Zack Moss

door defense. Hi, the whole neighbor. You need flanders now I did the old neighbor. Hi, the old neighbor. What's up? Man? What's on? What's on your mental today? Every time? Okay every day? You laugh? Shorten it up? Just talking, you know right now with with covid um just disreppared. Just it's it's over for you. It's poof, It's going right, um man. It's just you know, being at kids activities, um and and and I'm just starting to I think I'm starting to see myself a little bit. And uh well,

let me say this. I apologize to Peyton Smith and probably Boston Smith. I was I'm a I am currently because you know, I'm not God well, I'm not passing um terrible sports dad. How so I have been one of those that you know, I yea, I yelled and screen and I think my son's going to whatever sports So if he's playing soccer, the MLS tomorrow, basketball to NBA currently and the NFL definitely getting drafted next week.

I've seen at my son's basketball events and also my oldest son's soccer events, and I was a terrible parents man, just like just yelling and you know, just making making

this sport that they were participating in so unpleasurable. And it sucks to admit it, and it sucks to see myself because I've seen some of these dads when I was I was watching some kids this weekend in basketball, watching some kids as some seven on seven tournaments bro eight, and you see some of these dads yelling and like just going after it over a catch, get him what the blank? Any blank? And I'm like, and what was interesting? As I was watching those parents, I wasn't thinking, oh look,

how that that's terrible. I wasn't thinking that. I wasn't thinking oh look, I was going that's how it was. And i can't imagine how embarrassed my kids are, how deflated they are, how discouraged there, And so it sucks. It really does. What would you tell what would you tell that parent now, whether it was you in the past, Sup the funk down? That's how it really tell them. And thank god nobody told me that because it wouldn't have went well. But I I'm I'm being honest. I

just I feel bad. I really feel bad at the way I behaved and how I was embarrassed for my wife. So it sucks, and especially as a as an athlete, a former athlete, I've lost all credibility as an athlete because it's like, well, we know you're a great athlete, dad, but you're a dick as a father, especially in that area. I picked myself up, take them here and there, but then you know, or lecture um all the time about what about hard work and all that stuff? Man, it

just sucks. And so just kind of seeing that, and so I gotta take a step back, but I can't go. So I'm balancing between do I say something to them to acknowledge what I've seen and myself, or do I not say anything and just act differently about it, and I probably have to do both. I have to acknowledge that and then over time really for him to see and trust that I am gonna make those changes. So it just kind of sucks. Well, I get where you're

coming from. The one thing, the one thing, no, no, no, no. Look, can I speak for myself, Yeah, speaking for myself, And the one thing, I don't say you type of parents, don't say that. But you did some things you don't you don't like, and you you have some stuff that you wish you could take back. But brother, I'll be around you. You're not a terrible parent, So don't even don't even don't even reinforce saying that. Don't say that

ship no more because you're not a terrible parent. I appreciate it just as tough because how you operate on the sports field does leave. It's like when you drink a drink, right, especially if you drink a diet drink asportasenus like, even though after you drink it, it still has that after taste, right, and that and and I think the aftertaste of how I've conducted myself, of his parenting on the sports realm has we look at as

as men and dads. We look at our parenting as waffles and and and what we say don't say, and how we act is the syrup, right, and if you don't pour enough syrup in the square the waffle, if you just put a little bit, it won't go into the other square. And that's how we look at his dads. We look at it's like, all right, we pour the syrup, and if you don't pour enough it, you know, not enough syrup goes in all the squares and you're like, where are you going with this? What happens is when

we parents bad in sports, it's like spaghetti. It's all mixed together. They are kids, are family. They don't separated like the waffle. They don't compartmentalize it like the waffle. It's freaking spaghetti. And what we talked about spaghetti spaghetti. The the next day is always what better. That's how the pain is when we do it is the next day it actually stinks even worse because they replay in

their minds. So it's just like it's it's everywhere when you when you parents bad on the sports, it goes into well, he must think I never do anything right, or he must and I can see that. I'm just kind of going back in my mind. I'm like, gosh, right, and so I I gotta, I gotta stop on the sports to be able to get out of the spaghetti, to get into the waffles. Because here's a crazy part. My boys love waffles. And so that's what I that's

what I gotta do. And so right now it is mixed up with my being a good dad driving them around. But he doesn't he doesn't get it because it's the spaghetti. It's all mixed up together, and and and he leaves your bad tastes of his mouth. And that's the important part. My breath can think all day, but he don't want to smell it, right, And so it's just I, I gotta, I gotta step in there. I gotta work on it better. And I saw it this weekend. And what's crazy is

