Former University of Virginia Quarterback: Matt Schaub talks UVA football

[Music] n [Music] what up what up what up what up what up do welcome to the believe in Virginia podcast see I didn't do it again I was y'all thought I was goingon to do my old intro believe in Virginia podcast I'm your host Amal Hawkins and look I got a special show on top for y'all today in in the past like the past year I want to say like the past year it's been all like just Ball Hawk or Petty Hawk doing the show this year we gonna switch it up we gonna be having guests and we gonna be having video version so if you listen to this podcast now this actually a video version that be up on my YouTube channel the ball HW Show podcast I got a special guest former teammate he was a Youngster but he was taller than me he was bigger than me you know what I'm saying but he end up being one of the best quarterbacks in Uva history so who's you will be excited about who's on the line today played 17 that's a long time I played 10 years in the arena league he got me by seven and um that's some very special years with the Houston Texans was was a part of a a very good draft class with Elon man and Ben rsbg Philip Rivers in uh 2004 he went the third round the 90th pick got drafted to the Falcons my good friend Michael Vic was there so he got to spend some time with o but I'm not gonna I'm not going to delay it any further I got the one and only he was also a Pro Bowl MVP the ACC Player of the Year Without further Ado we got Matt sha on the show Matt how you doing brother I'm doing great Hulk appreciate you having me on man what an intro I need just have you like follow me around boost my ego a little bit because around the house here the wife and the kids they really bring me back down to earth keep me grounded you know make sure I know my place hey man I I've been look looking at Club Shay Shay I'm trying to get on the same trajectory as Shan the shop because the intros he be doing for folks and a lot of times they don't even know what they accomplish until he says it so you know I just like let me let me let me spice it up a little bit but I got you in the building man happy to you know you you you are the first video version guest on believe in Virginia podcast history there you go man why not bring honored I need to Chu one up onto the resume now no that's awesome I you know I've followed you Amad andly what you're doing and what you built with your your podcast just remarkable it's awesome to see and you know the connection that you still have there in Charlottesville with the the program um you know it's just awesome for what you're doing I appreciate you man before we get this interview started want to let you know this podcast is presented by AB Insurance go to AB insurance for all your insurance needs that's home business Auto life insurance the great people are able and if you haven't already go follow believe in Virginia podcast on Apple Spotify all major podcast platforms and make sure you visit believe.com man that's ble a.com so Matt man 2004 draft round three 90th pick your name is called by the Atlanta Falcons did you have an inkling with you know the conversation you had with your agents and doing the process that you would be drafted by Atlanta back then to be quite honest I had no idea it was really out of left field um I knew where my place was amongst the other quarterbacks and the ones you've named in the intro you know I knew I was behind Ben and Phillip and Eli um and JP losman was actually another first-rounder to the bills in like the 23rd pick out of two lane um and I knew I was it was either him or me as the fourth or fifth guy and so once he went you know I honestly thought maybe in the second round Green Bay wasn't you know looking um because it was near the end of Brett Favre's career or closer to the end and obviously they ended up taking Aaron Rogers the following year um which turned out pretty good for them but throughout the process I had one conversation at the combine with the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons at that time Greg knap and it was amongst all the meetings I had a break and it was on one of the benches in the hotel there for like 10 minutes we just talked football and from the West Coast system in San Francisco was coming to Atlanta uh with Jim Moore Jr Who the head coach at that time and I just had that one conversation with them and we had no idea so on draft night and back then it was three rounds on Saturday four rounds on Sunday and that was it it wasn't a big spectacle like it is now and you know on TV um but I got a call that Saturday night near the end of the third round it was a 770 number my folks lived at the time and still do in the Atlanta area so I'm like this is an Atlanta area cod this is very weird picked it up and lo and behold you know they want to draft me and this is when Mike Vic was coming off his major leg injury and you know he missed that season in 20 three so I was elated that ay I was getting picked to a place that I knew well because I'd come back to Atlanta you know on off time there at UVA and um but at the same time I was like man Mike Vic and me were very different quarterbacks very I'm like I think I need to start running a little bit more I need to find a way to get faster so I can you know if anything happens that the offense won't skip a beat but what a what a cool thing for me a blessing to be drafted there and you know at that time you know Mike Vic was one of the top two or three recognized athletes in on the planet you know him and Tiger Woods and you know maybe Kobe Bryant at that time I mean that was it and so I got to really see up close and personal how being a professional quarterback how you got to handle your business and what you go through on a day-to-day week- toe basis with the media game planning just all those things and um you know me and Mike had a great relationship and still due to this day but you know that there was that one week every season where I was like Mike the gloves are off you know it was like Virginia Virginia Tech week we had you know because we also had D'Angelo Hall on that team he was in my draft class and they had a bunch of Virginia Tech guys so um you know my who although they didn't come through for me for a couple of those years you know we still we still had some good back and forth banter yeah and it's it's funny you bring up D'Angelo so I'm I'mma I'mma just ask you you you you could be honest who talk more trash D'Angelo or myself de D'Angelo because see it's different it's different you are on my side when you trash and you're on the guy's side that's great I love it keep talking yeah but when it's the other guy on the other side and then when I got drafted at Atlanta I'm going against him day and and dad he's talking he's chirping but I I I always had the trump card on him because that last year in college we beat beat them and Heath Miller and Marcus haens they lit them up in the secondary so I had that on them but D'Angelo Hall by a long shot sorry M I didn't know if you wanted me to say your name no I didn't want you no cause yo D'Angelo talks more to me you know I just I get that on record not me saying it you know shout out to D'angelo man and uh Al Crumpler too man you went from Heath Miller to alerion trompler how was that yes you know what a great oh man it best friend of a quarterback is that tight end position you know and and for for us here in Atlanta and for Mike and and myself just learning the game and the off that we ran the tight end was such a huge part of it and you know he he was just a able to create separation use his body and his length to make plays just like Heath did um his whole career so uh just fortunate to have a like that to be able to find in the middle of the field find that mismatch you know we had good wide receivers but when you have that guy Patrol in the middle it makes it tough on linebackers and safeties because generally they're undersized to cover guys like that yeah now that's definitely true man so your Lone Start that you got with the Falcons was versus the the goat Tom Brady and the Patriots in which you threw for 298 y I'm going say 300 yard you do 300 yards and three touchdowns and a 3128 loss how that feeling man like getting that first start is Tom Brady Bill be um you know they started winning Super Bowls around this time um yeah because they had already beat the Rams so they did they were they were the coming off of Super Bowl year okay yeah so see it but like I said I'm rounding up you do for 300 yards in my book two yards give me the two yards you know but how was that for your first start and your L start in um Atlanta well I have to I have to just backpedal and just make one minor correction I did have one start the year before my rookie year we I started week 16 against saints and Aaron Brooks um the year prior we had already had our our spot in the playoffs yeah um we were the two seed and we were going to get a first round buy um at that time and so I got to start that game the year before and didn't go so well wasn't wasn't very successful in that game um but we rested a lot of guys and so I got to start that game but my second start the following year the Patriots were the defending champ and Mike the week before uh I believe he had an ankle he got caught up and had an ankle so I played like the second half against the Minnesota Vikings and the that following that following week against the Patriots we weren't sure how he was doing you know because you know how everyone knows how Mike Plays and he's got to be able to move around and have his Mobility um and he just wasn't quite there but during practice we weren't sure we're playing Koy but I got all the Reps and so then we knew Friday that I was going to be the guy and what what a cool spot to be we're at home in the Georgia Dome playing the Patriots I'm a seconde quarterback second start although I played a bunch in the preseason and and certain times but um you know we found ourselves it was one of those back and force they won the first quarter they were up two scores then we found a way to get back two scores in the second quarter and I think it was tied or one onepoint game in halftime and then they came out and took a lead we had to come back in the fourth quarter and we drove down and scored and had a two-point conversion to tie it and we got it and but we left a little bit too much time for the other side for number 12 we left him about a minute 15 or minute 20 something like that and you know they also had Adam vinant Terry who's one of the greatest kickers of all time and yeah they found a way to Dink and dunk and make it down there for a field goal but you know we played hard we played well the numbers they were they were decent but you know we fell short but that was a really cool experience to be able to play against a team like that coming off a Super Bowl find ourselves down battle back