Meet the Sacramento State Hornets football team | Interview #Stingersup

Well, as you guys can see, we are joined by some special guests here in the studio and it's actually the first time that they've ever been on Toyota Sports Extra. So you guys are in for a treat and you guys already know who they are, but I'm gonna introduce you to them. Anyway, the sack state football team is here in the building and representing, there you go. Stingers up. Yes, sir. All right. And representing the Hornets, we're actually gonna start off over here. We have two senior receivers, uh tiktok star Jared Gibson here, influencer on and off the field and standing right next to him, the newly fiance Anderson Grover, one heck of a football player as well. Thank you guys. And absolute. Well, we like you have, uh being on the show and going over here, the one that only the head coach, the mastermind of this team, the one and only Andy Thompson. Thank you guys so much for coming on Joe Coach Thompson. We appreciate it. Thank you for having us. It's great. Absolutely. Absolutely. So let's just get right into it. You guys are just completing your second week of camp. Uh, once again, you're ranked in the top 10 in the preseason poll. Uh, can you just talk about how you guys are feeling, mentally, physically and all that other good stuff? I feel like in camp, you know, it's not gonna feel great but, you know, it's always the end goal, you know, seasons around the corner. So you have to just keep going every single day. I feel like everyone feels, you know, you don't feel great, but it's gotta just keep you going. But fall camp is fun. It's fun. II I personally enjoy it. It's just you to do what you love all day long. So, yeah, Anderson, would you echo those same sentiments? I would um I would say we got a lot to prepare for this season. We got big expectations. So just taking advantage of every day and looking to get better every day on the field for sure. Coach, what do these guys look like? Day one and then day three, day one, there's the excitement to be back. Day three is when it really starts to really set in. Maybe they start feeling it a little bit. How did this group look in those first few days? Oh, they've, they've done a great job. Um, you know, we spend a lot of time with them in the summer. It's a little different than the old days where you couldn't be around them. I've been around the guys a lot in the summer, but I think once you get into situations and that's one thing fall camp is about is putting all the players through different situations that come up throughout the year. We also talk about trust, trust is something that's earned, not just given. And so we've been trying to do that by doing our assignments and making sure we're on time to things and doing all those things. So people coaches can trust the players and the players can trust the coaches. And then lastly, we want to be a connected football team and you got to go through hard work during fall camp in order for you to feel like you're connected. And so the offense does that, you know, when they're working on a play, but they're going against the defense and the defense is working on their own specific thing. But we all know at the end of practice, we're coming together for one common goal and there's no offense defense, we're all judged on how we do together. And so we want to be a connection team. So we've been working on those things and they've done a great job of it so far. I love that. Iron sharp as iron. Yes, sir. So, you know, another thing, both of these receivers that you see up here, not only are they two leaders on this team, but they also have their college degrees as well. They both have Bachelor's degrees in communications, which means you may see them doing what we do one day or some something else who knows. Um But, you know, not only are they outstanding athletes but they're outstanding students as well. So the reason I bring that up is because both of you guys are the leaders out there um among the receiving core that uh that you guys have, um how do you embrace the leadership role that comes with that? And, and how do you deal with the expectation of that? I feel like it's uh I feel like it's a good thing but like, it's something that everyone needs and, you know, like we're two completely different people, two completely different. But we, every day we come with the same mentality, we don't work because he's more of a vocal leader more, you know what I'm saying? Like more X's no, tell you exactly what it is. I'm more like a laid back lead by example, kind of person, you know what I'm saying? So it's just two different, two different types of people leading the same group of people. So it's like they get two different perspectives from two different players in the same position, which is all, this is a great thing for the young guys for sure. And from your guys' perspective too, what's that atmosphere like running out in the field uh uh to, to do that for the first time this upcoming season, but to have that atmosphere every single time you play at home and, and the reputation that sack state just keeps building and building upon itself. How much does that help you when you're on the field in the huddle, those big plays, the celebrations, the moments when you catch those touchdowns or those big passes. Yeah, it's, uh, it's exciting to know that you got, uh, you're gonna have a good crowd to look forward to, you know, you're gonna have fans coming out to support. Um, you know, it's just good feeling, practicing, knowing you're gonna have somebody to go put a show on for. So, and then on Saturdays there they come and they're electric every time. So, you know, it, it is a good feeling to know that they, they'll show up and they'll be there for us. Horner Stadium is always