he bawled this weekend. He played really well this weekend, and I just told me, did a good job. And I think he was concerned or word, and I just said, man, you played well. But I think I gotta do that more and more so he could believe it. He don't believe it right now because I'll be on them I'll be uh, I'll be on the bad and that was cool. I'm I'm just still trying to figure out how and the hell you mixed pancakes, waffles, spaghetti, and parenting in

the same metaphor. You are a word smith. My brother Charenton brought to you by Ages cheft Board Cut to It. Who we got coming up on the Cut to It podcast? We've got Zack moss or running back for the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted in out of the University of Utah, where he's the all time leading rusher for the school. Zack Moss on the Cut to It Podcast, I'm super excited about this one. Of course. You are here Uta guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't claim ah. You tak guys.

You don't come back made it though, Yeah, they're made it. There's something I'm like, No, I don't want him all. I don't. He didn't go to Utah. Oh man, you ain't claiming brom I'm I'm uncle Lero. I don't say you like that. You like that cousin of that Uncle Wayne claim him. That's that that's the other set of Smiths. Yeah, that's that's a you know his mom. Yeah right, you know you know them. We gotta invite him, put them in back, and you know, you know, you know she

coming over. You know she's still how do your stuff? Get it off the dress of it? Maybe it's just me, my bad everybody anyway, Hey, but our first segment it's called get ice stuck. Go ahead, give him the first one, all right. Depending on how you answer, we're gonna have some follow ups. And I think I got you on a few of these because you don't know they're coming.

So let's snowboarding or scheme. I've never done either one, but I probably would pick snowboarding, though really you never all the time you spend up in up in Park City, only did I did snowmobiling. That was the only thing that really I was able to do. When I get back, Definitely, I'm gonna try to snowboarding. Thought. Okay, now o my recruited trip back in You know they took a nineteen I'm sorry electric boogaloo into on my recruiting trip to

Utah from California. Ski Are you been hooked? I've been hooked ever since. Did they take you guys skiing and stuff? They took a snowmobil and that's how I got hooked on that that'd be cool. Yeah, yeah, it ain't bad. My girl from Park City, so she loved telling me about the skin and the snowboarding. But I think I'm gonna stick to the snowboarding though. Yeah, man, I bro I've been sneaking up to Utah for years ago skinning. Yeah. Yeah, like we uh you know some of the games would

go sneak up and watch the games. Right after that, go back up in parks. He was in town. All right, favorite fruit? What's your favorite fruit? Pears? Pears spread today bears not a bad answer though, Asian pair, regular pair? Oh, she wants to more more like just the regular pair. I know. My mom is always like she'll go to Sam's or whatever and legit, Like just bring me just a bag of pair, just for myself because I just

I just messed with parents for some reason. Now are you one of those where you have to peel it or you just eat it with the skin? You eat it with skin? My board, my son dudees doesn't like it with the skin. Really. Yeah, eat a pair though, like like his apple. So if I got one of me, now, I don't know if you can cook. But if you do a little pair a little bit of centnament of sugar and cast iron skillet, little small cash onn skillet.

It's also waffles, pretty good waffles. Yeah, that sounded like something. That sounds like something. I don't really dab too much in any case, but yeah, I might have to bring that to my girl one time though, dropping comping a little nugget and this is what I heard? How much mology get out that one? All right? Would you rather sky dive or swim with shark? Where's options? Ce? He touched, He put his hand on his head as if he woke up. Said, I'm bad. I'm gonna go with I'm

gonna go with sky dive. I can't swim, so put me in there already by myself. But za brother me, I don't mess with the slopes. I'm not a good swimmer. Like, stay away from stuff you don't know. First of all, stop lying you not. You're not a good swimmer. I just learned, boy, you can't swim. Learn learn like I just learned, like four years ago. Yeah, and how much practice have you gotten? Oh? Not a lot? So I can? I can. I can save my life if deemed necessary.