you know it's that es and flows the adversity that you find not only in a career but in a season in a game where you just got to battle it and just you know find a way to make some plays no so we got to rewind because you said a name that Virginia fans perked up you started versus Aaron Brooks the year before when he was with the Saints how how was that starting against AB yeah I mean that was cool because because when I was being recruited it was it was Aaron's last year at Virginia and so I remember coming down to two games coming down to my recruiting visit I came down to watch yall play I think it was North Carolina under the lights at Home in the night game um I think that was my recruiting visit and I came down to another game but I mean just an incredible quarterback and just could throw it I mean Aaron he had he had a cannon and he could zip and throw it to anywhere on the field um but you know he for me you looking at Virginia quarterbacks you know and you look at going back to Shawn Moore and then you look at you know the names blondon and Mike Gro but then Aaron Brooks and you know it's like okay that's the net last quarterback before me to have beating Virginia Tech you I know you were a big part of that too so there's an iconic image that is all over Charlottesville of your touchdown and but just to see what Aaron did then when he made it in the league and what he did in New Orleans and everything um was just really cool to go head-to-head with another Cavalier quarterback um because you know and I knew he had already always come back to grounds and so I got to see him and meet him and talk with him a bunch so it wasn't we weren't foreign to one another but uh it was cool to you know be able to go up and head to-head against him yeah man um I'm give you a fun fact about the Carolina game that you you know you attended that year 98 I dropped a touchdown pass right in front of the Hill yeah I didn't remember that that clearly me bring that up if I I would have left that out know hold myself accountable I did man he scrambled he got he got loose and I was wide open and and the ball patted me down all the way to my feet and hit the ground so that's why the tech game is special to me because I just dropped a touchdown pass the week before and I was struggling like with my confidence so yeah that's and then you go and you get it back though in the way you did against Virginia Tech in state rival you know everyone forgets about what happened the week before hey they do you only good as your last game as they say and that's the truth before oh fun fact from the 2005 season I want to see if you know this did you know that you was the most viable player in the American Bowl preseason game in Tokyo Japan when y'all played in the Tokyo Bowl versus the Colts I did know that and you know it was a really cool experience but we did get that was a fifth preseason game back then there I did it was some samurai swords there were pretty sweet um real real samurai swords um it was it was really cool and remember going down again him I didn't know that they even gave a MVP of this game but it was preseason and Mike wasn't gonna play a lot so I got a lot of time because I was just going into my second year and you know we had put a few drives together but after the game they had these samurai swords on this really cool display I still have it downstairs in my basement they're not sharp they're still dull so no one out there needs create any damage but but they're real and so I'm like what am I gonna do because we still we have to fly back internationally from Tokyo to Atlanta yeah how I can't just we're not we chartered the plan we still got to go through customs we still have to do all that I'm like I can't so Arthur Blank the owner of the was down there on the field he goes Matt um you want me to take these back for you on the plane I said yes sir please that'd be great and so they ended up they were back there in my locker you know the following day but I was like yes sir there's some make sure those go in the cargo hold on the private jet um I appreciate it that's dope man salute to Mr blank man always seem like a a cool guy from afar never got the opportunity to um meet him personally because he he had a stake in the Georgia Force I believe um the arena Football League team um but yeah he always seemed like he was he was a cool dude yes yeah that preseason game you were 11 to 137 yards two touchdowns as y'all came back to defeat the coach 2721 man you was cooking man 11 for 13 two tug talking about I had a you you really dug in you got you got some man you're my guy got hey you my God wait till we get to the Texas we about to get to to the Texas where they traded for you in 2007 for second round drave picks and TW so they ain't just pull a heist to get you they gave up two second round picks that's that's viable picks right there like back in the day a little things change today everybody seemed like they get cut no matter what today and put on the project Squad but back then if you were draft in the first three rounds you pretty much guaranteed to make the team so right the Texans saw something even even though you were backup you started a game in 2004 2005 you know they make this trade in 2007 or they second round pick like what was going through your mind when you were transitioning from Atlanta where you have family now to Houston Texas right um very fortunate I mean the head coach Gary kubak at the time just finished his first season as the head coach of the Houston Texans and he come from being in the in Denver at the Broncos is a play caller for you know I think 12 years 10 or 12 years and also played quarterback and backed up John Elway for a number of years so for me and the style of of offense was very similar to what I ran at Virginia and also what we had run at the Falcons and this is a team that you know when just on paper when I looked at it the first name that jumped off the the page was Andre Johnson and this is an opportunity to go and play and be a part of his career yeah which was was a selling point in and of itself but also a team that was up up and coming they they were young five years into the franchise with a coach that you know I always respected from afar and the offenses that he ran and I felt like this is a great fit and we were able to play golf the day before the trade was finalized just to get a feel for one another make sure like hey this is a good match you know that head coach and quarterback you're always tied together and we we just hit it off right away and clicked and I just remember calling uh my agent it was actually near where my agent was based out of in California because I was out there for a charity function and said we got to get this done you know I want to be a Houston Texans and so then they went to work with the organization on hammering out the details right and you know you just mentioned about the second round picks and the compensation and you know off I went and man it was such a cool experience because now all the work that I put in both at Virginia but also in three years backing up Mike and the Falcons and learned how to be a pro what it takes to be the quarterback of the team the face of the franchise yada yada like I had a firm grasp on how I wanted to handle that and you know this was my opportunity and my chance and couldn't have been more excited so within two days was there signing and and doing the press conference and you know I was just thrilled to be part of a team that wanted me you took a chance on me to give me an opportunity and it was my job to take the most make the most of it and you know get a hold of my teammates and say hey I'm here I'm not just here to be this or that I'm here to be one of you guys and we're going to do this together and so it's just that just started the whole process yeah you know with you stepping in to Houston being penciling in as a starter because they make the trade for you how was the approach like the previous years in Camp you pretty much know you're back in that mic now you pretty much assume because I know you personally you're not going to just say I'm nostal you gonna make sure you work forward but the perception is you're the guy now so does the approach changed for like for you personally was your approach always the same or did you feel like you had to ramp things up no my my Approach was always the same you know I prided myself on my preparation and just going about my business the right way um because I feel like it's we all hear it all the time and you can't just flip the Swit right you have to the lights cut on or the the balls kicked off in a game you can't just flip the switch and change like you're only as good as your preparation and I always thought the better prepared I was whether in practice wait room film room if I just show guys what I'm about and what I do I could talk about some I'm blue in the face but guys don't respect that guys don't rally around that they don't want to play hard for that they want to play hard for the guys that bust their tail that want to be in the weight room want to watch film want to stay after want to do extra want to take guys out to dinner want to have them over to their house to just hang watch college football create that camaraderie within the locker room and do things and and be a part of the team and one of the guys in the locker room and that's something that I always focused on because once we got on the grass that's what we're there for but how do you then translate that to be successful on Sundays or Thursdays or Monday nights whatever the case is and that's goes beyond just the practice field there's so many more things tied to that and that's what I really focused on um I wasn't concerned with oh I'm the starter and I got to put undo pressure there's pressure in and of itself when you play this game and that's what you love about it but I always just focused on the details of how do I prepare because guys are watching I want to make sure I step in the Huddle and I can spit the play call out I know my checks I know what I'm doing and operate efficiently you demonstrate that to guys man there's nothing that they won't do for you yeah and mean in the show in your preparation because you know the first two games you were very accurate like I always look at I look at comple sub per sentence and I know a lot of times people say you know sometimes guys police uh complet your percentage is one way just because they may Dink and dunk and I'm glad I got a former quarterback up here because you still have to process information to Dink and dunk you you still have have to know where your Outlets are what coverage is ran who the playmaker is things of that nature but I mean you came out the gate two quarterback ratings over 100 71% completion rate at least 220 yards um the first two and 0 start in franchise history and then in week four you played somebody familiar who did you