This is the OTD presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans. See how much you can save on your healthcare coverage with Farm Bureau Health Plans. Get a quote at FBHP dot com with Amy Wells. I'm Mike Keith, and we are very glad to have you with us on this Saturday. As the draft has wound up and the Titans have six new players added to the roster. Amy and I are pleased to be joined right now by the head coach of U T. Martin, the longtime head coach, I
should say, Jason Simpson and coach. At pick number two, twenty eight, the Tennessee Titans select Skyhawks wide receiver Colton Dowe. What are they getting in young mister Dowell.
I'll tell you what. We are so excited for.
Colton, a young man we recruited out of Wilson Central High School there I side of Nashville, uh six years ago, you know, graduated from UT Martin over a year and a half ago, could have left and today's time and going to the you know ncaa transfer portal. You know, was committed to UT Martin and loyal to the program, and you know had over a thousand yard receiver this year,
you know, ran great numbers in his testing date. But more importantly, the type of person that he is, the type of family comes from and been the head coach here going eighteen years, Mike, But I don't know if I've had a you know, a better person and teammate.
Than Colton now coaching your time watching Colton throughout his career at UT Martin, was there a time or a moment where you realize this kid's got potential to take his game to the next level.
Yeah, there was a lot of those moments, guys, There really was from the standpoint of, you know, everybody that we played and you're talking about a guy that's almost sixty three, that's two hundred and ten plus pounds, and
it didn't matter, you know, in the OVC. You know, he ran past everybody, and it didn't matter if we were playing Knoxville, Boise State, uh, you know, Florida, whoever we played, you know, And so for his opponents that we've you know that we played throughout the years, he was always running past corners and so extremely great body, uh, physical receiver and tremendous outside speed.
Jason. When you talk about his speed, what are we exactly talking about time wise.
I believe in his pro day it was four four three, you know, with uh four four three forty one and a half, it's vertical.
What do you do then? Uh two twenty five.
I think he did twenty three twenty four times forty and a half vertical.
Like I said, eleven to one broad jump.
So, you know, tremendous athletic, but with a you know, big strong, durable body.
Were you surprise he was not invited to the combine?
Yeah?
I was.
You know, he was hurt a little bit last year in twenty one. I think he went down our fifth game, you know, and had to miss the rest of the season. So you know, we knew how good he was, and you know he only played five games, made a whole conference, you know, in our league.
So a little bit.
He's certainly, you know, based on his numbers and stuff, I knew he would he would certainly represent himself well if he got that invite, but he didn't.
And he's the kind of kid. He's very low maintenance.
He's very great humility about himself and he'll put his head down and go to work.
Now, coach, you've talked a lot about him and his attributes on the field. I want to talk about him off the field because you keep saying this couldn't have happened to a better guy. He's he's a great kid to work with. What is it about him that makes him such a good guy.
He's a great teammate. He's a great friend to his teammates. You know, last weekend, I spent the weekend with him. He was in Tuscaloosa with our quarterback dresser dresser Win and there to see my son Ty at his spring game. Uh, you know, down in Tuscalooso. So he's just a very
loyal you know, there to support others. I remember Mike McIntire son was our receiver coach uh in twenty season, twenty twenty one season, and I think just about every morning seven am, Colton was in the building with Jay McIntyre, you know, having a Bible study. So he's very grounded in his face and like I said, just gave our guidance in our locker room for anybody that was struggling
or needed you know, needed a friend. Him and his family or just just just great you know, just great people and very grounded.
This is Jason Simpson, the head coach at U. T. Martin talking about Colton dal the Titans seventh round pick wide receiver out of U. T. Martin, a couple of football questions to wrap up coach Simpson. Number one, where does he play most comfortably in terms of lining up on the field?
You know, I had a lot of NFL scouts call me and you know, different people have you know, had those opinions. You know, early in his career here he played inside some from the standpoint of of we have some other good receivers that are playing in the NFL now, one with Pittsburgh Steelers and one.
With the Jacksonville Jaguars.
So early in his career he played some inside and.
Was able to work on safeties. But the last couple of years, Mike, you know, he's been an outside guy.
Running vertical is running post, you know, running shat of crosses.
You know, to me, that's that's what he's really good at.
Special teams attributes. Where could he help the Titans in twenty twenty three on special teams?
Well, like I said, he's very willing and with a really good body.
Like I said, he's he's big as you know some uh, bigger than most safeties and you know, probably the size of some linebackers that you know, two fifteen or so whatever he's weigh in. But you know, I could see him on punt team.
I can see him on you know, kickoff return, on punt return. Very willing, long arms and like I said, you know, just a great physical body.
Jason Simpson, the longtime successful head football coach at U T. Martin, Another big moment for you and the Skyhawks today as the Titans draft one of your guys, Colton Dow. Thank you so much for the time on the OTP.
Hey appreciate that. A matter of fact, one of our coaches is now in your staff. That's right, Matt Jones.