I ain't about Olympics style swomen. No, that's what, And I don't want to. I don't. I don't to his point, I'm not going to the ocean with sharks. I can already answer for that. You ain't. You don't fool with the ocean, right, So I ain't fooling with that. And then Scott Driving man, my brothers want to jump out of a plane. No, I'm good. Is that real? It's folks that love a dreamline. I'm not doing either either. I'm not doing either either. But I didn't want to

swim with a minto much less. I just wanted to throw it out there. I like asking some of these because you you sometimes you would get an answer that you didn't see coming. So, favorite football, favorite sports team growing up, any you know, it doesn't have to be football, be any sport, whatever it is. Uh. I probably would say the Lakers um just because I was a huge uh Kobe Bryant France um for forever, as long as

I know, ever since I started watching sports. And you know, just something about the way he you know, everything about Kobe just you know, goes without saying. But I think lak it's definitely okay, cool and see that won't come. I would I would have I would have assumed definitely won the Florida teams. Yeah, like Orlando with have been trashed for me. And I know he would probably say right, look when he said Atlanta, like listen, I was just assuming,

all right, I noticed answer. But where are you from and the place you call your hometown. I'm from Miami, Florida, and I call Liberty City Ontown City, Liberty City. So growing up in Liberty City? How did this shape you? Because you hear about Liberty City, you hear about certain areas in Florida, California, Texas, certain areas you know, Detroit, and you're not next surely sure how that has shaped each individual? Yeah? Uh, it shaped me because I mean in a way that you know, I had to grow

up kind of fast. Um you know, I lived in a single parent household, five brothers and sisters. Um, you know, my mom and dad went through the forest. So just seeing all of that and then you know, kind of having family members that was industries. Still to this day, you kind of have a two ways to go right there, you know what I mean? You have either you're gonna be industries doing certain things and putting yourself in harm, or you can go down a different path, which you

know a lot of people don't go. You don't really have a lot of you know, people to help you tell you how to do it. Um, you know, you're kind of just guiding yourself, um, all the way through that path. And you know it's kind of like you just put on a pair of shades, but you can't see out of them. You know, you're just putting on certain pre pair of shades and going down a different route that a lot of people haven't went, and they

really can't help you a lot. So everything you kind of encounter by yourself, you pretty much being the first person to encounter in your family. Well, you said that, you know, your parents went to a divorce, and I'm sorry to hear that. And how did how big of a role did both of them you know obviously with them going through going through the divorce, How big of a role did your parents play in your life? My mom is the reason that I played the game. Um,

it's the reason that I've even made it uh this far. Um, you know that's why I still have the same hunger even inside me, even though you know, I even just because I've made it here, you know, I still want more for you know, for her, my family, future family and things like that. UM. So that was my entire motivation ever since that part. Um, seeing all the things you had to go through moving three four times and two years spend things like that. So all that type

of stuff, UM, definitely just motivate to me. UM. My dad, you know, he was he was there in the sense of, you know, when football was um and played. You know, he was always coming to the games. Uh you know, get you some clease if you needed them here and there. UM. But you know, on besides that type of stuff, you know, it wasn't really uh, you know, much of a father figure um in that in that role. When you hear football was a huge role in my life. What was

Zack Most's life that included football? I mean growing up, you know, me and my brothers, we bonded a lot over sports. Uh, from basketball, just video games and things like that. UM. But you know, I've been playing football since about age of ten years old. UM. Before that, you know, I can't really remember everything, but you know, before that, it was mostly just you know, mom's cumplers in church. Um, you know, being around family, being around

doing those type of things, being family oriented. Um, you know, and football just at the beginning, for me, it was just a hobby. It was just something that I picked up from watching uh some of my homeboys too when we were younger. You know, they were the ones going out there spending hours and hours going to you know, these different camps, doing these different types of trainings with

these private coaches and things like that. You know. And after football practice for me, I'll go home, go to the park and then go play basketball, I side with you know people at the parking things like that. Um. And I was you know, mostly you know, my life. But football was just a thing for me to really grab onto that helped me just kind of figure out who I was at the same time. Um, and you know, helped me just continue to grow as a person and kind of realize what I wanted in life and things

like that. Um. You know, like football was a big thing is a big thing to my in my life because it's brought me so many different things that I probably wouldn't have uh discovered going down this path. I want a different path. We have to take a break. And the morning thing we gotta pay some bills. 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? That's 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 us at cut to It podcast dot com where you can buy merch and you can subscribe to us 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. You attended made Her Academy charter school, which was not the most

closest school and proximity being in Liberty City. Why attend there as opposed to the other city the other high schools that were around you. The closest school my home school would have been Miami Central High School, which is known being one of the powerhouse football schools UH in South Florida. But I think the only reason I didn't go there, and you know the Miami Northwestern's and St. Thomas.

It's not all these different type of schools. Um. It's because you know, Matta Economy was a it was a newer school for one, weren't known for sports size really baseball. Um. And you know, going back to you know, my mom definitely wanted me to you know, stay out of trouble, you know, and that was the biggest thing. UM. My brother went to Miami Northwestern High School where he played football and kind of just got lost and fizzled out.