play you remember who you played week four of that first year that had been pton man nah was your old team the Falcons was it yeah that that week I thought that that was week three I I see I thought I thought thought the Falcons was week three uh you had you got me it's been there's been a lot of hits to the Head since don't do that going back to going back to it am going back to it though and I I agree with you on the completion percent percentage thing and I always even going back to Virginia and you know priding myself on completion percentage because good things happen when you get the ball in hands of Playmakers right and you know the thing about it is I always looked at yards per attempt and if you can get your yards per attempt I think it's different in college in the NFL but if you can get that in seven plus range yards per attempt you're having a good day and you're being accurate because you can Dink and dunk you can throw a lot of screens you can throw a lot of shallow crosses and Slants and this and that but if you're putting it in in the right spot where your guy can catch and run and not have to adjust his body and he can make something happen with it in his hands then then that's fine you know that that's a good thing because then you're getting yards you're making first down staying on schedule so but I think that's something for sure you look at College offenses nowadays how many bubble screens can you throw how many just hitches can you throw like there there's a lot of those RPO aspects that are dinking dunk and they're an extension of the running game but if your guys can make plays with it after the fact because you're accurate with it there's a place for you in this game at the quarterback position yeah and and I definitely agree with that and I think a lot of times I I call him arm to all Americans uh tear down quarterbacks that that Dink and dunk because they play video games vertical passing games it's very attractive but they don't understand like a lot of things that have to go right to be accurate in the vertical passing game it's a lot you know what I'm saying like there is the Deep ball seems simple but it's difficult you know to just constantly tuck it down the field because if it's incomplete the clock stops and you could say really set your defense up if you trying to push the ball down the field and you coming up empty like that game becomes long for them because they're right back on the field no time really run out the clock um and I just feel like you said it in in your in your explanation like when you Dink and dunk it becomes an extension of the running game because you're still causing those D linemen to go like this they got everybody gota chase the ball chase the ball 100% yes yes you wear them out get them tired and all the while your defense is drinking Gatorade and just staying over on the bench which is a good thing and so you're you're totally right you got to you got to play the game and it's easy to say oh let's just take three shots and throw go routes maybe we'll get a pass interference on one of them or we'll hit one maybe but you could go two Series where you're 0 for six and punted twice and you've had the ball for 18 seconds like that's that doesn't benefit anybody yeah now absolutely right um you know so the 20 the 20072 2008 season you had some some Peaks and then injuries you know kind of hit you um how was that like for you when you know you're the starter and you get injured because I know I know you went through some um injuries your last year at UVA was that with your shoulder was that the last year yeah so it was my it was my throwing shoulder yes first game against Duke yeah so you know now you a pro you're a starter you having success you you're showing the potential why they traded for you but then you start battling injuries those two years if I could just jump forward like what changed from the 20087 2008 season versus the 2009 when you started every single game did you do something different with your body did like Tom Brady talks about his diet we know LeBron invest a lot of money in his body did you do anything differently That season compared to the two seasons prior why you you know remain healthy yeah I think there was a combination of things to be honest I think there was a a change in how I approached my offseasons especially the February March April the lead in those months were before the offseason conditioning program started with the team you know whether it was with my trainer and just working on strength and just working on development um and rehabbing you know making sure you know there's only there's a lot that the trainers can do but the weight room is also a way to really rehab injuries and you know I dealt with a shoulder or two and then a knee in 2008 Yes 2008 and those things you can help prevent further injury with the weight room and what you're doing from a strength perspective Plyometrics certain things and as well as diet and so and it was at that time where a lot of that stuff was really coming into Focus you know before that there wasn't a lot of study or science behind a lot of what you know now right I mean talking 15 plus years ago but now there's so much more information and so many more things that you can do away from the building at your home or third party Services whether it's you know the ice basss the cryotherapy the knee dry needling all these different things that had they been around 20 years ago man it would have been amazing yeah um the other thing luck luck played into it you know I didn't you you go playing and and injury the injury ratees 100% in the NFL we all know that and in football in general but you got to get lucky at some point where you just don't have that devastating injury you know and then in 2011 I ended up having one that derailed the last six weeks of the regular season for me or five weeks um but you know a lot of it there's so many factors into it um but also just knowing how to play through things how to manage things there's certain things that happen to you that you can play through certain things that man it's really hard to you try but whether it's the swelling or just whatever it is I remember playing through an ankle in 2009 the beginning the first uh month of the Season where I had a brace in my shoe and um you know all this tape and a spat like I had to get a size two bigger than my normal shoe I wear a 13 and I had to wear a size 15 on my left foot for a month of the Season just to be able to fit this cast that or not a cast but a brace around my ankle because I got a high ankle uh the third preseason game um of the of the preseason and just to be ready for week one you know I had to really do a lot to secure my ankle but you just learn how to manage things now that's that's great that's a great Segway because I was about to really talk about this 2009 season so now I got some more sauce to add to Hype up this season you was playing on one foot for at least a month you wearing a shoe that's too big and this is the season where you led the Texans to a nine- seven record the first winning winning record in team history you led the NFL the NFL in passing yards 4770 yards you led the NFL the NFL the greatest football league in America in the world in completions yards per game passing attempts you finish Fifth and touchdowns I think Drew Brees L him L it that year with like 38 um your quarterback rating was 98.6 you had nine games reaching at least 300 yards passing you were selected to the Pro Bowl um replacing Tom Brady a injury replacement and then you not only got to the Pro Bowl mat you kicked the door down and said let me get this MVP from talk about that 2009 season man that was a special season for the franchise and yourself because look Matt is very humble I gotta I gotta add stuff to it because you g see how ansers is he not gonna take a lot of credit but on one foot man how did you do it well that one foot was just for September right but it was and then everything felt better but I mean that season you know one thing going back to two th the lead up to that you know one thing that we know about that style offense that we ran from Denver in the San Francisco days is the Zone running scheme and one thing we struggled with for a couple years we didn't have much problem throwing the football with our weapons and the design of of our passing game but a lot of our play action while it worked wasn't as effective because we couldn't run the ball as well as we wanted to um a reason but that 2009 season we started to be effective running the ball we we got a young kid from West Virginia Steve Slayton who was tremendous Runner and then we had towards the end of that year um Arian Foster who burst onto the scene the last month of that season so we had Runners and our offensive line really coming together but there's a lot of factors that go into throwing being successful throwing the football yes as a quarterback you got to make good decisions put the ball where it's supposed to be you know find the open receiver all those things yes you got to operate the offense but when you have the weapons that we did and you know the offensive line that we had um to be able to give me time and protect because we didn't just drop back and throw it we had play actions we had bootlegs we had a lot of different things in our system um it was a trended group effort and with those things and the Pro Bowl and all that you know went with Andre Johnson and was able to throw him his first touchdown in the Pro Bowl in that game he had been three three or four times before that and never caught a touchdown so to be able to be in it and then hit him for a touchdown on a hitch and go you know that was pretty cool because he hadn't had one um but that season was a lot of fun we fell short we were in the running for a wild card spot that last game you know we we beat um gosh who did we beat that year I totally forget drawing a blank M Jacksonville I think maybe and you know if we had I think it was Cincinnati and the Jets were playing and we needed Cincinnati to win and and we got in or the Jets to win to beat Cincinnati to get in and it didn't happen for us so we were in a tie break and so we didn't get in but we were Now not no longer you know losing franchise we've created a winner and there was a lot of excitement from that our defense was coming around so all those numbers were great to answer your question but you're not GNA you're not I'm not going to fall for the Trap Hawk you know that hey man try to gave just gave me another opportunity you didn't beat Jacksonville you beat the Patriots January 3D 34 to 27 that's right I forgot because that was before I was thinking it was it was not until later that the last game of the season was a divisional opponent yeah so y actually end of that season because I always look at games shach y'all went 4 and0 those last four games y'all beat Seattle St Louis Miami and then