Simpson, Agholor, & Coaches: Ravens OTA Practice 6/4 Press Conferences - podcast episode cover

Simpson, Agholor, & Coaches: Ravens OTA Practice 6/4 Press Conferences

Jun 04, 202429 min
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Episode description

ILB Trenton Simpson, WR Nelson Agholor, Inside Linebackers Coach Mike DeLeone, and Defensive Line Coach Dennis Johnson meet with the media after OTA practice on Tuesday.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Speaker 1

Welcommanded the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Tuesday, June fourth, and today the Ravens continued with organized team activities. Today we had a chance to hear from second year linebacker Trenton Simpson.

Speaker 2

Man a year of growth.

Speaker 3

It's just it's it's been full circle.

Speaker 4

You know.

Speaker 5

It's taking every day my rookie year, just day by day, learning from Rokowann and Patrick Quin, you know, just taking it day by day and now it's just like, man, I'm ready to roll. Like just every practice I'm getting more comfortable and more comfortable. So just taking it day at a time, being blessed for the opportunity and just making every play count.

Speaker 2

It's been the most difficult thing to learn.

Speaker 5

Uh, just I mean really just just getting reps, you know, just got to keep repping and being on the field with the guys, you know, being on the field with Rock on who I'm gonna play. Besides just making the things more a lot natural and more easier for me with the communication and just being ahead of the offense before the boss.

Speaker 6

Now, what's the biggest area of improvement that you've seen in your own game from you know, this time last.

Speaker 5

Year to now I say communication, like talking, relaying the call, everybody being on the same page. You know, that's just what the year of growth gives you. Just being being a part of a great defense like the Ravens. You know, everybody on the same page, loud communication. You know, it's He'll take the defense. So far talked about the.

Speaker 7

Growth, but you were able to play in that.

Speaker 6

Regular season finale against Pittsburgh going into the off season and knowing the expectations for you and your two how important.

Speaker 8

Was that game for you to apply everything to.

Speaker 5

Learn and get results in It was the great the best thing that could have happened to me, because it was I had to be patient throughout the season for my moment to come, and when it came, I was prepared and it was just that boost confidence that I needed, Like you said, heading into the off season on like man, I belong. You know, I'm ready to play. So it

was a blessing. It was God's tim and I feel like when I got a chance to go out there and display what I can do, I feel like I made the most out of it.

Speaker 9

Officially said elsewhere, was it kind of like Okay, let's go. You know, this is I'm definitely gonna get my answer. How did you kind of process that?

Speaker 5

Yeah, No, it was definitely a blessing. You know, I wish him the best. You know, we had a great relationship. He was a great mentor for me for my rookie year. But I learned so much from him. So now just taking what he learned and you know, just making the most out of my opportunity and coming in and you know, doing the best that train simps can do.

Speaker 7

I think even as a true freshman at Clemson, you played in every game. So for you last year, I know you were getting reps on special teams, but was it was it tough for you in any kind of way to be not the you know it, like a prominent piece on defense.

Speaker 2

Uh?

Speaker 5

Yeah, it definitely humbled me a little bit, but it was it was exactly what I needed because it was a year of growth and it was a chance to come practice in the NFL, you know, And that's a blessing because I wasn't rustling through into any type of press. I was able to grow every week on scout team, and then when I got a chance to play on week team, I had seventeen weeks of practice you know.

Speaker 3

So I was, I was ready to row man.

Speaker 5

It's a blessing and everything happens for a reason, So I'm blessed to be here and ready for your two Sure, what was.

Speaker 10

Your mentality like coming into this year understanding you know, obviously the position that you're in to be have a bigger role, but also you know it's your second year, you're no longer a rookie.

Speaker 5

Man just ready to roll, you know, just attacking every day, make every every practice rep like a game rep, you know, just communicating, being on the same page, and just every day just learning something like I'm meeting with coach Marty every day watching practice films so he can see how I see the game and he can teach me.

Speaker 7

Man.

Speaker 5

Just taking taking a more professional approach, taking care of my body, you know, just you know, it's my time to go, so you know, I just take every day and it's a blessing to make it count.

Speaker 6

So exacts, you're just your coach last year and now him or the whole defense.

Speaker 2

Yeah, just that.

Speaker 9

Has that helped you and the answer your understanding of you know, your role of.