UM in that type of atmosphere because you know, even in the high schools, you see you you see everything um that goes on in the streets they bring into school when you got you know, security guards armed at the school and things like that. You gotta go through, you know, metal text all the type of stuff you see in a movie. But you know it's real life, is regular to us when you talk about it to other people. UM. But you know, she just wanted me to go to a school where I could you know,

focus and just do what I need to do. Um and at the same time, you know, be myself. UM. And at the time, I didn't, like I said, football was more of a hobby even in high school. You know, I started taking it seriously into my junior year. Um, So when I went there, it was more about just going somewhere where I can get education, be safe and a safe zone and everything like that. Um, because if I wanted to play football for real, for real, definitely going to that school would not have put me. Uh

in the best predicument you played four years? Did they get you to Utah from South Florida? From South Florida for one? Hold on? There should record alone too? Now you know they know they didn't get me from Cali because of the snow. I'm just telling moving right along, moving right along, so big, big trouble, but it's nothing to get anybody in trouble with. So I just want

to make that, make that clear true now. But you know I played with two guys at Utah that also played with me in high school, being our quarterback, Tyler Hunley and one of our receivers in Damark Simkoln. So we all played football in South Florida together in high school. You know, we played little league football against each other with each other and they Hunty played quarterback and uh in Pop Warner and stuff where he played all all

different positions like all you guys. Now, he played quarterback literally from literally all the up and that was his that was his theme. Um, you did you always play running back and you play other position? No? I didn't play running back into my junior in high school. UM, I played linebacker. Okay. I'm always interested to hear, you know, different play different positions guys played, because they always necessarily mean that they're gonna play that. In a pro that's

a frequent transition. Some people may hear them like linebacker running back. That happens a lot. Yeah, that's very normal. Yeah. It definitely helped me a lot. Um, just kind of knowing, you know, how the defense is supposed to work and things like that, growing up in in this new position. But um, you know I played with both of those guys at Holly Indale High School and they first they were they early in role. They were the first to the early in role. Um and you know, you talk

wasn't really big on my radar at the time. Um. I was still kind of you know, feeling things. I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go. Um And at the time, I was committed to uh to the you Miami, and you know, I was kind of figuring that out. I was like, man, I don't really want to stay so close to home UM, and at the time they were really bad at the same time, so and they had just fired uh was his name

out Golden? I think his name was um especially since his uh you're your cousin Santanna and Cineres their Miami guys too, So you guys start getting drafted and all of a sudden, yeah, you know, and I thought about all that, but you know, I was able to also talk to them and they would just let me know, you know, kind of sporge you on path, you know, just because you know they went there or you know, I've had other family members. I went to the u UM asn't just going to school or things like that.

You know, it was all about just forging your own path. UM. Obviously my mom wanted me to go there because it was close to home UM, and then my dad wanted me to go there because I was his obviously his his team, UM, you know, being from Miami and things

like that at UM. So you know, when that happened, you know, I ended up be committed from there, and then the biggest two schools for me that I really put my my focus on was or really was three was UM you know you talk came in late um Tennessee was another school that I thought about, UM in Kentucky, But overall I just ended up just picking Utah in Tennessee as the two schools that I felt was gonna give me the best opportunity to you know, do what I wanted to do and you know, be who I

uh could ultimately be. And you know, having two guys up there and Utah already I kind of had an inside look already what was going on, how things was. Because you know, once you get to the school as a freshman and things like that, the coaches they love you for the first couple of weeks. Uh, you know, they don't show you that real side who they are. Uh. Can those guys kind of let me know how everything

was working, how things was rolling. They even gave me the saw scoop of like how the backs was looking, you know what I mean. So my biggest thing was I wanted to come in and play as a freshman. You know, I didn't want no coaches to be sitting there talking about you know, the whole favoritism thing and

all that other type of stuff. So you know, you talk ended up being the spot for me because mostly because those two guys out there already, so I was already familiar with those two and the running back position that Utah was, um, you know, I thought for the taking, even though they had a senior back kind of just you know, being his first year absolutely starting um and who is who is the who's the running back your freshman year Joe Williams, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, So I

was like I felt my all right, man, I can come in there and do what I need to do. So and that was a big thing for me, just kind of seeing that depth chart part of everything. And then having coach ericson Dennis Ericson uh was was was huge because not every day you get to come across the coach like that. Real. Yeah, you had this opportunity and I love because you're still young, so you have

enough memory, right, and the memory and the perspective. You know, I'm I'm be forty two, so it's like I want to say, yeah, of course I was thinking all the good things, right, And so did you see college as a path to get a degree, to go to the NFL for a better life? Like there's no right or wrong answer, but I'm just interested to here. How did you see college, especially based off your circumstances and surroundings.