the Patriots Patriots yep it was a good run that last end of that year that was a good run because it was like you said I mean if you finish nine and seven means we were five and seven going into the last month yeah with all the great stats and great things that were happening we still weren't finding a way to win yeah that's true but I just want to I just want want to continue this uh trend of giving Matt his flowers so y'all bear with me that season Matt threw for more yards and Peyton Manon who was second Tony Romo was third Aaron Rogers was fourth Tom Brady was Fifth and Drew Brees was sixth he had a better pass completion uh percentage than Tony Romo which we know because that's Tony Romo uh Aaron roders who was using one of the more accurate guys Tom Brady Ben rsbg Philip Rivers come on man juw that year was 70% but come on man that's how special That season was man come on and since we talking about special season I'mma skip to 2012 y'all went 12 and four that year we did and and I before we get there I gotta say though as good as that 2012 team was uhhuh that 2011 team okay when I get together with a lot of the guys I played with that 2011 team was even more special it really was you know we were better that year we all were back for 2012 but that 2011 team you know unfortunately for myself you know I got hurt you know after a week of 10 or 11 game against Tampa Bay but that team was something else our defense was really coming into focus and playing really really good JJ Watt was a rookie and he was starting to manhandle people um That season and um Andre was having a big Year everyone on our offense Aran was having a huge year yeah um but then it just got derailed and while we still finished and got in the playoffs won the division you know we lost in the divisional round but that 2012 so 2012 there was a lot of expectations naturally after what we did as a team in 2011 um we weren't sneaking up on anybody anymore you know we were a pre you know we were that you know lzy kind of preseason pick to make some noise in the AFC um so we were getting everyone's Best Shot which in the NFL you do anyway but there's still some of that week to week where you might have a let down in but we weren't getting that we were getting everyone's best shot and I'm and I'm glad you brought up 2011 because just looking back on that season um the team went 10 to six but Dre played just seven games it looks like I mean but your running game where Aaron Foster and Ben Tate Aaron had 1224 10 touchdowns bent Tate had 942 and four touchdowns that defense was ranked uh second overall so like you said the defense was coming to their own so I understand why you went back to that fourth in the league and points um given up which is huge I always say my the first thing I look at for a defense is points how many points a game a defense give up because you know you give up yards but if I'm not giving up six and I'm making you settle for a field goal or I'm getting a Red Zone turnover like that that can be more demoralizing than anything so I'm glad you brought up that 2011 season and you you talked about JJ Watt like what was it like just seeing a guy like that enter in the locker room and play defense the way that he did well yeah I mean for him because when we drafted him he was a relative unknown to to the guys in the locker room you know the people upstairs that do all their scouting and do their work obviously they did their home and knew what knew what JJ was about but for us as a team we just knew okay we're getting a defensive lineman that's cool that's great because we know the games are the games are won in the trenches offensively and defensively but we didn't know this the impact that he was going to have you know we're like all right great we have a hole on the interior of our defense and put him with the likes of a Dem o Ry a Brian Cushing Conor barwin on the edge Mario Williams at the time you know with the secondary you know put him into that puzzle great we got a big guy on the inside but then halfway through that 2011 season just to see his strength and how that rookie wall that people hit he was busting down that wall like it wasn't it wasn't keeping him from being successful and he was just continued to ascend and you could see what he ended up becoming at that time but it was really after that season when he really transformed like whatever he did when he went back to Wisconsin to train and I mean he came back a totally different human um from a physicality standpoint and just the what he looked like which a credit goes to him because he just saw what he was able to do and he wasn't going to be Deni the next level so it was cool to really see that come to be and how he took pride in that because we all benefited from his tremendous play yeah and I you said a name that a lot of people probably just kind of just let pass by Mario Williams when he was coming out of NC State and the buzz he had can you just talk about like just seeing him in practice with his just his athletic gifts as well for sure uh you know my last year at Virginia in 203 That season we played at NC State and he was a freshman and you know we he was hard to miss because he's 66 and he at the time he was probably only like 240 250 pounds but he was a very imposing figure like if you wanted to throw a hitch or a slant to his side you had to navigate his arms and trying to block block it and um at that time you didn't really know what he was going to be as a freshman but you saw the physical gifts that he had yeah and then when I got traded and he was just picked in 2006 the year before man I think at that time now he's like 285 290 just a specimen coming off of the edge and you know you you really guys like that guys like Mario JJ I played against a couple of dn's in Indianapolis Robert mathys and Dwight freeny they're guys that you have to game plan for you have to when you think about the Run game or you think about the pass protections that's the first thing you think about how are we going to block this how are we going to turn protections how are we going to handle these players and because they're game Wreckers and Mario could be a game wrecker on any G on any given day and so the physical gifts he has and guys like that have they're special so why I have you here and I know you know we gota still gota talk about some UVA football um just reflecting on your Texans career like you got a lot of major records whether it's career wins pass completions um pass attempts in a single season the list goes on and on on all the records that you had but the one record that jumped out to me that a lot of fans don't know 527 yards November 18th which is one day for my wife's birthday November 19th 2012 versus Jacksonville that's the that's the division of four right yeah see that's special 43 of 55 that's 7 78% completion rate 527 yards we not gonna think you dinking and dunking so 78% is really good take me back to to November 18 2012 527 yards did you feel like you do for that many yards when you was eating pregame did you know you was gonna goow for that many yards what did Dre say to you before the game for you to throw for that many yards take me back to that day if you can cuz that's second most passing yards in NFL history no van brockland 554 yard so it had to be a penalty of something to take some yards away from because I know you really broke it but it was aen I wish I could say that I wish I could say that but no I think that was legit number you know when you're playing the game and you know this like you don't really know what's happening you just know what the score is right you just know you got to score more you got we found ourselves in a shootout against Jacksonville they had their quarterback got hurt and Chad Henning came in and started lighting us up with I forget what receiver they had they started they hit a couple plays big pass plays so we found ourselves in a dog fight and we needed to put points on the board and we were able to run the ball efficiently but we were really getting some big yards in the passing game and we came out and we hit Andre three straight plays the first drive of the game and got us down in the red zone and then I hit uh one of our backup receivers kesan Martin for the touchdown but um you just when you get in the floor of the game you really don't know from week to week what it's going to take to win and we just found ourselves in this one of those games where we had to throw it in order to win and we we liked what we had in their secondary to to go against and to attack and we had a good beat on what they were running coverage wise and Gary kubia called with an awesome game for us and you know put us in a position to be successful when you have a guy like Andre Johnson who I think he ended up having 273 yards that day and had a walkoff you know wide receiver screen against the Blitz in overtime to win it and that was that was back before these overtime rolls now that was when it was still 15 minutes yeah so we played and that happened with like two minutes left in the H overtime so we nearly played five quarters of football that day um but yeah you just make plays and then you look up and I remember being in the locker room after the game we were all dog tired we just played just played like 74 minutes of football um and and that's when whether it's a media guy or one of your um reporters they'll let you know what the stats were what you did and that's when it hit me I'm like man we did pretty good today you know we knew we were happy because we won but the numbers it's like wow really second all time like that was surprising just to you hear 500 yards because it didn't feel like it if I knew Andre had more than 200 that was pretty obvious because I knew we you know we hit some go routes some deep in cuts and then obviously the the 50 yard screen to win the game but it was just cool to to Come Away with a win the funny thing about that we played in overtime on Sunday against the Jaguars we followed it up that Thursday on Thanksgiving Day with a 1100 a.m. kick against Detroit we were in Detroit so four days later we find ourselves playing Detroit on Thanksgiving day and we ended up going into overtime with them oh wow and we kicked a game-winning field goal with like a minute left in overtime so we essentially played 10 quarters of football in four and a half days um so we deserved that that weekend off after that Thanksgiving game but um yeah I mean that Jacksonville game it was a lot of fun just really cool to have my name up there with with a guy like Norm van brockland and I think Warren Moon up there I just want I need some tape of that nor van brocking game to see what he did to get 550 whatever yards because that's pretty impressive n man it's like will Chambers a 100 game right just we know what happened but we know hey I just want to again reiterate um so out of the top 25 single regular season passing games you have