So you know we we've always been Titan fans.
Here in the stay of Tennessee. So now we got a chance to pull even harder for him.
Thanks very much, coach. We appreciate you. Thank you guys, all right, Jason Simpson obviously excited about Colton Dowe six three, two fifteen out of Lebanon this year. Sixty seven catches for one thousand and thirty six yards and six touchdowns in his career, one hundred and seventy seven catches for nearly twenty eight hundred yards average, nearly sixteen yards of catch,
and nineteen touchdowns. So he's got speed. I mean, you hear what coach Simpson was saying, and the Titans were certainly looking for a big bodied guy with speed local day. He was here, and they they didn't exactly make him available.
Uh No, you didn't hear much about much about the fact that he was here.
He was kind of hmmm. I mean, they didn't talk about it much.
So let's wrap up Day three. Moving backwards, the Titans drafted three players on Saturday. We mentioned Colton Dale wide receiver Ut Martin at number two twenty eight. They go with an offensive lineman, Jalen Duncan at one eighty six. Jalen Duncan has primarily been a left tackle at Maryland. Many thought he would go earlier in this draft. There were some who thought he could be a third round pick. He was projected by most a fourth or fifth round pick.
He goes early in the sixth to the Titans. Excellent size nearly six to six three oh six, some questions about his consistency, too many penalties in his career, but an incredible physical talent and a guy that the Titans are going to be excited to see if they can get into the rotation.
Oh.
Absolutely.
I mean we're talking depth, depth, depth at that position just.
All off season.
That's what we've been talking about, and being able to bring someone in with an incredibly high ceiling, someone that you can really coach up and mold into what the Tennessee Titans need him to be. I think is a great choice.
And then Josh Wiley was the first pick of the day in the fifth round at number one forty seven. Josh Wiley is nearly six ' seven, roughly two hundred forty five two hundred and fifty pounds out of Cincinnati, really really good athlete who caught eighty eight passes in his career eighty six over the last three years to be exact, and fifteen touchdowns, so he knows how to
get in the end zone. And playing for Luke Fikel, he's had to block The Titans knowing that there was X depth in this tight end class, understanding that they would be in a position to get a guy on Day three, they choose to do it, and the guy that they select is Josh Wiley. It's spelled w h y l E. But it is pronounced wiley.
Oh that's good, Mike. You always come through with the pronunciation.
Well we try, yeah, we try.
That's what we do here on the OTP, of.
Course on day one. Peter Skronsky uh in here and Scarronsky is a big offensive lineman. And as I have described him through the interview that I did with him yesterday, he's an offensive lineman.
Mm hmm through and through.
He acts like an offensive lineman. He walks like an offensive lineman, he talks like an offensive lineman. He's got the mentality of he And again I'm being a bit repetitive, but I know everybody hasn't had a chance to hear everything we've done this weekend on Titans Radio.
He is.
Very in interested in just being below the surface. He was very courteous to me. He gave a good interview. If you heard the OTP last night, you know it. But it wasn't all about me. It was I mean, so you just got the sense this is a guy who's going to be ready to come to work, understanding his role and understanding the job.
He is a tried and true offensive lineman. He is when you think about him, and you think about some of the great offensive linemen that have been with the Tennessee Titans for the most part, that's what you think about it. That's exactly right, guys who were just here kind of running below the radar, doing their jobs, getting it done, being consistent, contributing to this team. But you didn't hear a whole lot from him. That is an offensive lineman.
That's an offensive lineman, and that's exactly who this guy is. I'll talk more about what's going on with the Titans draft picks as we review on this edition of the OTP, But I remind you who is it time for a dunk and run Titans fan?
Yes?
Is it the coffee, the one dollar classic donut, the two dollars stuffed bagel mini, or the three dollars sausage, egg and cheese that you can add to that coffee, or the fact that you can actually leave the office. But see, if you'd left the office today, you'd have missed.
A draft pick.
Now, put on the radio, turn on something.
There you go, Rett Bryan on Titans Radio. Yep, the answer, of course is yes, it's always time for a dunk and run. Great deals on food for one two or three dollars with a medium or larger coffee. And as we always like to say, America runs on Duncan. The Titans will be running some on TAIJ spears. TAIJ spears, thank you. A little over five to ten, a little over two hundred pounds. A guy that had a knee problem in high school in Ponta Lucha, Louisiana and injured
a knee there. He gets to college, he has another knee injury. It was no secret we certainly discussed during our time at the Senior Bowl because he was one of the standouts at the Senior Bowl. Seeing him play against some of the best players in the country with an offensive line that he had never worked with before. He was one maybe the most dynamic player we saw in mobile at the Senior Bowl. He can catch it, he can run it, he takes contact, he can make
people miss. I mean, he is a really really special player, which is why the Titans took him at number eighty one and many say, well, a running back, why I this running back is somebody that you say for a third round pick and a late third round pick, mid to late he is a very dynamic player that is going to help you score touchdowns.
