(Rooster Crowing)
- [Interviewer] Thanks for doing this
I think it was Bobo mentioned that you
might've had some slight
swelling in the knee.
Occasionally just how is that
going up through preseason as
you're playing every day?
- It's been good.
You know, I do a lot of treatment
and ice and stuff for it,
but it feels good when I'm out
there. I've had no problems,
you know,
we've been able to manage
all that and I feel good.
- [Interviewer] Collin
thanks for doing this.
So Paul, as well with you,
what is it sort of been like
adapting to getting back on the
field, getting back into competition and,
and how do you feel like the
competition for that starting
job has gone from you thus far?
- It feels great to be
back out there. You know,
it'd been a while.
I was so excited to finally
get out there and be a part of
it and put the pads on and all that,
but it's been a lot of fun to compete.
You know, we, I love the guys.
We've got a great
quarterback room for sure.
You know, I think, I think
it's going well though.
I mean, it's fun to go out
there and compete, you know,
coach talks about how
competition makes you better.
And I, I believe that.
And so I think we've just been
going out there and pushing
each other to, to get better every day.
- [Interviewer] Hi, Collin,
I'm a former football and
basketball coach at Dorman High
School and Boiling
Springs up in Spartanburg.
And I just wanted to ask you,
what are your thoughts of
getting to come back and finish
your career in the
state of South Carolina,
among faculty and friends?
- Go Cavs
No, I'm really excited.
You know, it's kind of
crazy how everything works.
I had to go across the country
out of high school and,
you know, really enjoy my
time at Colorado state.
But you know,
when I entered the portal and
this was an opportunity for
me, you know, I was really excited.
It's also going to be back
home, to be close to family, to,
to play at a school like this, you know,
growing up down the road. So, you know, I,
I'm just really proud to, to be able to,
to represent this school and the state.
- [Panelist] Taylor,
- [Taylor] Just going back to
the quarterback competition for a minute,
but just what's your
relationship like with Ryan
and kind of, what has it
been like to go out there
and compete against him just every day
and then his talent level?
- We got a great,
we actually have a really
good relationship, you know,
have been really welcoming
ever since I showed up in
January. And you know,
I think that relationships
continue to grow.
You know, like I said earlier,
we got a great quarterback room, you know,
everybody gets along well
helping each other out,
but you know, it's been a
good competition, you know,
we've been just splitting reps
and trying to make the most
of our opportunities, but Ryan's
is a talented guy for sure.
You know, I think he's got a
high football IQ and you know,
we've, we've definitely
been pushing each other.
- [Panelist] Eric
Let's go to Mike Hoover, then.
- [Mike] All in going
into tomorrow scrimmage,
is there any idea who's going
to get those first reps and,
you know, trying to think, go back to,
and I know it's one of those
things that people just always
ask all the time, but going
back to that first scrimmage,
you know, who's getting the first reps
and who will be getting the reps tomorrow?
- You know, coach hadn't said.
They really haven't told us who's going
out there first or during,
you know, what scenario, but,
you know, regardless that
doesn't change anything for me,
you know,
I'm going to prepare every day
to be the best I can be and
to put myself in the best
position to be successful. So,
you know, I don't know the
answer to that, but you know, I,
I'm just got to prepare
and be ready to go.
- [Interviewer] You put
a lot of stuff into that,
especially, I mean, knowing
how long camp is this year.
I mean, it's 40 something days.
You put a lot of stock
into it at this point?
- What do you mean by that?
- In terms of, you know,
who's getting the first team reps and
who's getting the second team, the reps,
knowing that you still
have a couple more weeks
until that first game.
- You know, I, I really don't
try to read into it too much,
you know, I, I can only
control what I can control.
So whether it's, you know,
I'm going first or I'm going
with the twos or, you know,
whatever the situation may be, you know,
I just have to make the most
of my opportunity, you know,
I can control my effort and attitude.
That's something that we've
talked about and, you know,
I that's, it, you know,
I don't control who gets
what reps or who goes first.
And so, you know, like I said, I just,
I just try to prepare. And
then when it's my turn,
be ready to go.
- [Interviewer] Okay, Collin,
what are your observations
of Luke Doty when he's,
when he's repping at
quarterback and then what,
what is your chemistry been like when,
when he's out at wide receiver?