the highest completion rate of a quarterback doing at least 50 passes 78.2 because Joe burrow had 46 attempts and he completed 80% when he threw for 525 and Ben in 81.6 but he attempted 49 passes so we got him by one pass so keep us number one I mean you're on the list with Boomer and Warren Moon Dan Marino Tom Brady Phil Sims like I mean to be number two overall man like if if so people can say anything they want about masch out but to be top two as far as passing yards in a single game in this great League called The National Football League it's a huge accomplishment and if they look at what you accomplish as a Houston Houston Texans quarterback it's phenomenal man most career game winning drives 14 most four quarter comebacks most 400 yard passing games in the career 300 yard passing games consecutive passing yard like consecutive 300 yard passing games like most wins is the most important of course right and um I I do want to Petty Hawk want to ask you a question were you were you still in the team where Andre turn into etern green versus that DB I ain't GNA say his name because oh heck yeah that was one was that was like of all the plays that Andre made in the passing game you know our wide receivers had to block a lot and he did a good job he embraced that part of the game but I remember it was a run going to the right so I'm going to hand off and he's on the left yeah and I remember carrying out my fake you know you got to sell the fake like you still have it for the backside and coming around and and he is just throwing Haymakers at courland finnean on the backside and that was just that in theal so we battles yeah hold on I think we having some technical difficulties right quick let me see Matt can you still hear me hold on there we go we back so what were you saying uh it was you say it was years in making with those yes so obviously Tennessee is a divisional rival of ours and we had some major battles with their defense and you know we were taking care of him pretty good that day and so it was just brewing this thing we had a scuffle on our sideline in Tennessee earlier that season involving Corin finnean and and he was he was a talker and he was a player you wanted to have on he liked when he was on your team because he played hard and he got under your skin he tried to get you off your game but when you were going against him he you did not like him you didn't at all and so it was just and Andre's a Qui natured guy obviously great player but he doesn't say a lot doesn't talk a lot he just lets his play speak and obviously he had enough because I came off and he just ripped his helmet off a couple hay ACR my whole concern was we played The Eagles I believe the following week and you know we know that they they got both got thrown out gonna get fined we just wanted to make sure that he was available for the following game which he he ended up being because I was like I can't I don't want to have to go with without my guy yeah can you imagine that today though they they probably suspending them for a couple games like today's climbing the scene it would it would be more than like a $20,000 fine and getting TOS out for sure and yes nowadays that those things are you know they they rule with an iron fist on things like that now but then again though Andre has a very good track record High character guy so I think guys like that do get the benefit of Doubt as they should yeah he was always he always went about the game the right way cuz you know being a former receiver I always hate when they call receivers Divas cuz I always point out dudes like Andre Johnson like a Calvin Johnson like uh Larry Fitzgerald Reggie way like the list Marvin Harrison like I think it's more levelheaded receivers than the diva receivers because I like to throw shots at y'all quarterbacks too like rers you know a Rogers a diva like quarterbacks can be Divas Brett f a diva great player you know I don't think Patrick Mahomes is a diva quarterback I think he just competes but yeah you know everybody every got Diva know it it it it takes one or two that spoil the bunch right and give a bad rap for the bunch and it's usually the loudest or the one that makes the most noise and you know things like that but yeah I mean there's going to be a little diva you got to have a little ego right but when it starts affect when it when it when it starts affecting the team and then the output of your play or people around you's play or the building you know how the locker room how it is if once you start tearing that down there's no reconcile in that right and so but everyone's got to have a little ego I mean that's we're all alpha males out there playing it with the best game in the world and so but you can't just let that affect everything else yeah I always feel like no matter how loud a player is the play has to still be louder so if you gonna talk loud which is fine you gotta understand your play better m match that noise or either the fans gonna hold you accountable or your opponent gonna definitely hold you accountable and the last person you won't holding you accountable as your coach because that mean you might be out of there so you know it's fine to be loud but your play should be always be the loudest thing that speaks for you at the end of the day question um but yeah man I just I just wanted to really really like give you your flowers for the time you spent with the Texans um I do feel like we talked about this on air and you might can speak to this you were actually blessed to play with receivers who mimic how you approach the game as far as and we talked about Divas like you didn't have Diva receivers that were very boisterous and get me the damn ball how was that for you as a quarterback to not have to really go through those in the public you know you may go through things at practice that's normal but as far as like publicly you never had the dealing with the receiver openly saying I need to get the ball or having offseason issues you know very fortunate um but I that credit you know guy like Andre Johnson who we've been talking about you know with setting that tone because he was the guy in that room for the Houston Texans and everyone they came in there you just have to look at him how he could conducts himself and conducts his business right and if he's not like that none of those other guys have any reason to be like that and if they are they get found out and you're not there and that's credit to our head coach too because he's not bringing in guys that are like that but when you're super stars aren't like that no one else has an excuse to be like that you know so he was all about the team and whatever took there were games where Andre would catch three or four balls they might be three or four for 80 yards but Aran runs for 230 you know and we have you know Owen Daniels go for 90 like we have other guys and he's just happy that we win um because he's gonna get his catches guys like that they don't have to say hey I'm open or go to the coach call plays for me to get the ball we're trying to get you the ball that that is our game plan and it just so happens sometimes the ball might not find you um but if you're griping moaning complaining that that just that just festers on the sideline other players see that and then they start doing it and they think it's okay but when you don't have that and you have guys that like Andre and like you know I was when I my last five years I was with the Atlanta Falcons Julio Jones is another guy that's like that that just wants to win and he doesn't care he's gonna get his catches he doesn't have to come over to to Matt Ryan or to the coach and say give me the ball throw it to me like we're trying we we want to and when it comes to the fourth quarter we got to make plays guess what going it's coming to you like you don't need to have that when you have guys like that that are not like that because young guys are gonna end up emulating what they see from your stars yeah and I think that right I never thought about that's the greatest comeback I think you could tell the a receiver is like hey man y'all trying to get like give me the ball and you just don't you think we trying like you you don't think I'm TR to I could only imagine man like being a quarterback and receiver's like Hulk give me the ball man like what you doing and I just look at him oh so you think I'm not trying to get my best dude football like what we what we talking about right now and there's only one ball and there's five eligible receivers like look I'm trying to throw it to the open guy based on what the defense is doing so and a lot of times a lot of for the folks at home a lot of times when you line up as a receiver and you know the play call you've gone over coverage and who probably who's going to be the first read and who should get the ball and as you take your step if they roll it like I went from Priority to damn like everybody that got that feeling where they they give it's bump and you give something and you went off you went off the line of scrimmage and you stack and you see the sa just roll over top like God you know what I'm saying like so a lot of times I I I'll give reer some Grace A lot of times that body language they see from a receiver sometimes it's not in the court but sometimes it's like damn keep rolling the coverage over here and I can't get the ball now it can be so misconstrued right everyone thinks like he's bad at the quarterback because he didn't get the ball well no there's a lot of other things that play he might be tired he might be he might be just frustrated at the coverage like there's a lot of those things and that just goes to announcers or cameras or people's assuming the wrong things the viewers because they don't know they never played Receiver right they're not like you that you know know what the game in totality and you know there's a lot that goes into it so just not let's not create a feud where there's not one yeah so man you really good at this you don't realize how many alley you throwing me right now to segue you just said a lot of people don't know or announcers don't know speaking of announcers on June 5th 2024 it was announced that Matt sha along with myself will be joining the UVA broadcast crew this season how excited are you to get in the booth and talk football or Wahoo fan man I I'm thrilled I can't I next Saturday can't get here fast enough right I mean I got all my stuff out here I've been watching film and researching and just making sure I'm all my p's and q's for next Saturday but I'm thrilled I couldn't be more excited to join youu Hawk and you know just knowing how much you know about the game and the team and just you know we relate to one another you know I was fortunate to watch you and your last two years at in Uva when I was a Youngster and just trying to find my way around grounds and you were that veteran that was very helpful to me so thrilled to be alongside