Yeah, you find a way to use a player like that, You find a ways to add him into what you're trying to do. He does something that is so different from what the Titans currently have that you find ways to make that work. You want that guy on your football team just because having that person with that skill set makes your football team better.
That's right, that's right. And so these are the stories of the weekend to this point again, Peter Skoronsky offensive lineman at number eleven, Will Levis quarterback at number thirty three, Taj Spears running back at number eighty one, Josh Wiley tight end at number one forty seven, Jalen Duncan offensive tackle at one eighty six, Colton Dow wide receiver at two twenty eight. That is the Titans draft class for twenty twenty three. The story of the weekend, though, remains
Will Levis. And when the Titans picked Will Levis last night, everything went crazy.
Yes, oh yes, everything crazy across not just in Nashville, not just amongst Titans fans, but the whole league has been talking about this.
This has not been a small moment in time.
This has been a major point of conversation, and so Mike I say, we also converse.
Yeah, I want to talk about it because I think as there's there's been a disconnect between what the ratings are in terms of a lot of the national guys think this was absolutely one of the steals of the draft. You can pick up a lot of articles by some of the best people in the business and they're saying, it's an A it's it's an A minus, it's a I mean to get this player a quarterback with you know, six four, two thirty, all kinds of athleticism, we know
about the arm. To get him at thirty three, you essentially gave up a move back in the third round of nine spots, and then you gave up a third round pick next year. If this works and if he ends up being your starting quarterback and he ends up being successful, then you got him at a tremendous rate in terms of salary cap for the first part of his career for a second and a third round pick.
There are some people who aren't crazy about this pick, though, and some of the national pundits are chiding those people. They're saying, how can these fans not absolutely love it? And there's a bit more to it, and I think the context is important. I don't know that any of the national pundits will listen to the OTP, and I know there are some of you literally around the world who are wondering why there is such a hubbub. He has been a lightning rod to start with. Correct in the whole.
Thing, yes, from the beginning.
And the whole draft process. But here he has been a lightning ride. Because we're inn sec country, yeah, and in particular we're in Kentucky Tennessee territory. Yes, and we have a lot of fans, a lot of Titans fans in the Bluegrass. Obviously the majority are in Tennessee, but probably have a few more in the Bluegrass now, so we are innately connected with both states in a different way. I think you have to start. Mark Stoops has done a very good job as the head coach of Kentucky.
They are more successful, more consistently than quite possibly anytime in Wildcat history. They've had good teams over the years, but they've rarely been this solid and able to compete this consistently.
I agree with that.
So Wildcat fans are fired up about this. They should be. They get to talk a little smack, they get to join in. You know, they've won some big games in the SEC, so they've gotten to enjoy it. And in twenty twenty one it was a high water mark. They start six and oh they end up winning ten games. It's a really, really good season for the Wildcats. Their quarterback is the transfer from Penn State, Will Levis. He played well, not necessarily over the top statistically phenomenal, but
he played well, but well. He's still through thirteen interceptions, but amy he accounted for thirty three touchdowns in a ten win season, and they have not really had a quarterback that got them this excited since Tim Couch, who was a native of the state of Kentucky and is a legend in that state and always will be. So they fell in love with Will Levis in the Bluegrass. The fans were gushing, the media was gushing, and that
he's returning for twenty twenty two. So then everybody starts the gushing to a point that you would say, did they go overboard? Well, that's subject debate. The other thirteen SEC schools would say they did, and the ones that would be sort of most offended by all that gushing would be the Tennessee fans. Now here's what you need to understand about this if you don't know the backstory. Kentucky fans hate it when Tennessee fans brag about volunteer basketball.
They hate it. Kentucky has massive tradition in basketball. They are one of the blue bloods for sure. They think Tennessee basketball is fraudulent. They're complete pretenders. You know. They dismissed Tennessee basketball with the wave of a hand. Now the flip of that is Tennessee football fans hate it when Kentucky gloats about their own football success, like what has happened in recent years. They see UK football as completely beneath them, like Miles beneath them. They don't want
to hear it. So they have this tie in. Kentucky fans do not want to hear about Tennessee basketball. Tennessee fans do not want to hear about Kentucky football. Right now, the two sides will actually agree on that. That may be the only thing they will agree on, but that is something. So let's go back to last spring and summer. Let's go back to twenty twenty two. Kentucky's coming off the ten win season. Will Levis is the darling of the state of Kentucky. He's doing TV commercials, he's got
nil deals. Many think he's a serious Heisman candidate. UK is hyping him in every way they can, almost as if he's a Peyton Manning type figure. I know, and a lot I know, but they're hyping the program in the because Mark Stoops has them in a place where they've never been before. This this is a moment where they're thinking, we're on the threshold.
You've got to take advantage of the moment.