Speaker 6

Where it fits getting the larger picture.

Speaker 5

Yeaes sir, definitely like being in the room him as my linebacker coach, just us getting annoy each other on a personal level, and then just being able to talk ball. He understands me and I understand him. So it's made a very natural transition for me. And I'm excited, you know, just that that room and then just seeing him at decoordinator and then the linebacker coach Martin, We're all just everything is going in the right direction for sure.

Speaker 1

In line for a you know, for a starting job after after what is the what is the thought process and as the feeling going into this year, you know that you.

Speaker 3

Have that you know, that opportunity from here it's a blessing.

Speaker 4

Man.

Speaker 5

I mean, I'm living my dream, you know what I mean. And just to be able to be in the National Football League something I dreamed us since I was six years old. It's like, my opportunity is here and and life these don't come around that minute, so you got

to make the most out of it. And starting from when we started back, you know, getting going with the OTAs to now just taking it every day at a time and then by the time is ready to row for game one, I'll be ready, you know, just taking it day by day?

Speaker 6

What was the what was the thought?

Speaker 3

So my mother actually wore twenty.

Speaker 5

Three in softball and basketball, and I got a great relationship with my mother, very tight, and I just wanted to you know, that's something that's connection between me and her.

Speaker 2

So yeah, like.

Speaker 9

Lining up next to Rope, you know now that that you're just far with him and here's such an out, such a dominant player.

Speaker 3

How do you how do you mess with that man?

Speaker 5

Blessing because that dude is a dog man mentality every single day, you know, seven in the morning, early workout. That mentality is the same which I'll see on Sunday. So, uh, it's a blessing to be besides someone like that. Learn from him. Also, sitting right beside him in film whenever I got a question, you know, he's there to answer it. And off the field, the relationships has grown a lot also, So this every single day just learning something from him

and you know, matching his energy. You know, that's something I've picked up communication and matching energy every day as a linebacker and lead the defense.

Speaker 2

You know, so.

Speaker 9

Even when you're not here and kind of what's the what's the nature of that and and how impores that.

Speaker 3

Maybe it's a building partnership there.

Speaker 5

Man, it means a lot to know somebody in their background and you know, going to go grab dinner, you know, hanging out and watching the game takes a relationship so much farther cause you know you'll go that extra mouth for somebody that you know and you you got a great relationship with. So man, it's been a blessing to you know, get to know him more and more going on into your two for sure.

Speaker 2

One off that.

Speaker 4

pH said that bro never shuts up.

Speaker 8

Have you gotten used to that?

Speaker 2

Well?

Speaker 5

Nah, I mean I love It's it's his personality is man, it's amazing. You know when he comes around, he gonna say something funny, gonna make you live. So uh, just that personality and that smile. You know, it's an affectious to everybody around him, and it it makes you just like you always say, just take advantage of every day. You never know it's gonna be a live So you know it's we're playing football. I mean, what other better

job can you have? You know, So his personality and the way he texted the day every day, I feel like it it it impacts everybody around him.

Speaker 2

For sure, I'm talking about going into year two from year one.

Speaker 7

It's a kind of trippy to have Nate come in as a former teammate and and sort of like you're you're now in the position of, I guess helping him acclimate and giving him advice.

Speaker 3

To that kind of trippy.

Speaker 5

Yeah, man, cause it's cool because I seen him coming in at Clemson as a freshman. I was going into my sophomore year. So uh, just being back with my college brother, you know what I mean, It's it's gonna be awesome. I'm excited to see him grow as I'm growing. And uh, just that off the field relationship and being on the field. We already had that bond since Clemson, so uh, just taking it to another level with the Ravens.

Speaker 11

Now, what should people expect since yeah, a lot of people have seen that, What could people expect him?

Speaker 3

High effort?

Speaker 5

One player that goes back to mine with me is that play against North Carolina, him running and punching the ball out. That's that's him as a player. You know, I got a chance to play with him for two years and witness stat every day in practice.

Speaker 3

He's super competitive.

Speaker 5

So man, I'm super excited like when I seen we draft him, I'm like, that's the right fit, you know what I mean. He's he's a hard working guy, high energy, and y'all gonna love him.

Speaker 7

You tell his looks more physically filled out than the guy you remember at Clemson.

Speaker 11

Yeah, yeah, he's definitely gaining a little weight, you know.