you and John Freeman and just start a new chapter and you know find my way in this world and of radio or T and broadcasting and so I'm really excited about it for the for the fans who don't know um your transition uh you do radio also in Atlanta area as well correct I do I hav really I haven't done a broadcast this will be my first go around doing live games but I've done Studio radio and uh call-ins and things of that nature so I'm not foreign to that side of it um but the the live game action this will be uncharted waters but exciting nonetheless hey man you you you had to dodge the white freeny and Robert Mattis wow I mean you humble but let me tell some brother you won't be getting concussed if you take too long to deliver the ball radio why I know that you you'll be next to me so if I do it's because you gave me a little elbow like cutting need me to shut up man you hey we we had a a a practice run through at at the first scrimmage I thought you did a very a very good job man like this my first year in the booth as well I filled in for Tony covin one time in 2019 for the UNCC game but even that um it's going to be you know it's a learning process because we both respect the craft U we just not taking that for granted uh but why we talking about UVA football right now so today we're recording this on Saturday uh August 24th which is like Matt said one week before they take uh the field versus the Richmond Spiders at 6 PM uh it was just released so we ain't got to speculate anymore number 10 Anthony kandra has been named the star ing quarterback for the University of Virginia what's your your thoughts on young Anthony kandra I really like his game um going back to last season him filling in as a as a freshman as a true freshman first year player stepping in into that role when Tony musket got hurt I felt he he did a great job as a freshman um you know he is a wow factor about him he's very athletic can break when plays break break down he can make something happen outside the pocket and he is the athleticism to then gain guards yards in the running game um so I like what he brings to the table from an explosive a aspect you know in the pass and the run the one thing we have to guard against is some of the mistakes and some of the decisions you know when a play breaks down it's okay to throw it away it's okay to you know live to fight another down and not force the ball and I think that's what we're looking for in his second year is that growth and that maturity and when we did the scrimmage we saw some of that we saw checking it down we saw some throwaways we saw some plays break down run I think now it there might be more of a effort to protect himself run it get the first down run out of get out of bounds slide you know it's a long year but I'm really excited about Anthony kandra and what he brings to the team a lot of Moxy a lot of energy you know he loves he loves playing the game and it it just shows in practice it shows in everything he does so I'm really excited about about it I think it was a close race when you look at the summer and all the tape from camp and I think for Tony Elliott um I'm kind of speaking for him but I think this is a good decision for him if it's close going with the young guy younger guy with the wow factor and now that gives him three years to really just explode and and take the Reigns of this this team and this program so I think it's in good hands going forward so I'm really excited about Anthony kandria yeah I definitely agree with you I'm glad I got you on the show today to because you can speak for it personally after I left in 200000 you got a new head coach coach Al gr comes in Mike Gro comes you know his son and you have a quarterback competition yourself and Bryon spinner um because the previous year when Dan got injured uh I remember the fir he got injured versus I want to say what game was it Dan had all those passing yards it wasn't Maryland when he heard his hamstring that year was it I forgot what year but I only so I want to say this it's it's a two- layer question I'm instead of me trying to remember when Dan got hurt could you imagine yourself in 1999 coming in as a true freshman coach was was still the coach and coach tranqu was off asive coordinator trying to run the offense and then secondly how is it when there a competition like it was when you were in spinner just never knowing if you're G to start and when you gonna get pulled out type situation yeah for your first question you know as a as a in 1999 as a first year no I could not have exp expected you know how that would have went um there was a lot of things with the offense and just terminology and just running the operation just trying to get out of the Huddle you know obviously if I had to play I would have had the practice and the Reps and all of that but would have been a different situation so could I can't imagine how that would have went and you know I feel like it would have been okay but actually ran that year I knew I was yeah that year I knew I was red shirting and I was you know he signal back then and I was the dummy signal caller so I was just over there just making all sorts so to then have to go in it it would have been a different beast but going to the the competition like you said the um 2001 season me and Bryson spinner we were the same year and he played a little bit the year prior Y in a game or two in 2000 and had some success and then we went in when Al Gro came in and we had a full out competition between me and him to be the starter and um I ended up starting the first game that year against Wisconsin um which went side we had like a two-hour lightning delay something like that um but didn't go great for us um I remember Antoine wack hit him on a screen pass he went 80 and it was called back man it was and that was early in the game um but we ended up just going back and forth that whole year Bryson and I and it changed who was starting you know sometimes it changed in the middle of the game and not necessarily for negative play it was just it was a back and forth thing and we both brought things to the offense U that were slightly different from the other but um you know after that year Bryson ended up transferring and then I ended up being the guy um the next two years um but then I ended up getting benched the first game of the 2002 season um and Marcus Hagin good friend of mine ended up playing quarterback for the whoos after I departed in 2003 but then I came back in a game later and you know went on to play but then got hurt I think it was something about the first game of every season then in 2003 the first Drive of the game against Duke and there's a lot of hype around our team and we're on the goal line and get hit from behind and separate my throwing shoulder so I end up missing two games for that um but then coming back to play so there's a lot of adversity and that's one thing this game will teach you whether you're in a competition for the job yeah um which always makes you better it makes you and the other guy and those around you I think better because they see how hard you're working as a quarterback to to win the job from the other guy and vice versa right it makes everyone better but at the same time whether it's that or injuri is like man you go through adversity in this game and it's whoever handles that those hard times better that that last and can come out of it and whether it's win football games or be successful or whatever it makes you better right and that's that's football and that's life right I mean that's just a slight little bit of advice for everyone out there man we go through a versity it's it's how you handle it better than the other person and and how you can handle it better yourself um you that's that's the way I approach some of those hard times I love it so how all right you're a quarterback so I'm G ask you how does the rotation of two quarterbacks truly affect the team because everybody always it's always a question and I I look at fans what they say so I'm using them to provide questions to you so you can answer our fan base because this is something and granted we don't have to deal with now because we're not running a two quarterback system like everybody thought when they heard a sound bite from coach but you just said you might get switched out during the game does that affect the team seeing that it's two quarterbacks running in and out in your opinion it really does you know it really does because then you have multiple voices you have some sometimes there's different I'm not saying specifically in the case when I was playing in Virginia but depending on what type of system you're running you can have different play calls you can have a different basically offense depending on who's in the game and that that can affect certain guys demeanor Right For Better or Worse shouldn't but it's human nature that if you're a more of a running quarterback and you're going to run the rpos or Zone read stuff man wide receivers might get a little dejected that there's a change versus someone that's going to throw it more like that is a reality of the the thing as far as the player and the the quarterback position yeah it can affect you absolutely you know because then you're looking over your shoulder you're wondering if I make a bad decision or I throw an in completion like it could be something as simple as you made the right read but you made a bad throw am I coming out and then you don't you can't really cut it loose and and and play to your capability because you're wondering you're hesitant you're tense you're just all of those things and that affects your ability to make split-second decisions and and play fast and that's that's the reality of it you don't want that to be the case and I think those that go through things like that that can handle it better handle it the right way and approach it from a what can I do better and push them themselves then you you'll be able to weather that storm and your teammates will appreciate you more for that but it it can affect the whole thing and that's what you want to avoid I think as a player but as a coach too you want to not have that situation no I I I definitely agree with that um because I always because I never played quarterback and I never really got caught up in the position when I played I just worried about me but when you just say about the receivers that's when it hit me like I see a certain quarterback coming in there I'm like hold on man he ain't gonna throw him he ain't gonna throw me the damn well just like I think I was watching some preseason football the other day because nothing was else else was on and yeah want to watch preseason but just case in point like take the New Orleans Saints right and over the last few years even Drew Brees last few years right they had TM Hill's a g type of guy he's like a running back that can throw a little bit play quarterback in college he's coming in the