block everything and play sports because I didn't want to maybe I didn't want to deal with that or maybe like something's going on and like I didn't like it, so you know, I'm just gonna block it out. And I think I did that so much in my childhood that I may be missed out on experiences or opportunities to you know, get creative or see what else that I may have liked other than other than sports because

I was just so hyper focused on it. Um but I think, you know, as an adult now, I have an opportunity and especially especially with my kids, to kind of explore childhood again and do some things that you know, not that I didn't have an opportunity to do, but I didn't really take advantage of when I was a kid. I'm definitely an overthinker. And yeah, no, I'm definitely an overthinker.

But that is something that like it I wish and that I think having kids is really what brought it to my Like I want my kids to just like create, explore, do things like that's I wish I would have done more of that, I guess, and let my emotions like don't block out sadness, don't block out anger, like just feel it, address it. Like those are the kind of things that my whole childhood I like just blocked out. And I think I think it's healthy to to experience

those things. So playing multiple sports growing up and your dad being your football coach, how is that interesting? We got a yeah, but no helicopter dad. No, not no, not really, I mean, especially since you know my parents were divorced, I lived with with both of him. He wasn't helicopter dad or overbearing or anything like that. Um, but he was my football coach, and we butt heads a lot because I think, you know, we're similar in a lot of ways. Really, We're both very passionate, right

especially about football. So as you know, the coach, quarterback, he's calling plays on the quarterback. There's generally things that we would just disagree. Yeah, disagree. Butt heads all the time, especially when you say disagree. How does a disagreement between a father and son, head coach and quarterback. Least explain that to him because I've got to make the dentist table interesting, damn the diner table, to walk home everything? How should I say it his ryan home, You'll walk

home exactly? No, I mean, I mean it was. It was definitely, you know, an interesting dynamic. I think he handled it really well. I think I handled it poorly a lot more than he did, just because the the way that I would I I was dismissive sometimes to him as a coach, but him also as a father. Made it tough on our relationship, our father's son relationship.

And I think the way and our relationship is great now, by the way, Like I think that that experience kind of made our relationship even strong grew when I was an adult and playing somewhere else, and really he was being really tough on me and hard on me to prepare me for college, preparing me to his in his mind, you know, he was gonna beat me to the ground, you know, like really be as tough as possible on me in every aspect to make me better. That's kind of how he was raised and how he wanted to

raise me. And I kind of saw it as not that, and I just did say it is he was picking on you, not necessarily that. I just think it was. I saw it as you know, I'm like, I'm doing everything right, I'm doing what you told. Like even when he was wrong, he wouldn't admit he was wrong, and because he wanted to be he wanted me to just say yes sir and move on. And as him being my father, I wanted to just talk to him and be like like, no, you're like you're wrong, let me

let me tell you my perspective of this whatever. But he was trying to be the coach that's like, you're not. I don't want you to come to me with excuses. I don't want you to come to me with any of that, Like just yes, sir, move on to it right the next time. And I think that was the toughest part of the the relationship aspect, because you know, I think when when you go home and it's your dad, it's very different than when he's out there on the field. And I think when I was done playing for him,

I realized what he was trying to do. But in the moment, even if he's telling me that can't understand let me play this out. You want to explain to the head coach and who happens to be your father, and he didn't want to listen to it. So then you go down to college and now the coach that is giving your instruction who is not your dad, and you can't be dismissed, and you can't be dismissive, and you still can't debate with him. I did that work out for you? I was. I felt as prepared as

I could be when I went to Florida. I was what Will must Champ was. The was the head coach, and he's known to be firing and passionate, yell at people or whatever, and none of that faced me at all. I mean, I was for whatever. I think usually at that point yeah, I think that really whatever reason, No it's a reason. No you don't want to give him credit? No, No, If I was saying for whatever it's worth, I think he I think he like I think what was he

over the top? Sometimes if you ask my uncle's yes, my dad, no, I think he did, you know, and he'll tell you. I think sometimes he crossed the line. Not nothing crazy right, and it wasn't it. But I do think that it prepared me for college and for life. And was coming out of college. You signed with Florida Florida and what years were that? Fifteen? And then I had that work out, So I read short of my first year, this was the quarterback Jeff DRIs school and