Speaker 5

So I mean he's he's so fast, man, nobody's gonna run past them.

Speaker 3

So any whatever the nutrition staff and the coaches feel.

Speaker 5

Is best for him, and I'm excited for him, But I know nobody's running pass Nate Wiggins.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I know that for a fact.

Speaker 7

About was physically getting figures, like how did you approach that Offason and the where you at from a physicality standpoint and in size standputing your.

Speaker 5

Work this time last year, I'd say I gained a couple of pounds. I'm up to like two thirty five to thirty six. But I just nutrition wise, you know, trusting Sarah and the staff, you know, with shakes and the way to eat, you know, just becoming a pro taking care of my body, massages things like that is just another level of the year two that I'm taking it too. Learning from Rokwan and PQ that's those things they did to get ready for games. So just learning every year for sure.

Speaker 10

Obviously last year you're a rookie, you're learning the defense, and this year you've got Zach or taking over the defensive coordinator. Is it like you're relearning all over again or is it does it feel like you're kind of picking up off.

Speaker 2

Of last year? Man?

Speaker 5

The blessing is I mean it's the same defense, you know what I mean, we have the same terminology, so it'll be able to I've been translating very well. And then just the extra one on one time with my coaches and you know, studying film on my own at home more often has made the transition a lot easier for sure.

Speaker 6

Is happy?

Speaker 7

And did you flip a switch on the field.

Speaker 2

On the tenacity?

Speaker 5

Yeah, when we get between those lines, you know, it's it's a whole another person. But you know, outside the ball, you know, I'm just loving outgoing. But when it's time to put that helmet on this, you know it's time to go. So you know, you know, you gotta have that switch as a football player, But when it's time to get in the lines, you know it's go time.

Speaker 2

For sure.

Speaker 1

We also heard from veteran wide receiver Nelson Agawar.

Speaker 12

Guys like yourself had a year job system, how much more?

Speaker 6

I guess how much help would you think that would be for the guys coming back to be in.

Speaker 2

The here too.

Speaker 12

Uh, it's a it's very helpful because we know how he thinks, and even in this.

Speaker 2

This off season, he's done a really good.

Speaker 12

Job of allowing us to die even deeper in his thought process and how he sees his offense working between him coach Harrorball, you know T Martin, you know coach.

Speaker 2

Lewis, our receiver coach.

Speaker 12

Everybody wants us to truly understand the objective, why we're running routes, why we're getting out of routes, what we're seeing from defenses, and what it looks like for us to you know, do what we need to do well newly.

Speaker 7

From from year one year two.

Speaker 3

I know these are kind of.

Speaker 7

Early days in the install, but how much would you say it's changed for for this offense?

Speaker 12

First, I mean, familiarity is are positive, so we're more familiar. So in terms of change, I would say it's just a better understanding. Better understanding allows you to play fast. Better understanding allows you to make adjustments. So the change is more of the knowledge and how we're teaching things that work really well and how we're trying to eliminate things.

Speaker 2

That we may have struggled at. That's what got better in the.

Speaker 7

Last game in the playoffs is always one that the second guys who asked a couple of guys felt like, you know, how they're moving on for some you guys are just thinking about some guys are moving on our.

Speaker 6

Our you approaching that Kansas City game that is in the last season.

Speaker 12

Uh, I probably have a different pos than most because it each year has a new life. You're always motivated by shortcomings, but you also have to embrace the new opportunity. Everybody has the same goal right now in the NFL. Every player has the same goal, every team has the same goal, and that's to get the Lombardi. So what happened last season can fuel you in terms of your focus, but you have.

Speaker 2

To be present with what you're being taught.

Speaker 4

Now knows you're signing the the extension. I guess how did that come about? Why did you want to be here longer?

Speaker 7

And what are your goals?

Speaker 4

Just you know in this next year.

Speaker 2

Well, first of all. I'm blessed to be in your ten.

Speaker 12

Like I mean, if you told me as a child I played ten years in the National Football League and feel the way I feel, I would scratch my head cause I feel may I have a lot of fun doing what I do. I mean, I run all day and have a good time, So that's a blessing.

Speaker 2

But then to do it here, this place makes it even more enjoyable.

Speaker 12

You know, this is family, this is home, familiarity, and just a great group of dudes, from my quarterback to the guys I play receive you with, to the guys I practice with every day on the defensive side of the ball.

