Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri (2024 Big South-OVC Football Media Day)

we are good just if you want to start off some general thoughts on on how you feel about this upcoming season yeah I'm super excited you know we got a a team that's really jelling together bonding well you know guys are going out enjoying summertime so it's it's just been a really fun group to play with and I think guys are very hungry you know as you should be coming off the season we had so it's a it's a different atmosphere you know over here at simos so I'm I'm really excited for that all right let's go into some questions we got Luke from KFVS first go ahead Luke you know Paxton you went to the Madden Passing Academy and you were a counselor there but you're around a bunch of other great quarterbacks was there anything you kind of learned from there yourself obviously you're a counselor but uh I guess as a student of the game what did you uh learn from The Passing Academy I think uh Bill bich uh talked to us was probably one of the the bigger things you know I I aspire to be a coach someday so he had a lot of just great uh coaching things and you know he's kind of more of like a defensive Guru so just kind of ins and outs a defense and the philosophy so I think that'll help me as a quarterback you know really you know find ways to attack them and uh you know kind of different situations and coverages that where weaknesses are even more at a at a higher level I guess let's go to Jake from WS can can you hear me now yep how uh let's just talk off season how's how's the injury feeling and and where are you healthwise I never felt better uh I'm 230 pounds right now you know that was a really big emphasis by coach tuque and the rest of the staff and we brought in a new shrink Coach and he's really you know he played uh baseball in college so he's really I feel like understands quarterbacks a lot and how to develop power but still keep you healthy and strong and flexible so I I feel like I've never felt healthier stronger and more flexible and I think that should really translate to hopefully a healthy season this year uh coach told us just a moment or two ago that uh he just needs you to be you not that you need to carry the whole team on your back how does that feel as a quarterback knowing you might not have to do you know something you don't want to do with the football in given times yeah I think it just uh you know builds a lot of trust in our our team and you know I mean one of the the biggest thing coach mcdal like has been preaching with me is just just do the right play you know you know value check Downs make sure every possession ends with a kick you know whether that's a field goal extra point or a punt like we don't need turnovers we don't need to be uh you know special I mean when you know times to be special arise then you know they they rely me to make those plays and do it in a in a good way in a turnover safe way but uh you know it feels good when you have a team around you and a defense I feel like that's really starting to mesh that you can count on them you know sometimes your defense is your best friend as a quarterback when you know you can count on them you can just you know rely on winning the game you know managing the game per se how people would say it a lot of fans obviously will miss Gino this year who are some players on the offense that you think will stand out you know I think uh both the you know maybe even all three running backs you know we still have Daryl Smith who could you know have a a great fall Camp you know very talented so I think our our running back group is very deep and then uh I really do think that Dorian is is coming along very well he's really you know locked in ready for his senior year he's you know 205 looking real real strong running well and then uh we got a couple speed guys in the slot and maybe on the outside so I think that's exciting and then the uh the o line should carry the load you know but Playmakers wise I think we we have them all over you know and they're just going to probably share games you know one game it might be this name and one game might be the next do you still have a favorite Target a favorite guy uh you know I think I got a lot of favorite guys right now and then you know we'll lock it in and fall Camp we'll figure it out um and for you as a quarterback what do you want to see out of yourself you know in terms of growth and maturation I think I want to you know just really lead well I think uh you know times adversity I can remember the Montana game when they started to come back two years ago I got quiet on the sideline and you know if you're a guy that talks all the time and gets is going that's what you can't do you know so you got to stay true to who you are and know what the team needs so I think I really want to you know be a leader because this team is counting on me that uh on me to do that you know that everyone's you know kind of looking to me and it's been really great to push everyone along see them really trust me believe in me and and and look to me as a mentor in a way so I just want to do that and then I want to make plays when my team needs it you know so that's really what I want to do you guys have been in the spotlight before since you've been quarterback but now to open the season on on yes PN how big of a deal is that for you guys that's awesome you know it's everything you dream of as a kid you know 6 PM ESPN you can't you know that's everything as a kid you would want to do at college football and get to do it week zero you know there's going to be a lot of people watching so that's that's exciting you know even like you know FBS schools a lot of them don't have the week off you know they're going to tune in Everyone likes to watch college football and you know it's an opportunity to showcase yourself but more importantly showcase our our school and this this area that's really coming behind and supported us thanks so much for the time appreciate it y thank you and let's go Tony from the southeast Missouri switch there we go uh hey Paxton nice talk to you um I want to talk about your I think two mentioned that once you become good is hard to become great but where have you seen the most improvements um as a quarterback over the past off season there were the the past off season I think I would say maybe mechanically and physically I've got a stronger so I think that's led to uh you know more consistent accurate uh footballs being thrown and a little more zip and then probably you know leadership and the ability to connect to like the whole team you know I think as a as a senior sometimes you're you're worried you might be too old you know luckily I'm not one of those 60 or 70 years guys I'm still just 22 but you got to be able to connect to the team and lead them and have you know every bit of your game on point so you can expect them to do the same so I say in both of those areas I've really uh taken a step I know you mentioned before you have a lot of favorite guys right now but over the spring practices and other workouts is it someone that you haven't thrown a ball to that often last year emerge as a potential Target I mean I'd say Tristan you know he he just came in here so I didn't get a throw to him at all last year and uh he's he's looked great and then uh Kiren Downey he's he's really impressed me uh this off season really starting to grow up and mature and understand what it takes to be a college football player and didn't get much to throw to him but we're connecting on a lot of big plays and it's very exciting that's all I got for now thanks man Aon appreciate you this afternoon best of luck uh to you and your team this year thank you