uh Jacoby transferred year. I came in pri set so it was Jeff dry school and then me and Trion Harris came in the same year. Um we, So I read shirted must Champ got fired after the South Carolina game. We didn't have a good year. Um so he got fired. They brought in um Jim mcwain. Doug nut Smyer was the o c um coming in. Uh We, Me and Trion were competing for the starting job. Competed all the

way through camp up really until the first game. We split time in the first game of the year, um, and then I got the nod for the next five games after that. I guess I kind of won the competition in in that game. UM, and we were rolling six and oh, like we beat Old Miss the week after they beat Alabama, they were like number three in the country. We were ranked super high. Our defense was super good. Like we we had a we had a shot to go, and then I got suspended. I think

it's about that time. Just take a little breather. Good do, good do. Let's getting down to dood. Hey Gerard, why did you get that T shirt? You mean this thing? Oh yes, I got it from cut to a podcast dot com where we have exclusive merchandise. Shout out to our guys at seven or four shot. But yeah, you can go on, buy you a T shirt, subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts. So I got suspended for a year for p DS performance and enhancing drugs, and I to this day, yes, I don't know where

it came from. Okay, I didn't know, so that's why I was like, Yeah, So the way it wins is I I came coach Matt called into his office one day, He's like, you failed a drug test and I was blindsided. I was like for what, Like, You're like, man, I took that Golden Seal. What are you talking? So I came in and did told me and didn't see. Yeah, you can't trust you can't trust any especially back then, you can't trust at the seal with clean everything. Yeah,

I didn't know what that was. I I was, I was, I was young, I was I didn't even know that. I didn't know that that was even like when I thought pd S, I'm thinking like steroids. Yeah, so I didn't know, Like yeah, I mean, it's it's crazy. And I at the time, like I said, I was just young and I didn't I mean, I wasn't. I had no idea. So I go do that press conference and

I'm you know, and it was a year suspension. So right after it happened, Coach Mack was like, just get out of the building and figure out because we were going to appeal it because you know, we you know, we're gonna try to wipe it. I didn't think I did anything wrong or whatever. See what's going on. Um. During the appeal process, he didn't want me in the building. He thought I was a distraction. So I wasn't. I was living in Gainsville, but I wasn't allowed to come

in to the football building during this appeal process. He didn't, like I said, want me to be a distraction. So did you feel like, how how long did it take you to figure out something was going on? Shortly thereafter? It was short a couple of weeks. I mean I was figured. I was so focused on the appeal or whatever, and then I kind of took a step back and I was talking to my dad talking with some people, and it was it was weird they didn't want me around,

especially as a leader of the team. I mean for somebody they supported. Yeah, you know, and I I kind of got the hint. I went in and met with him two more times and was like, look, man, I I'm gonna serve this suspension, like you know, whatever it is, like I may I may get disappealed, like I don't know what it's going to be, but then I want to be right back, like I'll do whatever I gotta do it. During the spot and he was like, I

think a fresh start would be good for you. WHOA yeah, so he and so he tells you a fresh start, what's going on? And so what's going on with little Chadwicks? Hen So I think, honestly, like I had never got a good memory. I never wanted to leave Florida. I loved the school. I you know, wanted to be there my whole career. Um that was kind of like the harsh reality was that was my head coach. And like I think, honestly, when I think about it, I think

he was thinking of my best interests. I don't think and I don't know, and I may be thinking, you know, glass half full here, but I truly think he was trying to help me and saying that, like he could have just told me to stay right, compete for the job and then never you know, really let me have it. Like when it came down to it, do you believe because of what happened and it was kind of one of those things where it was a stain, I think, yes,

I think that. And I think also that he didn't want I think it was for sure there were some politics surrounding it in my mind, like he didn't want even if I served the suspension and come back. And I don't think it's it would have been tough to put me back in that and that starting role after giving what had happened, even though it was an accident, even though you know, I didn't you know, kill somebody or hurt anything like, but it was just it was

a stain for sure. Yeah. So he gave me a list of schools that I couldn't transferred to that I could transfer to. He gave you a list, yeah, like these you can't go. So I couldn't go anywhere in the SEC he said that. Yeah, he printed out a list. Wow, so he told you here's way. But this was back when you could do that. Oh oh, because they had