I am extremely interested too here because you're not old enough to be seasoned to be like, no, I was going to college. Yeah you you still had the like you still got to like you know, I was just trying to get I was just trying to make it. Yeah. Yeah, I definitely was just trying to go to the I wasn't worried about no, thank you because something like live They were like, no I saw this, Like if you don't see don't give the PC answer. Yeah no, soow too.

If you don't see people around you that same man go to college to get a degree to get a job. If you don't see that that is not embedded in your you're not gonna mimic that. Yeah, and if you want to go to the league, all roads point to college exactly. There's no other there is no there's no there's no there's no there's no minors. Right. Yeah, Like I wasn't worried about no degree. I didn't take the degree part serious until I ended up coming back my

senior year. Um, and I was like all right, I'm a well, just go ahead and finish it and you know kind of doing you know, my whole thing was coming in playing three years and you know, getting about it there I was, you know, the easiest, fastest route was going in, starting balling, do what I gotta do, um and then get out and you know, take care of my people. And I was my whole mindset from day one. How would you describe your four years at Utah?

You know, well, and not the football park, but just you know, the regular parts the zach Mas's Park, the parts that you know from Liberty City, from South Florida, from just that from a guy who I'm assuming you know, it isn't really running into a lot of snow that that that isn't ain't seen an ain't seen a mountain that close. Like you know, you you you're going, you're walking on the campus university. You talk, bro, if you take a you look up on a clear day, it

is gorgeous mountains and if you've never seen that. I ain't talking about the little mo hills. I ain't talking. I'm not because I mean when you go to on certain coasts, the certain areas, like you go you see a waterfall, like you see waterfall and picture then you go somewhere anxiety, you like, that's a harder, that's a waterful. You see. You teach snow like you you get up the middle of things, you know, around November, and you can get as several inches of snow and you're like, man,

there's cold out here. Complete culture shock from a geography Stampard. Yeah, yeah, I mean outside of the football part of everything it was, it was it was real smooth. To me. It was a big uh, like you said, culture shock, um, And it was just a really good spot for me because I'm a really laid back, like I don't try to stand out, try and talk much and things like that. I'm more of a you know, just kicked up, laid back kind of do um so you talk. It was

kind of like that state for me. You know, I was able to just to you know, do what I want to do. Um pretty much move incognito in a sense. Incognito you're a freshman year, maybe a sophomore. Yeah, definitely not after that, but but I was, you know, just everything was just real smooth. Man. Honestly, I think that was some of the best times I had just with the people I met, guys I hanged out with teammates and just other people around the state, um that you

know embraced me and things like that. Right at the Steve's point, you are the first three time thousand yard rusher in school history, all time leading Russia at the University of Utah, Pack twelve Offensive Player of the Year your senior year, finish your career with four thousand, sixty seven rushing yards and thirty eight Russian touchdowns, both of which are school records. So and you bawled out for sure, you weren't going incognito much long after that. Man, you

you got drafted pick. But what I would really like go down the passage. You got drafted when things were starting to just get into lockdown, where things were with the virus, things were starting to get where they are. Take yourself, if you had to be drafted this year in these issues, how difficult would it be. I think

it's extremely tough. I think even though I was, you know, going through when it was just happening, you know, I had already done some of the more important things to combine the uh you know, the people that when you go to the meetings all those things, and these guys, you know, they don't get a chance to do that this year. You know, everything is over either zoom um. You know they don't get to see you in person, catch you up on the board. You know, all these

physical things that is actually really important. Um why is it? Why is it important? From from a person who's went through it, I think it's just important just because like you know, when you walk into a room and you got you know, either you know a coach that you've seen, a famous scholers you've see when you've grown up, um on the team. Uh, and you have all these you know, some of these guys you don't really know, but you

know they are important because they're in that room. Pretty much get to doing for a job that can set you up for you know, if you do it right, um, and you're blessing enough to set you up for life and you know, your kids and things like that. So from that standpoint, that's the type of mindset I had. You know, I wanted to make sure I came in there and you know, hopefully, hey, this is what I can do, and make sure I made sure I made

the most best type of lasting impression I can make. UM. But you know, some guys they get you know, you get nervous and you start shaking without you kind of even knowing you're doing it. And then you try to tell yourself stop doing it, and you can still be doing it. And you start studying over your words and then you're writing on the board. You start having all these little squiggly lines. You gotta erase stuff over and over.