Yeah, Tennessee fans don't like that so much. No, No, other SEC fans don't too, but the Tennessee fans are are really not amused by all this. It continues into October of twenty twenty two. Kentucky gets off to a four and oh start. They go to number seven in the country. It looks like it's going to be another year like twenty twenty one, But then the wheels start to fall off the wagon. Kentucky loses a couple of games,
will Levis does not play well. Finally, they come to Knoxville for the rematch of the twenty twenty one game, which Tennessee won in Lexington forty five to forty two, much to the delight of all fans. Even though Kentucky had the great ten and three season, they didn't beat Tennessee, and so Tennessee fans loved that well. Tennessee never let him get off the bus. They tortured will Levis. He did not play well. The final score was forty four to six. It was not a close game. The score
was very indicative of the game. The Wildcats see all that hype that's been out there. It doesn't age well. You know it never it happens to all of us. Happens to all of us in sports. When you hype something and it doesn't work out, it doesn't age well, and so your opponents are only thrilled to remind you. And that's the nature of sports. It's kind of the fun of sports too. Yeah, but not great if you're the team having to take it.
What happens.
Will Levis doesn't play as well as he did in twenty twenty one. He did, and opposing fans are quick to remind Kentucky fans of that over and over again. Tennessee fans are right at the top of that list. But remember, folks, this isn't new. Tennessee and Kentucky have been doing this to one another for one hundred and thirty years. I mean, so this so this is a thing. So the draft process starts and Will Levis has a few missteps on social media. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee's quarterback, has
no missteps on social media. But because of his ACL surgery, he can't throw. So Levis among the between the two of them, gets way more attention, and people are talking about him being a potential top five pick, and they're gushing. Hooker is being mentioned as a player who could sneak
into the first round. That doesn't make sense to some people, because Hooker beat Levis twice, he has better stats, there's zero questions about his personality or what's going on in his life whatever, So they think this is the way this is going to go. And then Will Levis doesn't go in the first round Thursday night. Many Tennessee fans at that point believe that Hooker could be taken ahead of him on Night two. So when the Titans trade up to thirty three, many are convinced that the pick's
going to be Hendon Hooker. The Titans take Will Levis. To some, it's the Kentucky hero over the Tennessee hero. Hooker goes thirty five picks later to Detroit. So the Tennessee fans aren't just angry because Levis went to Kentucky. They believe with every fiber in their being that Hooker will be the better pro quarterback than Will Levis. To those folks, the Titans might have made a mistake. And who knows what would have happened had Hooker not had
the ACL injury and the surgery on December thirteenth. We'll never know, but that's where we are. We'll see in about ten years who was right. Maybe we'll know even before that. But what you have done, understand, the Titans spent a ton of time on this. They brought both players in, they went to see both players, they had private sessions with both players, and in the end, the Tennessee brass decided that at this moment in time, Will
Levice is the better answer for the Tennessee Titans. That's it, nothing else. They just made a decision. Jobs are lost over decisions like these, or careers are made over decisions like these. You project which player you think is going to be the most successful in your system. You make a pick, you take a leap of faith, and here we go, and that's what happened.
That's what happened.
And that's why some people national people think this was a tremendous value pick to get a guy that they had projected in the first round at number thirty three in the draft. It's also why there are people who if you didn't understand that, now maybe you do that there's there's a thing and that there's a belief and Hendon Hooker is an outstanding player and he may well
be an excellent NFL quarterback. So we shall see. I think that the big thing to keep in mind here to me, you're every person is entitled to their opinion on whether it was the perfect pick or not. And eventually this discussion will be moot because we're just going to see him play in months.
I mean, it's not that far. Yeah, weeks, months.
Yeah, yeah, I mean some of the social media silliness about Will Levice he's twenty three.
Yeah, yeah, he.
Put mayonnaise in his coffee, He ate a banana without peeling, it happens. He's taking his picture with his shirt off.
Yeah, also happen.
Probably not going to do that once you're a pro quarterback, I wouldn't think. But if that's your biggest transgression, yeah, I mean there are a lot of twenty three year olds that do that sort of stuff.
Yeah.
I don't think we should be picking our NFL quarterbacks based on how they eat their fruit, right, That just seems it seems like minutia to me. I understand, But I think that we should. I think there's more to the human the position, the ability to do a job than the way that you eat a banana, I agree, or take your coffee.
But at the same time, you have to have awareness in this job, correct. I mean, Kentucky's a great place, but you're not in Kentucky anymore. You're in the NFL, YEP, and so every move you make, especially as a potential face of the franchise, is going to be judged. But
it doesn't make you a bad person. All will Levis has done is graduate from two outstanding universities with near perfect grades, make friends at both of those universities where they said excellent things about him, play good, if not great, good football at both places. I mean, he played in the Southeastern Conference, I don't know, you know, about the injury thing or the offense thing or whatever. We're gonna touch on that in a minute with somebody who does know.