- I love Luke. Luke is
such a, such a good dude,
great athlete, you know,
can definitely do a lot of
different things, but, you know,
I think he's, he's done
well at both positions.
I think when he's playing quarterback,
he's definitely made some plays,
definitely has a different
skill set than me and Ryan.
I think he might be a little
more athletic just a little
bit, but no, I think he
he's done a good job.
And then when he's ever
receiver, you know, he's very,
very savvy, you know, he's a
high football IQ guy, for sure.
And, and you can tell when he's out there,
he's able to read manner zone,
whether it's sitting down
and keep it on the move,
just things like that.
But we have, you know,
we put a lot of work in
this summer and, you know,
I think we, we've got a
pretty good connection.
- [Interviewer] You know,
at the time his admin
is like playing quarterback
at the collegiate level.
So what does it say
about him to, you know,
be able to play quarterback
and also play receiver?
And I understand that he's doing
some stuff on special teams
as well.
- I mean, it's a lot, you know,
a lot of time goes into
to study and especially a
quarterback, but you know,
playing two positions,
that's definitely going to, you know,
that takes a toll on you for sure.
But Luke does a great job.
You know, he's definitely
a high capacity guy.
He can, can handle a lot of information,
a lot of different things and
he's athletic enough
to do multiple things.
And so I think he's handling it well.
He really is. And you know,
I'm glad he's here for sure.
- [Panelist] Philip?
- [Philip] Nobody ever
calls me that, Hey, Colin,
I appreciate you doing this two
questions for you at Dorman.
A coach Doug Shaw, you know,
was known for developing
quarterbacks and even taking,
excuse me,
even taking guys who
weren't real quarterbacks
and making them into quarterbacks.
So how did he help in your
development as a quarterback?
Number one,
and number two with this being
like a free year eligibility
wise and considering your age,
but maybe the lack of
football you've played.
Have you given thought about
taking advantage of the free
year that the NCAA has
given you guys? Thanks.
- So to answer the first
question, I love coach Doug Shaw.
He taught me so much at my
time at Dorman, you know,
so many takeaways, whatever
it is, as far as coverage,
you know, foot work, just a
lot of different, you know,
offensive schemes. But, you know,
he invested a lot of
time in me and, you know,
I don't know that I'd be
here today without him,
but you know, he, his big Sam was,
you can't go broke taking
a profit. And so basically,
you know, when I was
younger, I just wanted to,
whoever was running deep religious,
throw it to them every time.
Cause I thought I had this
huge arm and wanted to do that,
but he had to explain
to me that, you know,
it's okay to take check downs, you know,
just take what the defense gives you.
So that was one huge
takeaway, but you know,
I've learned so much from
coach and he's one of the best,
you know, to ever do it in the state.
And then as far as my, my
six year goes, you know, I,
I'm not sure.
I think I definitely would be
interested in taking it for sure.
You know, I was in the process of,
of getting a six year and then, you know,
with this year being a
freebie, I kind of, you know,
I'm already granted that. So yeah, I do.
I do think I'll be taking
advantage of that for sure.
- [Panelist] Alright.
We got a half a dozen
questions in the queue,
so we'll get to those,
but we'll cut it off if you're not in,
which you do next time.
Go ahead, John wooden,
- [John] I think a phrase Ryan kept using,
at the end of his press conference,
was "butts to the scoreboard".
Is that something that you
all talk about as an offense?
Is that something he was just
coming up with off the cuff?
Or is that a Bobo saying that maybe
you've heard in the past?
- That's a, that's a Bobo ism for sure.
He that's, that's his big thing.
Whenever we, we take the field,
we want to bust the scoreboard,
just execute and put up points.
So that's definitely something
coach always talks about.
- [Interviewer] How many
times a day do you think
you've heard that over
the last four years or so?
- Two minute account
- [Panelist] Ben Briner.
- [Ben] I wanted to ask you,
you've been through now,
I think it's three or
four quarterback battles
under coach Bobo.
And I guess what can you take
from having gone through those
from the experience of that,
do you have a sense
for the timing of them?
Do you have a sense for sort
of the rhythm of them or,
or anything like that?
- You know, they're all different.
As a freshman, my head was spinning.