They are examining every move. They're examining everybody language, how you know, how does he? How is that individual? They they examine if what chair you sit in? Like I had legit had the coach put a chair in the middles, two chairs and you and to see if I was gonna sit on the end over I was gonna sit in the middle. Like those things was just like crazy to me, Like those are things that I had to really prep forward because that's what they was looking for.

Like at the combine, I met with one team and they legit had me do a staring contest just to see how long if it was if I was out for or not, Like that was one there. Wait, so they wanted to determine if you were alpha by having a staring contest. Yeah, Like it was legit, Like I did it like three times with the same team, And I was like, I don't know what's going on here, but what would have happened if you was cocka question? Right?

Like here's a stupid part though, but then that if you come in with the you know, the Barvardo that's too much, then you you're gonna get dame for it. So it's starts one of those things. You know, you can't win for losing. Yeah, and it's like, I'm we're not gonna ask you, but I know I'm guessing that team did not finish very well this year? Did they? They actually were solid. It was solid this year. They made the playoffs. They made the playoffs. Yeah, I just

thought it was weird, but it was. It was. It was crazy though. Yeah, it's I'm telling you, it's be doing some goofy stuff. Every time you tell me about this, I learned something new. And you get enough smart people in the room, you'll find out there's a whole bunch of dumblets man having to you know, distance, socially distance.

How has things been for you for me? Um? You know, I'm a I'm an introvert for one, so you know, I like to be by myself, possibly as most as I possibly can you know, So COVID for me wasn't a terrible thing as then you know, not being able to get the moved around, you know, UM and hanging out with people and things like that. You know, I had my girl with me UM the entire time, and honestly, you know, to a certain degree, that was at times

the most that I needed UM. But you know, it was hard because I was in Cali UM doing the pre draft times and I didn't leave Calli until I came out here for training camp to Buffalo for training camp, so I didn't even get a chance to know during that entire time. You know, that's usually when guys will go home after the draft or go home after you know, some type of things and go home and try and to spend time with their family and things like that.

But for me, it was a little bit different because I didn't get a chance to really do that UM as much as I would have liked. I went home in the beginning of last year from January it's about uh before training count one time for a week, right, so that entire time I wasn't home. And then being in college, you don't go home like when ever you want, Like you just can't get up and go. Um, and being all over the Utah, it was a lot more harder for me to get where. That's a five hour flight,

um for one. So, I hadn't been home in a minute. And I was probably the toughest part because you know, I haven't been home for for a lot of time, being away from home for four years in college. Um, going home probably you know here and there over four years. That was the hardest part for me, just not being able to be around my family, grow by my nieces and my nephews, and my brothers and my sisters and you know, just the entire family and things like that. M. So,

you were drafted by the Buffalo Bills. You're running backs. Coach said you're a throwback guy. The Bills GM said, you're playing that loves confrontation. How would you describe yourself as a running back? Definitely, very very physical. Um. You know, that's the way I like to play the game. I like to set us, set the tone, you know, just

for myself and for my team. UM. And you know, hope that those guys just follow that suit, because when I'm coming out to play, when I'm going on that field, you know, I'm definitely leaving everything I got, no matter what nick knacks I got. You know, I'm playing tough as ship as much as I possibly can. I think it's about that time. Just take a little breatherd do good do. Let's getting down to do it good. Hey Gerard,

why did you get that T shirt? 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. Every coach has their own way of practicing. And I know coach McDermott because he was you know, I had him in Carolina's defense coordinator and I also

been a Buffalo and I've seen how they practice. I was practiced for you when you first came out there based off you know what what you've talked about. When I first got there war, I did not know what to fact um, what drills were doing. You know, all the type of stuff was. We didn't have O T s and all that other stuff. You know, it was straight from zoom and then you know, straight to the field pretty much. Um. But you know, it was definitely rough.