Speaker 2

They make me better, but we also just enjoy each other.

Speaker 12

So I couldn't be more happy that I got to play year ten in Baltimore and live here and do what I do.

Speaker 9

You're in your tens days in your two, Chelle, it's in your four.

Speaker 2

What do you think we're gonna sit in these twos? Competition? They're gonna compete, They can get better. They make a lot of plays.

Speaker 12

I think those two guys are two very electric players, but also two very tough minded dudes, And that's what you get from veterans, you get tough, minded, you get resilient. Where next play mentality because if everybody thought that you're gonna be perfect week in and.

Speaker 2

Week out, that's a lie.

Speaker 12

A veteran, it separates himself from a rookie because he has a next play mentality and he's able to bounce back.

Speaker 2

When things don't go ideal.

Speaker 12

And I think those two guys have done a great job of that. You know, Bateman has done an amazing job.

Speaker 2

And say, man, he's he's hungry, he's hungry and he's a great player.

Speaker 7

No, yeah, I think you've worked out with him a couple of times on your own asse. What's stuck out to you about just what it's like working out with him?

Speaker 12

I just love the way he likes to work, honestly. You know, he's a young dude that loves football. He loves grinding. He loves just anything about it. Whether we're out running, whether we're speed training, whether we're weightlifting, whether we're doing recovery. He's embraced everything I've kind of introduced him to or ideas he's had. He's like, Yo, Nell, you want to join me with this? Or Nelly, can I join you with that and it's cool because you

know that's where the brotherhood comes from. And that's when you know crucial situation, third and whatever. You know, you trust each other and you work well for each other.

Speaker 10

Know when you think of the two rookie corners, TJ. Tampa and UH Wiggins, Uh, what do you? What have you seen from them?

Speaker 2

And U? What do you?

Speaker 10

What is it like when you're lining up against these guys, When you're the veteran corn up against some of these rookies that you approach it differently?

Speaker 2

How do you go?

Speaker 12

First thing I do is I I truly wanna make them feel comfortable in terms of like, I'm happy you are here because they will make.

Speaker 2

Us a better football team. I truly believe that.

Speaker 12

And then when we compete, if I even get one little bit on them, I'll let them know so they could feel like, man, I'm not gonna let this old head like you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2

Like it's a good thing.

Speaker 12

And they're both super competitive and they have great feed and they got good feel and they're gonna get better. It's my job as an older guy to be present and alive when I go against them. I can't relax I have to like do things different things I know from creativity, from guys I've learned from back in the day, and also share some information.

Speaker 2

I know of other.

Speaker 12

Corners I've gone against, but I think they're too talented dudes, and I'm great to play with him.

Speaker 9

You guys have a lot of confidence in Josh as quarterback. But what's it like to have when you have a practice in and.

Speaker 12

You have Lamar after a throwing the ball, I mean Lamar Jackson's Lamar Jackson. You know, he does an amazing job, you know, just kind of going through his progression. You know, he has unreal arm angles, but he also just knows how to see everything the way he needs to see it in the game, and you know, when the defense is giving you something, does a great job. But like you started, you're talking about Josh, Josh has done an amazing job this offseason.

Speaker 2

You know, he just continues to lead.

Speaker 12

He continues to like put everybody in position, and he's also doing a good job helping the two younger quarterbacks. You know, and and Lamar does a great job because those two young quarterbacks see a guy just execute.

Speaker 2

And just have command. Lamar has command without it being overly like, uh, he could just do it. You know, he does it and we understand it.

Speaker 6

Speaking of Lamar, looks like you joined you know, him and Zay down in South Florida. I think it was last week. Did you did you run you know, run stuff with them? And what kind of stuff did you did You all sort of work on talk.

Speaker 12

About top secret, but we were were training getting better. You know, we're all Floridians, so we enjoy training down there in that heat and it's a good time.

Speaker 6

And what do you see just from him? I know it's obviously early days, but you know from your first impressions that you got here last year to now.

Speaker 12

I mean I I I got to spend time with him last all season also, and I just I always say, people don't realize how cerebral Lebron Jackson is, the conversations he has with you one on one about what he sees and what you may see, like even today, like I'll be honest, I had a in cut like basic and my mannerisms was the reason why I didn't complete the ball because I saw something and he saw something else.