to do he can't do that anymore. This was back so yeah, so he gave me a piece of pavor like this, and it had like I couldn't go anywhere in the SEC or like anybody that was on the schedule next year or something like that, which was normal at the time. Like you just you know, I think it's amazing he had that paper on on hand though, So I don't know if it was he just like and why we hear it, but but how do you how do you like maybe it's maybe this is where

we're starting to go. But that situation being labeled as a as a as a stain quote unquote or you being called a distraction, and of course you having to go through a suspension. How do you deal with that mentally? Yeah, it was when that's probably not your Yeah, it was a lot because it didn't represent who I am, like that I stay out of trouble in every way. I mean, I keep my nose very clean. And that was a

stain to the public eye. But it was a huge stain on myself mentally, Like I like messed up for the first time. I lafe and I'm talking about you didn't even know what you messed up on because people don't know. People don't even realize pete ease. Isn't that I mean you could. It's a wide range, bro it's medicine, right, it's certain, it's it's it's certain even to the point of certain aspirants, Like there's certain aspirants that you can't take.

You gotta be and you know, I think it's talked about born now than it was when I was that age. But you have to as an athlete, you have you're responsible, like so well, I wonder how would the how how was the coverage on you impacting you mentally? I think what impacted me the most was that I had messed up like that it was all happening. It was my fault that there was nobody else to blame, you know, it was it was ignorance, but it was still Now when you go back, what do you think it was

that you too? Well? So it was like I was taking other guys pre work out in the locker room. I was taking like you typical college kids, even in the prose, and hey, I'm done, I'm I'm I'm going. That's exactly what it was. It was just like you know, got onyx so well. I mean, you've had to deal with a lot in in a short career. How do you deal with um, the adversity in in in in college and now even going into your program? How do you deal with this adversity overall? Yeah, I think the

adversity is has made me better in all aspects. I mean, I don't seek out adversity like I'm I'm not. I don't wake up and say like, hey, what what can I do to make my life funny? How that works out? You never go seeking food. But when it's some stupid as people out there go find me some adversity today, but some dummies. But I will say that the leaves and bounds of growth in my career have always come when adversity happens. Not at the top, you know what

I mean. I think you're still growing, But I think when that adversity happens, like I've handled it in different ways, but as you figure it out and as you get through it, that's when I've made the biggest leaps and in my development on and off the field. Um So that's I mean in my mind. Like like I said, I don't seek adversity, but I appreciate it all right. When our last segment it's called deep three, it's many deep three Okay, First one, really, you know what are

you thankful for the way you were raised? You know, obviously you you spoke about the divorce between your your parents, but being a being a father? Now, Um, what is something that your parents, even though they were divorced, they gave you something that that they gave you a great

outlook on being being a parent. Yeah, I think they Number one, they both loved me unconditionally through anything, Like both of them separately we're over the top about that, like like they always like you know, cared for me, Like yeah, no, absolutely go through to go through a divorce and be able to separate them and us, Yeah, but still love on the kids. They both were champions at that and that's why we have such good relationships me and my brothers with my mom and my dad

still is because of that, I believe, um. But I think from a parenting perspective having my own kids, they one they both got remarried and are in healthy marriages now, which is super cool to see. Actually, like you know them, you know, they they were married, had us, they got divorced, but then they found somebody else, and we're able to be in a healthy marriage. So it wasn't they weren't right for each other, but neither of them clearly aren't.

You know, they haven't had problems with relationships since then, So I think it was you know, cool to watch both of them being another relationship and and both of my stepparents were awesome as well. I mean we really you know, I appreciated the way the entire situation was handled. All that was a bad situation, Like they were always really respectful of separating and all that was going on and um and us. And I think what it taught me.

I think it taught me some of what not to do in a relationship, especially with young kids, um, just from the you know, with when my parents were together when I was younger. UM. But I also think it taught me, like you know, in that you know, how to you know, treat your wife in front of your kids right, how to treat for me, you know like that, different things you kind of pick up on naturally. I think that they were you know, my mom and my dad both were always in front of us, respectful of

each other. Um. And I think that you know, that was you know, really cool of them and help, you know, my parenting skills. What's the most important thing that your dad taught you off the field, I think just overall respect. I think he was he was big on respect everybody. Janitor to to the CEO, like the old saying they say, I mean, um so much show that I don't even I don't even see it that way. Like I I just see everybody it's like second nature to Yeah, it's