But I mean, the fact of the matter is he really hadn't done anything. He hasn't done anything. He didn't ask for all the hype. Maybe he liked it, but he did Kentucky's doing what they're gonna do. Medium members doing what they're gonna do. All of this. I mean, Will Levis didn't ask to be sitting there in the green room and having his picture taken with his parents and I guess that was his girlfriend or whomever. But but the bottom line is he didn't ask for that.
And so I think where we've got to get with him is, now that we've come to this point, he's got to be judged as a Titan. Yes, now again he's got to be ready for that. But if he does a good job as a Titan, a lot of this other stuff will go in the rear view mirror.
Yeah.
I think that's correct. It's time for him to I say it's time for him. He's been a Titan for twenty four hours as we record this, essentially, but this is it this is the next step, and the next step means showing up for work, doing the work, and putting yourself in a position to make this team better in whatever capacity that ends up being.
That's his job.
Now, if he does that, and he just shows up and is doing the very best he can and is working hard, and is taking the coaching and is doing everything within his power to help the Tennessee Titans win football games, we can't judge him.
The footballicism is legitimate. He threw too many interceptions. Even the people who really like him say as much. And so he can't get the I mean, while you want him to come in with a chip on his shoulder because he lasted until the second round, you want him to work hard, he does have to understand that he's got to play better, he's got to play smarter, got to he's got to do it in a little bit
different way. And that you can't be you can't have a shield up to the point where you say, all these people are are giving me a hard time for no reason.
Right, right, But can you think of a better group of people for a player like that, with so much potential, with so much work to do, who needs to continue to learn. Can you think of a better opportunity than to be on a mic variable coaching staff.
No, with Tim Kelly and Charles London. Yeah, And I mean he's got some people around him who can teach, who can I think he's in a really good place too. I think he's in a really really good place for what he does well. I think they can expand on that, and I also think they can improve him in some other areas. They've certainly improved the offensive line. You're going to see them continue to add bits and pieces in
other places to improve the scheme. This is a team right now with sixty nine guys on the roster, they do have some cap room. The puzzle fitting together that we've talked about this whole offseason is not near being finished.
Oh No.
I mean that's the thing about the draft ending on April the twenty ninth, is there is this feeling that it's over and this is the team you go to camp with, and I mean, I think there's a lot more to come. I'm looking forward to seeing him. I'm looking forward to meeting him. You've had a chance to meet him.
I met him very briefly when we were in Kansas City, the day before the draft, the Wednesday before the first round,
they had a community event. I've talked about it on the OTP and had the opportunity to after the community event was done, kind of wander around and talk to different players, do some little interviews things like that, and I will Levis had had a bit of a crowd around him, and so I was able to be there and just observe for a while, watch him interact with people, and then also had the ability to ask him a
question or two. Thought he was very well spoken. Thought he was incredibly thoughtful in the way that he answered his questions. I thought he was very gracious with the amount of people who were around him and at a draft. It's not all these well seasoned have been doing this for twenty years working for the athletic and ESPN and all of it. There are a lot of local reporters who are not usually on a sports beat. There are
a lot of students and kids. There were a lot of people there from the University of Missouri and other schools that have journalism programs who sent people to cover and whether it was someone he recognized from the national media or it was a kid he gave them the same level of attention and professionalism. I notice things like that. You know, as someone who interacts with a lot of different people.
Well, because we've seen people at different points. You have and I have both who when the cameras on they're nice, yep, and when the camera's off, they're just nasty. Yeah, yes, and that's I mean, there are people like that. If I told you some of the names, you wouldn't believe them, Yes, you would, absolutely, you know, you would not believe them. Yeah, and you I mean even younger.
Guys, younger guys and guys who were in that position. I mean, especially that close to draft day, once you are one of the invited guys, as a very select group of people, that group of people, every single one of those guys believes in their soul the twenty four hours before the draft that they are going to be the number one pick in the NFL Draft and they are going to be the man for an entire calendar year. Nobody can take that away from them. And they all
believe that they're that guy. And you get a lot of guys with pretty nasty attitudes because they are the guy and they are untouchable and this is their time of their life, and you can just leave my presence now and again with the names people I have interacted with at drafts over the years who have been very not fun to deal with, would blow your mind. He
was not that at all. And I noticed it, I appreciated it, and I logged it away because to me, that's indicative of someone who understands the position that you are about to be in, because you understand that treating people well is what you do as a pro. It's how you interact we it's how you make friends, it's how you make relationships, it's how you make money for yourself in this league. Is to be a decent human being, right.
You can't really coach that. That's innate, And so I thought that that was that very brief experience was very telling to me.
I'm not trying to convince people one way or the other, No, because my whole thing is you're as a fan, you are you, you do you, You are a title to your opinion, and you know that is that is totally up to you. I'm saying that he's a Titan.
Now.
They picked him, they wanted him, Mike Rabel, who we think is one of the best of the best wanted this guy.
Yep.