And whether we completed it or not, just then I got better when I walked to the sideline and he showed me on the film.

Speaker 2

He's like, yo, Nelly.

Speaker 12

The reason why I'm thinking keep going is because I look at this NIKEL when I see his biling as. I said, Well, I did take a snapshot the nickel and I thought he's gonna drop, but he said.

Speaker 2

He ain't gonna get there by the time. I'm a zippit it. I'm a zipp it two yards here.

Speaker 12

And that was what makes a special quarterback special because you may see something, but when they allow you to see what they see, you now can be consistent with your you know, mannerisms and your cuts.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Nellie appreciated.

Speaker 1

Today after practice, we also had a chance to hear from defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, who joined the staff this offseason.

Speaker 11

Good afternoon, I know this is my first time speaking with you all. I wanted to say how thankful I am to Coach Harb's and the Raven organization for having me here to be a part of this, this team with the defensive line and a special group. So would you have a question?

Speaker 2

You have ready to take.

Speaker 6

Them definitely the iron process.

Speaker 5

And will be in this such a HELI opportunity.

Speaker 11

So I've been in an a good situation in college. I've been a part of you know, some really good defense with some really good defensive mind coach. So it take like, you know, a special place like this to get your interest to pull you away, you know, a defensive rich program like this. You have to try, you know what I mean? And I know the process is kind of long. You know, they get to know you on and off the field, bring in for interviews, you talk to everybody. It's just it kind of moves kind

of fast on you. But uh, it was, it was I learned a lot even within the interview process with the questions they ask, and you know the defense that they're run. You know, you have your film and you're watching their film and you get to talk ball. So it was a real, real cool educational process.

Speaker 6

Dennis, how did you.

Speaker 1

Approach becoming the coach of a group that is returning off from last year the four or five Ravens defensive planning?

Speaker 11

Great question. So that that's a veteran group, right, and so you want to add to it, show them things that they may not know, new techniques, I progressions, Uh, where I want to put my hands in certain alignments, you know, just fine tune them to make them better. You know, I know some of the run stuff that we we've kind of changed and improved, They've taken to it, you know, like a fish and water. H So they're eager. That group wants to learn. They want to know how can I do it better?

Speaker 2

Coach?

Speaker 11

How can I do it faster? And that helps with that entire process.

Speaker 2

Trust Jones took a.

Speaker 9

Step forward unless year probably still didn't get a ton of attention for a community. Do you see him as a guy who could break out in a big way like Justin did last year?

Speaker 11

I mean that is, does he have that kind of backage From what I've seen from trave He is a special human first, special man and then a special football player. Talented and he wants it just as bad as anybody you'd be around. You wanna talk about attention of detail, That's how he approached every day, whether it was football school or it's been OTA's in the meetings. I think

he should be. You know, he has continue to work in which I know he will, but he'll be in that type of position, you know, to have a successful season.

Speaker 4

Just being hired in the off season how quickly did you jump into the draft process? And I know they invested early in a d lineman, So did you have any input on drafting and dcent?

Speaker 2

What have you seen despite him being insured?

Speaker 11

Uh So, that's kind of like when when I first started, you know, the whole draft thing, and that that was the first thing that that happened. You know, you're watching all these guys, but the beauty of it. I was coming from college, so I've either like recruited a lot of guys or watched a lot of film crossover film, so I had a chance to really know the majority of people in the in the draft luckily. But Desa is a is a good player. He kind of can

give you power, he can give you speed. He's intelligent, He's learning the the defense pretty fast, and he he does a good job with the group. Uh He blends in well and the and the guys were taken to him.

Speaker 6

What is it like working with Chuck Smith?

Speaker 11

Uh So, I've known Chuck for quite some time. I remember when his son was coming out of high school and he brought him to camp when I was, uh the outside linebacker coach at LSU at the time. Uh So, I I've I've known Chuck for in it, knowing the things that he does excellent past rush coach. The guys love him. He's smart, you know, NFL player, he knows how the game goes. He's really done a great job

of even like mentoring me. You know how how things are different from where I was in college to the NFL. You know things how we practice, and you know how how some guys learn how guy's communicating. So it's really been like a great team effort working with.

Speaker 7

Chub And did you know John much before he reached out to you.