You know, I had a lot of rough days where I came out of it like damn, I don't want to watch that film, you know what I mean, Like damn, I know I gotta get better at this and things like that. So it was a lot of just you know a lot of up and down days. But you know, I try to do my best to where I can just try to do my best to where I so I can piece good days together, um and just start to try and find a rhythm in the offense and the team, um and kind of just you know, find

my role uh as a as a player. So as the newness of being an NFL player has it has it worn off yet? Now? I don't think it ever wears off. Um, I don't think that's something that would happen for me. I'm just you know, it's it's something new every year, you know what I mean. Like football is consistently changing. You know, the coaches can change, players

can change around you and things like that. So, um, you know, I think the best way to try and stay the best as something you do is to always attack it as if it's something that's new to you. You know, I think once you start getting comfortable, that's when you get passed up. Um, Like, all right, I rushed for thousand yards, you know, three or four times. You know, Okay, I'm feeling you know, all right, well I got it, you know what I mean. That's when

somebody comes in. Now you're looking like, man, I shouldn't have been taking a break when I should have been working. M You know, everyone has a reaction when they get drafted, you know, so what was your initial reaction of you got drafted? You know, you're on the Buffalo Bills? What's in your mind? Like, I want to come in and do what I want to make sure that I'm I played.

That was the biggest thing, you know. I didn't want to come in and be a draft pick that it has to you know, sit back and kind of still learned offense after being in all these zoom calls and being in you know, weeks and weeks of having a chance to learn to playbook. You know, I wanted to

make sure that I came as prepared as possible. Um, to make sure that I was able to put out what I know I can do and then also be able to be culchable to learn more things about my game, UM, and have a chance to just continue to try and be a well rounded player. UM. In this first year, you had a pretty bad injury. What has it been been like for you through this process to get back on the road and recovery. Uh, right now, it hasn't

really been from a physical standpoint, tough mentally. UM. You know, I feel a little bit in a in a sense, a little bit more comfortable with it because I've had an injury before back in college, while I tore my meniscus and was surgery needed, and coming back from that and going into a senior season and all that type of stuff that was you know, I guess you say

pressure around all that type of stuff. UM. So when it comes to this, I feel as if I'm in some type of familiar territory and I know what it takes. How you have to attack rehabs. You have to be in a positive mindsets every single day when you come in there. You can't go in there with a negative mindset like, man, why I do this, Why I gotta do that? Uh? It hurt? You know, you gotta Even when you leave to go home stretch all this type of stuff, you still need to be able to do things.

So I was able to kind of go through all those hardships my first time around with a surgery. Um. That took me off the field. UM, and I went through those times where it was dark days, not talking to people, not in even the house, going to rehab like damn, I don't want to do this day, you know, putting off back bad vibs to the trainers, acting like if they've done something, all that type of stuff. So now with this, you know, did you talk to him about my rehab? No, but that was gonna be my

follow up, so you just walked right into it. And I felt like, I feel like he gave you. I feel like he gave you a laundry list of my rehab. I did not think. I did not leak any information, just exact zac gotta he got the paper up like, let me hit on the base. This is all the ship to Steve went through when he did this same rehab. Can't have bad bad vibes. I'm like, chat vibes. Check this chat goodness, gracious man, it wasn't this the old school boy right here? Yea, he got all the good vibes.

I'm over there, like every time you say something, I'm like, because it's relatable though, right, it's very relabel. Why I couldn't be that positive? You can be there. But he's saying it wasn't he But he just said every day wasn't a good day. I know. But he's he's he's going through it like I would feel feel it and live it and walk it or hobblet or you know,

scooter it. Yeah, that was that was definitely me my first going surgery through because that was like, man, I mean I told meniscus back in January, right, and no one knew it was tor I didn't even know what it was torn right, And I played nine games my junior season, uh with it, and you know, my whole mindset is all right, I'm at that point now where

I'm like, you know, I'm putting up numbers. You know, I've ran four thousand yards in the first seven eight games or whatever, and you know, we're looking like we're gonna be able to make it to the pack, to a championship game. And you know, Tyler gets hurt, you brace's collar bone. So I'm like, all right, everything's on me, right, And throughout this entire time, my meniscus has been torn. You know, it sounds where I just been my knee. If I'm going to gonnaknee orf, I get into my

bed and my knee a lock up. But I've had three in my rise during this entire time, and nothing popped up on the m r I. Um, So from that standpoint, I'm not thinking anything terrible can happen to me right now. Had certain injuries and I'm going through them through the season and I'm just doing my theme. I'm having my best year as a collegiate player, and

then the injury happens. You know, I'm trying to I'm just devastated because I'm like, man, I was gonna come here to three years, ball out and go to the league and get drafted and you know, take care of my family, and then the injury happens and it's a year delayed. Now, Um, where you have you can't do what you wanted to do. You feel like all your

dreams have just been shattered and all this type of stuff. Um. So, you know, on top of the the surgery and the rehab, I had all those feelings as well, where you know, I definitely went into just a dark mode where I just wasn't you know, my regular self, you ment in that dark mode? How do you take care of yourself? How do you take care of your mental You mentioned the tor meniscus, now the ankle injury. How do you

how does zach self care for me? I mean that point right there definitely taught me a lot about myself because I never have been tested mentally in that in that in that in that form um, So that showed me a lot about myself. They told me what I could handle as a person um at this point in my life and what I couldn't handle. And you know, if I needed to rely on people, um, you know,