And so if that's what Rabel thinks, I'm down with Rabel because Vrabel is a special guy. Ran Carthon was down with this. In spending more time with him this week, I'm impressed with what his thought process is. And so now we see and that's what this is all about. I guess the only thing I'm saying is for whatever there is around this kid, he has caused very little
of it, right he is and now. But but he's got to live up to being a pro very very quickly, because he has to understand that this is going to be part.
Of the challenge.
You know, if it's bad, it's still making you a millionaire. So how bad is it? I mean it could be it could be worse. Yeah, So you've got to say this is part of this job. I've got to buckle down and go get it and show people what I am as a player and as a person.
Yeah, circle back to me in like six months.
Right.
Maybe there are times the OT people know this.
There are times that I will stand on a table for a player because I know them as a human being. I just I will defend him to the hills. There are some players that I'm like that I think what you want, I don't gear see you.
You know, well, I don't know him, and either I know people who do, and I trust those. I have not met anybody who has had anything but good things to say about how he deals with people.
Yep, but circle back to me in six months. If I'm standing on a table, you'll know it.
There you go, there you go. Well, this is an interesting part of the story, and I wanted to let you hear this because we had it on Titan's radio right after he was picked. His better of the two years, as we referenced, was twenty twenty one. Liam Cohen was the offensive coordinator. Liam Cohen is basically a pro guy. He left and went to the Rams as their offensive coordinator. Twenty twenty two wasn't as good for Kentucky without Liam Cohen there. Liam Cohen has actually now returned to Kentucky
as the offensive coordinator. Our first call last night when the Titans picked Will Levis was to try to get Liam Cohen on the phone. A lot of colleges do not let their assistant coaches talk. A lot of them. It's really kind of crazy and strange and I don't get it, but okay, that's another OTP.
You can't. But Mike Keith coming after sids on the old.
Well, it's not just I mean, it's just odd, but okay, he called us right back. Wow, he called us right back, and he gave us a very interesting interview about what things were like with Will Levis, and he started off with something that was really really interesting about how he saw fit. Want to let you hear it on the OTP. This is Kentucky offensive Coordinator Liam Cohen on the OTP. Let me ask you first and foremost, you hear the
news Will Levis to the Tennessee Titans. You feel good about the fit just from the jumps.
Couldn't be happier.
This has been the ideal landing spot the entire time. I mean, if you talk to Will, you talk to his you know agency, if you were to talk to me and we were all in alignment that yes, would have loved to go in the first round. We have loved to go top early like that. But this was the place. This was the place he felt the most comfortable, This was the place he felt the most believed in, and we all felt was the best fit for Will to have the most successful career moving forward.
What is his best attribute?
Will's best attribute physically is his arm, straight arm talent. Can make every single throw in the field, tight windows, outcuts, in cuts, go ball. He can make any throw on the field at any given time. And by the way, he's the first one in the last one to leave, the type of guy that's gonna put everything that he has into this whole thing. Just a guy that truly wants to be great. It's not like he just wants to come in and enjoy being a pro. He wants to be great and it's been in him since.
He's been a little kid.
And all he wants to do is try to help this organization win football games.
Coach.
As players and prospects are in the draft, they're picked apart in a million different ways. How has Will handled all of those questions that he's had to endure about, you know, the turnovers and different things like that building up to this moment, I.
Think he's been fantastic. I mean Will as Will and what I what we kept talking about was whoever takes Will is going to truly see him for who he is and loved that about him. And he's intense. He's gonna freak him be on it. In terms of every meeting, every time he's talking to you, he's going to be there, He's going to be present, and he's going to be in the moment. So he has been picked upart in a lot of ways, and that happens so often, but
he's so true to himself. I mean the story that I talk about how at the NFL Combine his Penn State academic advisor was in the stands to watch that game. If this kid isn't an all around kid that makes an impact on people, I'm not sure that that actual situation would occur for many guys.
Coach, I want to go back to something you said a moment ago about this was the best fit for him as far as with the Titans from the get go, was it?
Did it build from the combine?
And did it kind of cap off or crest at his pro day, which I know that the Titans were at.
Yeah, they'd come up and met with him before the pro day and spent a lot of time with him. I mean they did. They had will really prepare for a meeting. I mean he had to make a cut up, he had to make representative clips of good, bad, ugly
pretty and talk through it with those guys. I mean, they really invested time into the evaluation process of Will and he felt that he felt that evaluation, he felt that connection, and he felt that Coach Rabel was going to challenge him as the player moving forward, and they had some really healthy dialogue about how he can improve and at some point play from the Titans.
And certainly, you know coach Rabel and you know that Mike has a bit of an edge to him. It feels like that's something that Will Levis kind of actually liked.
Yeah, I think it's a really strong match because I believe coach Ray was a football coach where he's a guys guy football coach, right and understands real ones, real competitors. Now, is Will perfect?
No?