Speaker 11

And said he wanted you, uh, not a whole lot other than what I seen on film. And again, like, you know that his team is gonna play great defensive football and they're gonna be competitive. And that's one thing that you know, no matter where you are, if you know anything about the NFL, you know the Ravens are gonna play great defense. And so I've always admired the

entaught him and the entire program from Afar. I'm telling the guys, you know, sometimes you get a little extra time in the season when you're in college, you turn on the NFL tape, you know, to watch different stuff and you're always turning on the Ravens tap and so you get a chance to really see and learn and watch how they do it the right way.

Speaker 7

Do you think your experience in in the random system kind of gave you a leg up and a lot of what they do here in Baltimore.

Speaker 11

So yeah, again, I've been blessed to be around a lot of great defensive coaches and coach Aroanda, you know, one of one of the biggest mentors that I have, and so just the amount of football like I learned from him to to translate that here, that helped a lot. You know, it helped a lot in the interviewing process. It helped a lot coming out here in the d staff because of you know, a lot of the stuff that I've learned. I mean, it was coming from Coach Horanda.

So absolutely, as a lot of the Rabis, that's a lot of different that's blidment.

Speaker 6

Opports do throughout your bactive coverage is just how unique of the system is being rand here with with Zach.

Speaker 11

Or with your helping Zach doesn't a tremendous job of one presenting the defense. You know, first to you know the defensive staff and then you know to our guys,

so we're all on the same page. But that's again what makes you know this place so spec you can do so much, all right, but to them, like the players, is not as little, you know, just because of you know, maybe the word association or something like that, you know, And so the ability to do all those things you're rushing, you're dropping, you're slanting, you're playing technique really makes the defense, you know, goes especially with the effort that the guys

put into it to play it. I mean, when you got that type of X and o's and you have that type of effort on film, you're gonna you're gonna play well like they have, you know, and we want to continue that and improve in the areas that we need to improve. Thank you so much.

Speaker 1

Another newcomer to the staff is inside linebackers coach Mark Delone, and he talked with the media after practice.

Speaker 8

Uh, first just want to thank you know, uh coach Harbarr and the Ravens or bringing me and my family here to Baltimore. You know, it was my first time talking to you guys, and just wanted to make sure you know, you guys know how appreciative I am and thankful for that.

Speaker 2

So go ahead, Mark, what.

Speaker 8

Are you seeing at our trendon Simpson early?

Speaker 11

I know there's a lot of expectations for him.

Speaker 8

Yeah, trans' awesome right now, you know, every single day getting a little bit better, uh, you know, making progress, you know, one day at a time, right, you know, young player hasn't played the position for very long, So like I'm just looking for every day just better than the than the day before, and we continue to work that progress.

Speaker 9

Particular improvement that you're looking for or seeing.

Speaker 8

Yeah, I think just seeing the game right, it's a lot different, you know, you look back like from when he got to college, and like he played a lot of safety right, transitional linebackers, so like you're seeing the game at a different level, right, from.

Speaker 3

A third level player to a second level player.

Speaker 8

So I think every day seeing how he sees the game, getting his run pass reads, all those types of things, that kind of progress I think is really good. I think we all know, you know, how athletic trending is and how fast he is and those types of thing. He's great there, right, So like just seeing that every day in that progress and I love to see him doing.

Speaker 6

That just by the eye test. It feels like he's really physically transformed.

Speaker 3

He looks like a bigger guy.

Speaker 6

I mean anything that you've seen that speaks to through the physical transportations out to the.

Speaker 8

South seasons, Yeah, I mean, you know from Yeah, obviously I wasn't here with him last year, but like from what I've seen from where he is, I mean, he's about as good looking a physical specimen rights as anybody have been around.

Speaker 3

So I mean he from that standpoint, he's great.

Speaker 8

And the way he burst and his speed and acceleration is all like really good.

Speaker 3

So oh yeah.

Speaker 8

I think anytime you get to play next to a player like Roqueline at any position or any sport, right, a guy who sees the game the way Rope sees it, Uh, that's gonna make anybody who plays next to him better.

Speaker 3

And I think for Trent, as a.

Speaker 8

Young player going in the first year, he's playing a lot, right, that's a great deal.

Speaker 3

To be able to line up next to.

Speaker 8

A guy like that and communicate with a guy like that is really really good.