just second nature. Like I just have a respect for every being, animal, human, anything. I mean, I just I respect everybody from any situation they come from, and especially if you don't know it, I have respect for whatever the that that situation is. UM. I think you know, that's the biggest thing that he always instilled, Like you know, it used to be yes sir, yes, ma'am. It's not that's not as cooler as popular today. UM, but that

kind of led into the respect for everybody thing. And that's you know, that was you know, his his biggest thing was even I mean on the field too, but especially off the field. Just respect. Now, what's your career where it is, you know, just trying to you know, obviously trying to make it and trying to figure things out. UM, whatever impact you have on the field, that's fantastic. You know what what is what impact do you want to

have off the field. I think any kind of positive impact I can make on any because I haven't and I don't have a specific foundation. And I'm actually meeting with somebody after this, UM that she runs a group called See Her Lead and it's a group for uh, you know, basically middle school high school girls. UM. It's it's a leadership uh summit. They have, you know, weeks they have lessons, they do, camps, they do UM it's it's a super cool organization that that she set up.

She actually taught ninth grade English to me and we connected and and UM I started talking about this UM her program and how she's growing and how I can get involved and help and UM. You know, so I love the idea of that. Having two daughters, UM, that

kind of hits close to home for me. UM. But I think in general, like I there's different things that I've experienced in my life that I want to you know, be a part of, and and and but I really am still trying to narrow down and because instead of trying to do everything a little bit, I want to have a lasting impact on one thing. And it's been tough, honestly to kind of, you know, put all my eggs

in one or two baskets. And I feel like that's something I see guidance on is you know, how can I you know, because I I want to do the right I want to do different things, But how can I do what's the right thing to do? I guess,

And I think that's UM. I feel so strongly about so many different issues and so many different things that are they're happening in this world, especially, they're they're highlighted when you have kids, and you know, so many different things that I want to do or change and and

and obviously I can't do them all. So I I really am in that place where I'm trying to figure out what is the best way to go about it, what's the best thing to do without just you know, shouting out everything and probably getting diluted and then in the wash. And I think that's the the art I'm trying to figure out now. But I do think the

see her lead thing was kind of brought to me. Um, I think it was meant to be, you know, it's it's a super cool thing, and um, I don't know quite how involved I'm going to be yet, but I love the idea of it, and she's great at operating it on her own, so she doesn't necessarily need me, So I'm just gonna be there to support and make it as as good as possible. And I'm excited to

kind of watch that grow. So that's cool, you know, not knowing what you want to do, that's actually a great place to be, right and ill evolved, will grow as your family grows, as you grow as a dad, as you grow as a person, just trying to decide on how, what and where. So just allow that time

of not knowing. That's a healthy place to be, because what you don't want to be as a young man who has all answers, right, I was, That's who I was at times, and that didn't serve me well because I wasn't able to listen to other people around me or listen to someone with a with a fresher perspective, different perspective, and you're kind of like, man, okay, move on, move on out the way. So that's good. That don't take you lacking knowing where to go as a as

something negative. Take that something good because that means you can got time to shape it. Now, Yeah, you've got time to shape it, and you may not. I want to learn. I think that's important. Is like I want to, you know, continue to learn and hear different perspectives and figure out you know, And I think great things are done in teams. I believe that, you know. I think

you know. I don't want to do anything alone, not because I don't think I can do it, but I think there's a better product when you get different perspectives and different minds in one room and produce something so um still kind of building that team, you know what I mean? Yeah, that's good man, well man, We appreciate you coming. You are a unique person, you are well worth it, you are competent, and most of all, your lovable. I'm Steve Smith Singior, I'm Gerard Little John and this

is cut to It. Cut to It with Steve Smith Senior. That Is Me is a production of Cut to It LLC, Balto Creative Media, The Black Effect and I Heart Radio. For more podcast from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows from Cut to It. Executive producer Steve Smith Singor, co host Gerard Little John, talent in booking manager Joe Fusci, Social media team Wesley Robinson and John

one show from Balto Creative Media. Cut to It is produced by Brian Balta Chevic and Meredith Carter, with production assistance by Alex Lebrek, Production Coordinator Taylor Robinson. Theme music by Alex Johnson, lyrics and vocals by Anthony Hamilton. You ain't heard about it, then We're about to let you know. It's all