Is any of these guys perfect. No, But you'll go to bat with him every single day, And he's a competitor that you want. If you're going about if you're gonna go compete at the highest level of football, He's gonna go compete at that level before you. Every single meeting, every single walk through, every single practice, every single game. I got to believe that coach verbel is gonna like that intensity coach.
I don't want you to talk about, you know who coached him last year or anything, but when you watch film of him, was there, what did you say different from him the year you were with him?
And last year?
A few things.
A lack of protection and then a lack of trust. And when it comes to the protection, you lose three offensive linemen to the NFL. One's the starting center for the Jaguars, ones, the frount pick the Chiefs. They lost a lot of players up front that were meaningful to a lot of MINIFU reps. Right men, Oh by the way, you lose Wandell Robinson, josh A Leis. With the Falcons, you have two true freshmen playing wide out. Now, those two true freshmen are gonna be talented kids. But you
didn't know. He didn't know last year if a curl route was going to get run at twelve, ten, eight or fourteen. And then, oh, by the way, he's staring down the barrel when it comes to some of the protection issues and some of the youth that had to play last year. So I think some of those things started to really accumulate, and maybe he felt like he had to do too much in order to win games. But I know the player he can be, and I definitely think this is a great match.
I want to ask one more question when to let Red ask one as well.
But the story that intrigues me the most about him is he's a graduate transfer from Penn State. He comes in and within days he's the guy. How does he do that? And what was it about him that grabbed what turned out to be a good football team and made himself their leader.
Yeah, there was eight pros or nine pros from that team. I mean he walked in the building. He was absent from spring practice. He was graduating from Penn State. He came here at the end of May, which is our discretionary period, so you don't have to be here June. Workouts start June fifth, mandatory. Well, he got here as soon as graduation at Penn State ended and got here
for the whole month of May. He earned he was going to be the starting quarterback within like the first days in May, but we just so happened to put him with like the twos and threes. When he got into training camp, he won this job. He became a leader, a captain within a week of being here, because of the work ethic, because of his time on task, because of the way that he went about his business, the way he carried himself and handled himself. He became a captain and a starter.
Within a month.
Coach, you've just spoken about the person that he is. Let's go back to the player that he is. You talked about a lack of protection in twenty twenty two, and it was reported that, you know, he get a knee, a shoulder, a toe, all these things. Is that the kind of guy he is in terms of toughness and trying to just move through it and keep helping his team.
He's a warrior, I mean twenty twenty one, I mean we were a threat of his I mean, and that's he's very athletic. He can run, rush for almost four hundred yards in twenty twenty one, and so that's him. That's a weapon of his. So to not be able to do that because he had the turf toe, he had a shoulder, he had some stuff going on in twenty two, well, that's a big part of his game is to be able to let him run and use his legs and be able to get an open field.
So but He's a warrior, man, I mean so tough. Just all he wants to do is get out there and give it is all every single practice. Guy's is full tilt, full tilt. There's no kind of hanging out. Let me come get loose and relax. I mean, he's full tilt all the time and it goes. It carries over into each game the kids. So he's tough as rocks.
Coach Cohen, we certainly appreciate your time and your incredible insight on the newest Tennessee Titan quarterback Will Levis.
Thanks for joining us on Titans Radio.
Congratulations guys, this is awesome.
Man.
I'm really happy for this kid.
Liam Cohen, who is an offensive coordinator at Kentucky. It's kind enough to join us on the OTP. We as we continue this wrap up of the draft, remind you that through Monday. Through Monday, Miles Autospa is offering Titan season ticket members fifty percent off Miles gift cards. The gift cards don't expire and they work at all locations. They could be used for all services including detailing. Whoa you know I have an old Niecean truck. Yes, Johnny,
as I call it the truck. The truck has a name. Well, thanks, Yeah, Johnny was kind of grimy. So I got the M six package. I wanted to have it, and it's like, it's a new truck.
Really, Yes, oh that's what I need.
Yes, oh, you would love it. And if you buy a gift card you can get like if you pay the price, if you pay half of what the M six costs, you would get them six detailing and for half price. Because as a Titan season ticket member you get fifty percent off gift cards.
Wow, I might go do that.
Miles Auto spot every location. And again the gift cards don't expire fifty percent off for Titan season ticket members. So Liam Cohen took the time to talk with us, and now we're getting ready to see these rookies. The undrafteds will sign again caution on the whole undrafted thing. And then this happened again last year. There were reports in various places that guys had agreed to terms with US, and then they ended up signing somewhere else. Until they
sign they are are not here. Now. Over ninety percent of the reports will be correct about the undrafted free agents that agree to terms with certain teams, but there will always be one or two that so and so we'll get a better deal somewhere else, or the team will say, you know, we just found you know, we never did that. There was confusion on that. Somehow we talked to the guy, but we didn't offer him a contract. And I mean, this can be sketchy.
They're not Titans until the Titans.
That's exactly.