game for a specific package right is there's no quarterback controversy there but if you see him coming in the game on first first and 10 chances are it's a running play yeah now there might be taken one once in a blue moon a play action because they know you you're thinking it's a run play so they're going to try and get a safety to bite up and throw it down the field but more or less he's going to run the football so as a receiver here we go again I got a block but you know they occasionally they do throw but there's no quarterback controversy there yeah n you exactly right I'm so 1997 I was getting some starts here and there but I was still young I was a true firstman so and ab and Jermaine got got a great relationship and of course Jermaine's our best receiver so look for Jermaine I remember versus Floyd State we losing and Dan come in and I perk up like oh he always like we freshman together I'm like oh D gonna look for me and lo and behold that's how I scor because I knew they ain't gonna look for me but you probably spent so much time throwing with him he knows you he knows you're your your route running and so there's a natural connection there right no that's a great Point man um man you really just really just open my eyes to something that was right there in my face the whole time that I never responded when it came to two quarterbacks like how do you feel about it because look man like when you when you're the starter G talk about position that should be showcas this year that we saw firsthand tight ends as a quarterback you got tight ends that are pass catchers what's that Dynamic like for you as a quarterback I mean it's huge I mean look going back to my Wahoo days I mean Heath Miller having a guy like that and he was a former quarterback right so he knew the quarterback's eye so he knew how to get open he had a sense of timing but his ability to use his frame and his body and and was just remarkable and um was such a great security blanket and the guys that the Wahoo brought in this year um from the portal I think that just watching them in practice I think that they're being more productive than in in last year at the tight end position you know which I think garnered you know something like 12 catches right and yeah I think that that whole position should do far better than that um but I I love the the skill players and the weapons that the Cavalier offense has and those tight ends will be a a prominent part of it I can't say what can't speculate what their numbers will be but if they're going to be productive and I like what they bring there's a sense of physicality on the edge in the Run game for each of them but also they can get out and be productive in the pass game and be a nice security blanket for Anthony candria with that he doesn't have to feel like he has to make every play with his legs when it breaks down he can look underneath or in the middle of the field and find some reliable tight ends and running backs to be able to get the ball to yeah and you know couple more questions I'm going get you up out of here I want to ask you again because I love to pick a quarterback's brain and um Dez kitchens offensive scheme um what are do you feel the benefits of utilizing two tight ends versus these nickel defenses that a lot of colleges run today right and well you said it given the style of offenses that are being run most defensive coordinators are running a nickel defense with five DBS predominantly the whole game those just send him out there and stay with it and then they might even go into a dime package with six DBS on a passing situation just to bring more um cover guys in the game but if you're able to run sets with two tight ends two receivers and one back or even two tight ends and two running backs one receiver if you're able to do that and do it effectively in the run and the pass and still throw it and be efficient man that's so dynamic because now you have those big body guys be going against DB type bodies or even smaller linebacker bodies and that's a mismatch in favor of an offense and then you can run the football where you've got these extra blockers blocking 180 190 pound DBS like that's that's a win for the offense and you really can control the tempo you can control the line of scrimmage in the game when you can be effective in both facets of the game offensively with multiple tight ends even you know and Virginia and I've been around places in the league where you have three tight ends and when you can still run it and throw it in that set man you can be dangerous because how are you going to match it and then you might teams then are like well we got to go to a base defense and take the nickel out put a linebacker and well this linebacker might not have played but a handful of snaps All Season Ball's snapped and he doesn't he's unsure of what to do um so it creates a lot of it's that chess match between coordinators that what do we do with our personnel and how are you're going to treat certain tight ends because there is a something where some tight ends are more wide receivers case point the Atlanta Falcons which I was with them on staff last year Kyle pittz well he's labeled as a tight end but he lines up as a wide receiver probably 70% of the time because that's his physical traits as being a pass catcher so teams are going to put an extra DB um out there but they're they're not as nervous about the Run game so you can really play that game when you have a formidable TI end group with your personnel it gives you the flexibility to do a lot of different things yeah and I and I think you hit on a lot of things that very educational for the listeners um especially when you talk about going to tight ends because I think a lot of people don't realize it's reversed now like when we were coming up you had your base and then the nickel was coming in and was sparingly but it was I gotta either I'm covering or I'm just playing short zone so it's that transition is a little easier because it's like they ain't worri about setting the edge but now if you running basically nickel and I come out in a big group and you put that linebacker in there he's he hasn't been in that spot because majority the time they're displaced so he hasn't been practicing displaced he's been practicing mostly in the Box cuz M you're running a 425 it's two linebacker positions so now if you want to take that nickel out and you put a true linebacker in there he's not only hasn't gotten a lot of reps period but now he's displaced he's you know he's playing you know the difference between the split because if you putting the H out there now one thing I do love about 12 Personnel people that don't know that's one back two tight ends if you're balanced meaning tight ends on both sides three-point stands majority of the time you you may have a check with me if it's a Zone because I'm looking like all right where's the one technique I I probably got Advantage running to the one versus the three because the three can really just stay outside shoulder where the one Technique we could wash down get to the next level and I feel like to me that's advantage of running 12 if you want to utilize the Run game which coach WS always wanted to do was stop this line of scrimmage we coming downhill at you but in Ace which is 12 you usually gonna say strength is to the field right so you see a lot of teams just run to the boundary yeah because you bring that you you said it there if you bring that tight extra linebacker in there when it offense is 12 Personnel that linebacker depending on what coverage you're going to run is going to be a box player if you're going to play a single high safety and bring a safety down to the field to play coverage because there's a lot of space on the college field with where the hashes are to the field there's so much space there that that's a lot for a linebacker to cover if you're going to play as Zone coverage so you're going to bring a sky safety down to fill in that well now you have a single safety defense it means you're one-on-one on the receivers outside and that for a quarterback makes your read so much easier you can just pick your one-on-one route and go to work with your receivers so you're going to bring they're going to bring that safety down for run support well now you might be light or you might have an advantage going running the ball the other way so that's again that's just some of the Dynamics of the chess match that you you play offensive coordinator defensive coordinator if you do want to stay too high in your your defense with two safeties deep well now you now you put the that linebacker he has to cover a lot of space yeah a that's that's a great Point man and this is the X and the O this is a preview of the mind that you guys will be hearing during the games like Matt's mind is like I I mean real talk like I'm not just saying this because you know former team ain't my brother but when we were doing the run through and you were just filling in the blanks from with John's call I just like wow I'm seeing the game from a a huge lens now because quarterbacks you guys have to see everything like we could be selfish in position groups I just have to know my job then as you get better you want to know all the moving Parts because it just helps especially as a DB it just helps of playing games playing in between routes I know as a receiver you got to at least know coverage in your route and help a brother out like if it's cover two I can't take no inside release if I know an arrow is coming out I need to force outside I need to get this corner eyes on me so he won't get hit in the mouth because this should be the throw right you know now if you selfish you'll go inside now they didn't cover both of us prob get subed out yeah and your buddy's probably going to be on his back with with his helmet turned backwards cuz the corner just leveled him but you're so right man and and I I know going through that mock broadcast like it was so cool to like for me and you like our role like feeding off of what John's doing the play byplay but us just finding our way way to convey information to the The Listener and I think that's going to be the art and the cool part about what our objectives are and to give the listener paint that picture because it's so hard and that's something I found and I don't know if you really can relate and you've done enough you've done more than I have in this space but remembering that we're on radio and that the viewer can't the viewer I just did it there The Listener has no idea what went on on the field they can't see it so for us to be able paint that picture and listening to your comments and when we were doing it I was like man like that's such a good job to be able to do that and and paint that picture in a small window of time from the play ending to then getting it back to John to be able to tee up the next play and I think that's the thing that you know just