I didn't really know what
was going on. You know,
I just was trying to keep my
head above water, but you know,
the biggest, the biggest
thing with these is, you know,
like I said earlier, I don't
control what reps I get.
I don't control how many reps
I get, who I'm going with.
And, and so I just have to
control what I can control.
And so, like I said, I
was just going to prepare.
And then whenever my number
is called, whenever it may be,
I'm going to be ready to go and,
and just make the most of it.
- [Panelist] David
- [David] Real off topic here,
but how long have you
been growing your hair?
When's the last time you cut it?
And when did the beard come around?
- I grew, so after I tore
my ACL the second time,
I decided I wasn't going to shave or
cut my hair until I was cleared.
So I had this huge beard.
It was probably two years ago. And once I,
once I played in a game, I shaved it off.
But then I, I just got
attached to my hair.
I couldn't do it. And so my
mom and girlfriend were like,
you know, it's time to cut your hair too.
And I was like, I can't do it.
I'm, I'm too attached,
but I've had it for
probably two years now.
And then I get it cut
every once in a while.
Just get a couple of inches taken off
just to clean it up a little bit.
But about, about two years though.
- [David] Anybody got any
nicknames for you with that look?
- Oh, when I first showed up,
everybody was calling me
sunshine for a little bit in the
team meeting, but not really no.
- [Interviewer] I asked Rob
this same question though.
Could a two quarterback system
or playing two quarterbacks
early in the season work,
or do you think the coach,
you should just go ahead
and try to go with one?
- You know, that's not,
that's not my call, you know,
that was coach's decision,
you know, as that's his job,
it's his job to decide that.
And you know, like I said,
me and Ryan have a great, we
have a great relationship and,
and so whatever happens, I know
I'm going to be ready to go.
He's going to be ready to go.
Whatever's best for South Carolina.
- [Panelist] Eric
- [Eric] Hey Collin
When you wake up,
how often do you reflect on the trials and
tribulations you've gone through just
to get back to playing football again?
Is it something you maybe
go to bed thinking about,
wake up thinking about,
or is that just kind of in
the way in the background,
your mind and you just go out
there and play or do you kind
of appreciate each day more,
and here's what you've been
through is extra motivation?
- I think I definitely appreciate each day
and each practice more.
It's just given me a, a healthier
perspective on everything.
You know, it's given me a
perspective of, you know,
football is a game and that's what it is.
And there's much more serious things
that could have happened to me.
And that have happened to
people and people are going
through, but at the same time,
I'm so grateful every day that, you know,
I can wake up and I can go and play still.
So it definitely has helped
shape my perspective in that
way. I don't know how often, you know,
I don't have like a routine
every night of, you know,
looking back and reflecting,
but I do, you know,
every other week or whatever
it is might just look back and
be like, just kind of look,
look at where I've come
and what I've gone through.
And, but I think like you said,
it is one of those things where
I do get it more excited for
practice because you know, for
so long I couldn't do it and,
and not being able to do what you love
is definitely something that's hard.
And so now I just try
to take advantage of it
and have fun out there.
- Sounds like the joy of being
back was everything that you
imagined it would be.
- Yes, sir. For sure.
I mean, it's a lot of
hard work that goes into,
into the rehab process and all that,
and to finally kind of make it out there
and be back with everybody.
It's a great feeling.
- Last question goes to Colin Taylor.
[Colin] Yes, Ryan, the same thing Collin,
but just in terms of,
you obviously have been in this offense
a little bit longer than him,
but what's a successful year
look like for you guys trying
to replace so much and figure some things
out at the skill position spots?
- As an offense or a team?
- [Collin] Yes, as an offense.
- You know, as an offense, you know,
you have to play complimentary football
at the end of the day, you
know, you want to win games
and that's kind of our
motto right now is just win.
You know, that's what the coach talked
about at the beginning of camp.
And so that's our goal.
But as an offense, you know,
I don't have statistic goals
for you as a unit that we've
set so far, but just
being able to execute,
go out and execute the plan
that we have be confident in it,
trust in receivers, trust in protection,
and letting guys make plays and
just letting you guys do what they do.
But you know, I, I don't know.
I don't really have numbers
for you as far as what,
what success would look like for us.
- [Panelist] Alright. Thank
you, Collin. Appreciate it.
- Yes sir.