Speaker 4

Mark, how mean does this job with the linebackers finishing elevated to defensive coordinator? I guess what is that like? Having someone who've coached the same position, played this position that you coach, being the defensive.

Speaker 8

Coordinator, It's amazing because I can go to him anytime I want and ask him, Hey, what what what were you coaching here?

Speaker 3

How'd you coach this? I get the exact answer.

Speaker 2

You know.

Speaker 8

The way Zach and I see the game is very similar, like how the how the position is supposed to be.

Speaker 3

Played right, And that was like a big deal.

Speaker 8

I think in the process when I got hired was him and I were very aligned.

Speaker 3

And how we saw the position.

Speaker 8

So for me, you know, being able to work with him and and and learn from him and talk to him and talk to him about linebacker play, that's been amazing. So I love it going to work with him every day, I know.

Speaker 4

But he's carrying on some of the same things that Mike still have last year. What was it about the defense that attracted you think? Is the system that you want to work with?

Speaker 2

Oh?

Speaker 8

I mean the system that's been built in here here in Baltimore is really special.

Speaker 2

Uh.

Speaker 8

The way that we can do things defensively schematically, you know, and then the way that we put the players in the positions right, so fronts, coverages, that's all really good and we can mix those things, but also the way we put players in position to succeed and the different ways that we can do it where it's complex for the offense but really simple for us.

Speaker 2

Mark.

Speaker 7

Did you have a much of a relationship with John before you got hired and how did that process.

Speaker 3

Kind of on?

Speaker 5

Uh?

Speaker 8

No, I mean, really, the first first time I met coach was was when I came here on my interview. You know, THO was the one person I had had a relationship with was was Roquand obviously I coach from Chicago, but I worked for for Coach Read for six years and obviously there's a connection there with with coach Harbond. You know, definitely I have some mutual connections there and was able to work out really well and could it be more happy to be here? An?

Speaker 6

You know, how much did you kind of lean on him because you know different.

Speaker 3

Guys than can when you have his kind of.

Speaker 7

Standing with the polo and you know his role in the locker room.

Speaker 3

How much I got to come to you transition.

Speaker 8

I mean, I don't know how much I leaned on him to get to know different guys, but I would say anytime you get to coach somebody like Roquan Smith is a blessing.

Speaker 2

Uh.

Speaker 8

Rowan Smith's a uh he's a great player. We all know that he's a better person than he is a player. So for me to have the opportunity to coach him again, be able to do that two times, that's really special.

Speaker 2

Role.

Speaker 3

Oh yeah, you know, he's he's a little more mature now.

Speaker 8

You know, he's getting older and all that stuff, but he's he's the same great person he's always been and uh, you know what he goes day in and day out. The kind of person is the kind of man he is. You know, he's my I got three boys, He's their favorite player, and I'm happy about that.

Speaker 7

So, Mark, what did your years at Kansas working as an analyst? I know that that that role is kind of nebulous and a lot of people do different things depending on where you are. But I guess what did maybe stepping back or zoning in whatever you did at Kansas kind of help you, you know, just appreciate football or or study football.

Speaker 3

And oh yeah, definitely.

Speaker 8

I mean I feel like that the role I had in Kansas was much more of a big picture right thirty thousand foot view type of role. So it allowed me to step back and kind of look at the game through a different lens, you know, a more wide picture view, you know, which I think definitely now coming back. And then also you know, being able to see college football and the things that are different there as opposed to NFL scheme wise, right, and then I think that definitely helps me as I as I get into the

next next phase here in the NFL. What's kind of closed with Zachy and the party as anything, whisht it out as a cours how he's with together defense.

Speaker 2

How he's correct everything out there, anything kind.

Speaker 8

Of standing out to you about that, Yeah, I mean it sends out to me like how organized he is, how detailed he is, I mean, how he sees the game. Man, he's like a savant zo Zeo like sees the game. Uh in a way that that's that's.

Speaker 3

Rare, you know.

Speaker 8

So for me to be able to go in that room every day and be with him, especially when he coached the position that I coach, you know, uh, it is great.

Speaker 3

It's special. Every day I really enjoy coming to work.

Speaker 1

You're listening to the Raven's Press Past podcast. Also make sure you head over to the Lounge podcast feed and listen to that as well. Thank you so much for listening. Hit that subscribe button and we'll be back with you on Thursday.

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