They're not Titans until the Titans say they're Titans, or the Rams say they're Rams, or so on and so forth. Different teams do that at different times. The Titans generally don't make an announcement until the rookie Mini camp time, and the rookies are scheduled to report Thursday, May the eleventh.
Yeah, so just hold your horse, So.
Keep up with the names, follow the names, enjoy all of the revelry. And you know, the Titans probably going to bring in several undrafteds.
Yeah, and they will fun time.
Well, they will be attractive for undrafteds because, like I said, right now, with only six draft picks and less than seventy guys on the roster, a couple of undrafteds had a great shot, maybe four or five have a great shot to make this team.
Yeah, and that's a good I mean a lot of this time where they are trying to get the undrafteds and are having those conversations. I mean a lot of it is making a sales pitch almost. You're recruiting guys to come and be a part of your organization. And because some guys have multiple teams that they're having conversations with and you're trying to, you know, get the best guys that you can possibly get to be Tennessee Titans and come in and work out for this team and
try to earn a spot. And when you have jobs to be had, that's a big selling point. There are actually tangible ways that you can make this ball club just by the numbers.
There you go.
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Fan Yes, Mike.
Final thoughts, Uh, fascinating week fascinating weekend. Titans went after a quarterback, which I didn't know if they would do that. They got Scaransky who looks better and better as you as you sort of not only put on the tape, but you see where he was projected so many different places. I think not every team got a true first round pick in terms of talent. The Titans did get a
true first round pick. Day three filled needs with Wiley the tight end, Dow the wide receiver, and then in the offensive line to get Duncan, who, like I said, he was seen as a three or four in terms of the round he was supposed to go. To get him in the sixth. Uh, he's got a chance to contend for a spot among that eight or nine in the offensive line room, but maybe even contend for playing time.
Those are all good final thoughts.
Your final thoughts.
I'm sad it's over. You know, the whole process. I love the pre draft process. Leading up to the draft. Once we get to this past weekend, love having new Titans come on board, really excited about what's to come for this team starting up. OTA's the off season program, all of the things that get guys out on the field.
A little bit.
But there's something really fun about about all of the build up. You know, all the hype, all the meetings, the rumors, all the.
We've been working on it for over three.
Months, all the funny little things you hear on Twitter that sometimes aren't so funny, just all the excitement and anticipation.
It's like Christmas is over.
The TV ratings for Day one and then the ratings in terms of across all platforms phenomenal, yeh, I mean just phenomenal to think that the NFL Draft does better TV numbers than other sports playoff games. And there is not even a football at the NFL Draft, not even the ball that we play the game with. It's not present, and yet something that is basically like a primetime football soap opera, and it is, I mean exactly. And you know, the Titans second round draft pick Will Levis was the
focus of the whole thing. He was he was seen with all this pub coming in and I mean, you know, when he didn't get picked, he was on camera twenty seven times, which I you know, I don't.
Think was totally necessary.
No, but but that that's the storyline of what this is. And I guess that's trama. And that's what I'm saying about the whole Levice thing period is whether it's fair or not, whether it's right or not, that's the life. And that's what he's going to have to come in and be ready to handle in a mature way before he even turns twenty four. I don't know if that's fair, but that's going to be part of this job and part of his path to success if he's going to have it in the NFL.
Bright lights, big city.
Bright lights, big sit.
It's time.
Let's right, it's time and for all these guys did a great job in Kansas City. Ashley Pharaoh did a great job in Kansas City. Thanks for doing that.
That's fine.
I want to thank Brad Hopkins for helping our draft coverage. I want to thank Ramon Foster for helping our draft coverage. Dave McGinnis and Rett Brian were fantastic, and then Brent Hubbs added so much on Friday Night. I mean, that
was a totally different broadcast than we've ever had. And with all of the Levi stuff going on, and the fact that he covers the SEC and he covers Tennessee and he covers Levis, there was a there was a real different perspective because our broadcast turned in to a talk show about Will Levis due to the fact that the Titans jumped up to pick a quarterback who was such a big story you couldn't ignore it. And you know,
we got people on the air. We got Tim Couch on the air, We got Cole Kublick on the air from the SEC network in ESPN you heard earlier. We got Liam Cohen, the offensive coordinator from Kentucky. It is a totally different draft than we've ever done. I hope people thought it was interesting because we were trying to talk about the things you were most interested in.
You did a great job.
Well, thank you. We tried. It was very entertaining and now it's I mean, it's certainly going to be a fascinating may.
Oh yeah, it's gonna be a fun may I mean, no matter what, and hopefully.
We'll have the schedule in less than two weeks. That's what we're hoping.
Oh man, I didn't even remember the schedule is so it's closed because workouts are just around the corner and I'm starting to feel football.
Yeah, here we go, Oh Framie Wells. I'm Mike Keith, thanking Farm Bureau Health Plans and thanking UVOT people for listening to the sixth straight day of the hope to.
Welcome to the big show where the Meson's going. Every Body nose thoughts,