listening back to it because we recorded it and listening to other games that have taken place since then just that's where just being able to take that knowledge and that information and say it in a 5-c window and hope that the offense isn't going up Tempo so that we can say it because that's the other thing is like oh we got to shut up because we need They're Going Up Tempo yeah I mean John the star man like John drives the vehicle he's the voice for a reason um yep and our job is just I always say he he he creates the picture and then we just paint it you know make it vividly and again you playing a quarterback position all the all the conversations we had on the sideline with with ourselves because with coaches they always had to drive race board so they drawing but if you think about anytime we interact as a receiver DB and we saying hey what you see we visual people so I'll explain hey man safy coming off the ha he standing right there so just put it in the D area but on air we have to explain the D area is between 12 to 15 yards from the line of we gotta add that you know what I'm saying because we have to say you know speak it as if somebody's never listened to football before and I think do a great job of just really breaking that Dynamic down that's why it was fun just when a quarterback makes a great play and it's like man I want to hear what a quarterback got to say about that that exchange because me I'm just looking at the guy get open hey we got the balls receiver we oh man and I I know how I can see it already Malachi Fields is wide open throw it down like you just you're I know that that former receiver might come out I got better over the years though I usually look you know saying like I'm looking like yeah they bringing pressure he ain't gonna see Mal like a lot of times selfishly when I play like dog I'm open but then Dan used to do this to me shout out to Dan Ellis Dan used to always say come here like you know the the off days Hulk come here remember you was fussing at me about look look what I got to see and I'd be like oh all right my bad know somebody triggering they they got the passport wrong so they did did uh they didn't ran a game and you know was like oh yeah I a see that Dan you right well let me ask you this hul because I know being that you played wide receiver you play corner right you know those two areas of the field for the Virginia Cavaliers man which what are you most excited to see come next Saturday the wide receiver group or for the defensive back group you know coming out of fall Camp starting the year which one get like which one are you saying I can't wait to watch this group so all right I'mma give you my my like my fan like a the fan of me cannot wait to see our receiver crew like just I can't wait to see TR Harris in a live game I think it could be special um with Malachi with CH Tyreek what's s Daren Harrison like we got a a really good group so the fan of me is like can't wait to see those guys just be dynamic that the analyst side of me and like the coaching side of me really is intrigued with the corners because I felt like they could cover better and we could get more pressure again I just felt like last year we had to play a lot of zone so the fan side of me wants to see those guys playing receiver man just go crazy because I really feel like they could be Dynamic um like I mean and you even talked about the receivers like what what what have you seen from them what you saw you know i' I'm very fired up for this wide receiver group top to bottom when you look at the the newcomers coming in the trell Harris the Chris Tyrie and you know I know Green hasn't gotten a lot of time during camp and B but he's you know I've seen him the last few days and just between him and Trail like their their explosion off the ball and be able to like just threaten a defense um to go with Malachi and what he brings and what he's became last season like that group pair that with Anthony kandre and his ability to throw the football but also extend plays outside the pocket and have a scramble drill where those guys can find soft spots and coverage like it like it makes me like want to put the helmet pack on and play like have group like that like and they all bring certain talents right guys play on the outside got guys that can play on the inside and they can run different routes they're not just go route Runners they're just not little Choice route Runners like they all have a unique skill set that fil fits the offense like I'm really excited to see that come to fruition and what they're going to become as a team this year n I'm definitely excited and it's amazing man because you play with Alvin Perman Kobe reminds me of Alvin like a sense of he's just as good as a pass catcher as he is a runner yeah that's something you see they put him in routes though put him in the back field and you know run a seam route to the field you know I've seen that a number of times in practice and even in going back last season during games like he's not just a check down Runner he's a guy that you can run routes with and you can run him out of the back field or go to empty and put him in a slot like he can do certain things and he's Dynamic that way and I'm I'm definitely intrigued by the wide or excuse me the running back group and and how that plays out and the the Reps and Carries and watch that offensive line because we both played enough football we know that ultimately the gamees won in the trenches yeah and with the defensive line the Cavaliers getting healthy and their ability to stop the run and also create pressure because we know on both sides of the football getting sacks and preventing sacks were kind of an Achilles heel for the team and if they can offensively prevent sacks and keep in upright and defensively if they can really assault the pocket and get the other team's quarterback uncomfortable um I think we're going to see a big year for the defensive line and that will in turn like we were just talking about the DBS that'll create some opportunities to get their hands on the football definitely man my last question for you just gonna be a tough question oh dear because I know the fans gonna want to we you know we I don't mess with this group because I ain't playing this group and they too too big to to piss off so if the offensive line is struggling you as a former quarterback you was you was a analyst for the the Falcons last year so you really got to dive into the nuances of just everything football what can help alleviate a issue at the offensive line as as far as like being the play caller what can you do if you can't protect protect the quarterback was it something what's one thing you can do to help with that situation yeah there's well I'll give you two things I'll give you a little extra credit all right one thing one thing do some quick game you know get get the ball out of the quarterback's hand whether it's screens or just three-step drops get it out of his hands get a rhythm get some confidence up with that offensive line whoever it is or whatever is giving them problems if it's a you know stud defensive line that you're going against just get it get the ball out you know move it um the other thing move the pocket you can run some play action really stops those guys some some hard play action downhill but also some bootlegs you know just get the quarterback moving I from college to the NFL ever where I've been if you call a keep we call it a keeper or a bootleg you call that the offensive line and they just have a sigh of relief in the Huddle it's like their favorite play because they're just elephant on Parade either to the left or to the right just faking the run and then the quarterback boots out so their job is super easy on those plays and so it's a breather um those are the two things I'd say that really takes some pressure off of them because you if a line's struggling it's hard to just sit there five and step seven step drop the dline knows that quarterback's going to be at seven or eight yards in the back field and they're going to hold it for three seconds that's not good if your line struggling so get the ball out of their hands quick move the pocket those two things can really help the o line all right man we need to create that that that stamped we need to call the Boot so they could get happy I never thought of that that is true we had some games man like like we mentioned the Indianapolis Colts when Dwight Frey and Robert Mattis are on those edges and our tackles Dwayne Brown and Eric Winston both great players still that was like a week they didn't sleep very much I didn't sleep very much that week but we got that first that that script that first that we call it their first and second down calls to start the game and three out of the first five plays are bootlegs those guys are like all right I can sleep good Saturday night because I know coming out of the gates I just have to you know just get in the way I don't have to sit there and try and anchor down and block these guys early in the game so you know do that put a couple of those in there and it can really let those offensive lineman settle in and get their feel love it man well Matt man I appreciate your time man appreciate the knowledge um I definitely wanted to celebrate your NFL career and you thought you was slick he didn't let y'all know in 20202 when he was given the Reigns he was first team all ACC and the ACC Player of the Year as well so yeah I ain't gonna let him get away with it and his was retired at UVA as well number seven that's really retired I know I know Tony wer it but it's retired man you got it all man no Hawk I appreciate it man it was fun to be on your show and you know I'm really looking forward to to being in the booth with you and chopping it up and talking Cavalier football and hopefully we'll celebrate a whole bunch of wins up there yes sir so oh before we before we get out of here man anything you want to say to the fans on believe in Virginia the floor is yours oh man like like kind of like I just said I'm super excited to be you know part of the Cavalier experience on Saturdays and and join you in the booth and looking forward to being in Charlottesville for the first game against the Richmond Spiders and and I think later in the season for the North Carolina Tar Hill game and um I'm just super excited I'm I'm so glad to be back a part of more about the Virginia Cavalier program and just looking forward to a great year Well we appreciate the time that's my man Matt sha today on believe in Virginia run the show back as many times you want make sure you subscribe on all major podcast platforms and make sure you uh visit believe.com bav it's right there on the screen but if you listening go look at the uh video version YouTube the ball Haw Show podcast myself Matt sha you're he us next Saturday on Virginia sports radio network with the voice John Freeman until next time we out of here