I have my girlfriend there who till this day. If I need something and it comes to that mental part, that's a person that I can you know, kind of show to something off in the sense until I'm able to just really fully get myself back together and you know that you know pretty much everything's gonna be fine, and you know I can just continue to just to move along. Now that you're now that you've been in the league, you you'veviously seen the highs and the lows.

You've been injured. What do you believe you can get out of this game. That's a good question. Um. For one, I know, I want to be one of the better players to ever play this game. Um. And that's another thing that for me was It's always been a passion and something that drove me. Um. And there's some times when I'm sitting at home, Uh, well I'm wanting to rehab and I'm like, man, I gotta I gotta go through all these things to be great, you know. And

no one said being great is easy. UM. So I definitely think I can, hopefully one day when it's all said it done, after I walk away from the game. UM, I want to know that I was dominant on every level that I played. UM. And want to be someone that you know, appeers of the game, that I played with, respected a lot, and knew that I brought it each and every day, um, you know, with along with you know, uh, family security and things like that. All Right, So our

last segment, Zach is called the Deep three. They're just three questions that we asked to take things to a deeper level to figure out who you are outside of being a football player. So Smithie, go ahead and give him the first one of the date three. All right, who is Zack Moss. Zack Moss is a guy who is definitely self driven. UM. You know, family already, and guy loves to have a good time with people that he cares about and loves. UM. And you know, just try to see the best in people and try to

get the best out of life, UM. And try to see every day, um, at the best that I can possibly see it. You know, there's a lot of things going around the world, and you know, being in the position that I mean, you know, I try to be as grateful as I can for that because I can be a lot of different places in this world right now. UM. I could have been born in a lot of different places, born to a lot of different families and things like that.

So I just try to take what God blessed me with and the people that he put around me, um, and take everything good or bad um as a blessing and try to learn from all. All right, So who is Zack most in five years? Hopefully is a better version of himself today? UM, And you know, hopefully one of the better backs in this league. And you know that hopefully have a family married, um, and you know, just seeing life you know, continue to grow on me. UM.

And just become a better person. Uh. And you know, hopefully I'm being able to do a lot of good things around you know, the communities that I'm able to be in. You know, you haven't had the chance to go back home, you know, but at some point you will get the chance to, you know, as things get back to normal things, whatever normal looks like. Mm hmm. For the all the little kids and all of the

young guys that are now looking up to you. You know, how do you how do you plan or how did or do you desire to or have any plans to really give back to your community and not your community in Florida, you know, I guess what what place or where do you believe will be your community? Uh? For one, I just wanted, you know, hopefully if I'm blessed to be in a position to do you know, things like that.

You know, for one, I want to be able to do something where I try to give and continue to you know, meet different people who are also able to help me bring you know, a vision to life and

things like that. Um. But to try to give everyone a chance that equality um from you know, just teaching them about equality to the academic part about equality Um, you see all these how the h b c US nowadays is are um starting to become more you know prevalent in the you know, in society as a whole, um, and not just to African Americans, but um, you know, just giving people a chance to you know, be able to go to a library, showing that hey, a library is not the worst thing in the world, um, and

just letting them know that you just because you come from a certain place doesn't mean you don't have these same eco opportunities to learn the right way, um, to you know, enhance your learning, enhance who you are as a person, and to try different things and go around the world different places. And that was one of the biggest reasons why I also chose to go away from uh being home and go to college there was to just try and you know, broaden myself and learn who

I was the person. And going to Utah what I thought was the best place because it gave me a chance to see different people, see how people lived in different places, because I didn't even know where Utah was, um on the map until like until I got out there. Wow, that's pretty cool. Well we've had a great time, which you man, I appreciate you taking the time. Yeah, man, I appreciate you guys that you hop on with y'all. Man, 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 Apple Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to

your favorite shows from Cut to It. Executive producer Steve Smith Senior, co host Gerard Little John, talent in booking manager Joe Fusci, Social media teaming Wesley Robbinson and John show from Balto Creative Media. Cut to It is produced by Brian Balka 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.

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