buzzing on a Saturday night, that's for sure. Now, another thing that's, uh, you know, unique about the, both of them, Jared and Anderson is they are both 209 products actually, Jared. He played at Saint Mary's High school in Stockton, my hometown, by the way, and Anderson, he played at Downing in Modesto. So the reason I bring that up is when you look throughout the Joaquin section, there is a lot of talent from, you know, as far north, as far south, there's, there's so many schools in the Sack, Joaquin section that produce a lot of talent. Um The fact that you guys decided to stay in northern California and, you know, uh play football for uh sack State. What does that just say about Sack State's program? And then also, what does that say just about the talent that, you know, we produce here in the sack, Joaquin section? I feel like it just sack State is a, a great spot. It's literally 45 minutes away from where we live. You know what I'm saying? And I just love it. I love that. My parents, my uncles and my aunties, cousins can come watch, watch me play on any Saturday that they want pretty much except for like weight games. But yeah, I love it. It's, it's a great thing. I feel like it's a great program and it's like you got a top 25 F CS school like 45 minutes away from you. Like you can't get any better than that and coach don't share any Xs and Os with us or anything. We're not trying to get an inside scoop, but we wanna know about the, the brand of this football team or, or how we can expect and how the average fan can expect sack state football to play. What is it that you guys are trying to do and don't give anything away or anything specific? But what can people expect from sack state football when the Hornets take the field? Uh It's a great question and we talk about all the time. What, what are people gonna look? What's it gonna look like when they watch us. And, uh, you know, we talk about Swarm and Swarm is, is a bunch of hornets going fast, but it actually stands for something and, and for us, Swarm means a smart football team, hard working team. That's the w the A stands for attacking. We want to be attacking. We want to be exciting to watch when people come out and they're like, man, they're throwing the ball here. They're going fast to their tempo, man. The defense is coming from here, man. They're kicking the ball very far so we want to be attacking and then we want to be a resilient team. We want to be a team that the fans go, man. They were down a little in the first quarter, they came back. Hey man, those guys, they are resilient, they stay with it and they are for each other. You can tell they're playing for the, for the guy next to and then lastly, we wanna be mindful. We wanna be thankful for the, the opportunity that we get to be at Sacramento State. Now, I heard a rumor about receivers, ok? I know that you guys love those big catches, love to moss somebody catch those touchdowns or one handed catch and stuff like that. I also heard a rumor that receivers love the opportunity for some of those big run blocks and those big downfield blocks and stuff like that. Walk me through that from the receiver perspective. When you get that opportunity, I know your skill position trying to go up and get the football. But when you can protect your running back a little bit and get one of those big downfield blocks. It's great. It's great being able to, if you block and you see the running back coming running past you for a touchdown. That's like the, a great one of the best feelings because, you know, like you help have a touchdown block, like it's insane. Receivers get the misconception that, you know, we're all about ourselves or whatever, you know, but, uh, when we see our teammate going past us or scoring a touchdown, we're just happy that, you know, team scoring and, you know, that's, that's why we do it, you know, for the team to get in there, these guys go all in for blocks, they're great and that's why they're here. You don't see the field if you don't block what you have to. It's not like, oh, we're doing it because it's, you have to do it. It's not it. Yeah, they take a lot of pride. Yeah, take a lot of pride in their blocking blue collar guys. Um, and the fact that, you know, they're not too good to do anything, um, both of them have run down on, on, on special teams, been a part of that rovers, our punt returner, which is that, that's probably the most tough job. You know, to secure as for that. Um, Gipps been on special teams as far as walking on the front line and doing different things for us. So, physical, physical receivers here and they do every part of the game. Are you guys allowed to do like touchdown dances and celebrations and gritties and stuff like that on the side, on the sideline, college football, they throw a penalty if you do that, they don't throw a penalty, they don't do any penalties if you're on the sideline with me. So I just tell them, come on over and celebrate over on the sideline. We can do whatever you wanna do. Just don't do it out on the field because then we get a 15 yard penalty and then we look like dumb team is the smart team. Definitely don't want that. And then also if you go and celebrate with Co Thompson, he'll join in on the test and stuff like that. Oh, ok. Don't hurt nobody. And if you guys want to check out the Sex Day football team at Hornet Stadium, they have their full schedule on their website, feel free to check that out. Definitely come out and support the Hornets. Their home games are electric. They are fun. I can promise you, you will be entertained. That is for sure. So once again, big thanks to the Sacks Day football team coming on the show. Really appreciate it. Jared Anderson coach Thompson. Thank you guys. Thank you guys so much for coming here. Appreciate it.