Ajani Cornelius | Fall Camp | Day #12

Building chemistry with a new center to building chemistry with a new center how do you feel like that's that's going for you guys as a group I think it's going well just getting those reps in each and every day you know fall Camp is the best time to bond together and uh create that chemistry so I say it's going really well have you seen develop this this uh what you call he's been super confident he looks amazing uh it's it's always fun playing with him you know I played with him a lot when he was at guard and now uh he's taking reps all over the interior and he he just looks great so what you call he's uh he's even stronger now he's more confident he's older you can just tell he's getting even more seasoned as a player what specific thing do you want to improve for yourself between the two scrimmages between scrimmages yeah I get you uh probably just continuing to be a leader for the guys and um and just a little fundamental things just every day just sharpening everything that I can how's Dealing with physicality this team dealing with physicality in Camp Dan Dan Ling always preaches about it yeah definitely I mean that's our thing I think we're embracing it you know in the trenches it's every day we go at it and we get better from it so I think it's a real Iron sharp insire mentality and we just keep going at it physicality is the key Johnny what motivates you personally what are your biggest motivators that's a that's a good question uh definitely everybody back home like my family everything that they sacrificed for me to be the position I'm in today on my friends back in Harlem who didn't get a chance to play at this level and always wanted to play football so I'd say I I do it for back home and Harlem and my family that background in First team preseason All America kind of an unusual kind of background football player to be getting like first team preseason All America mentioned from some people like what's it how does that fit like kind of with your journey and kind of how you consider the path that you've taken to get where you're at now did you get that kind of attention and those kind of expectations on you as a player now I got you now it's definitely an honor to see all those kind of things but honestly I just want to focus on the the goals that we have as a team all those things are cool but I just want to focus on being the best team that we can be and being here for the for everybody we got we got goals to accomplish how's the depth looking this year and just who are some of those guys guys that maybe aren't in the spotlight right now that that you're looking at that have looked pretty good this this fall I'd say uh in terms of what position this o line o line but everybody really looks good I think uh coach ter is doing a great job with all the young players has been coming in uh kavika is working George Silva has been doing his thing all those dudes on the interior like uh NAD Str and all like those guys are working their tail off and they're making our line even better so everybody's looking good how far long NAD has NAD come last year he got hurt right around this time that impacted his development a little bit just what have you seen from him the last month or so of Camp he's looking great I yeah that definitely slowed him down last year but he's been attacking every day like a mad man and it's just been a pleasure to see him work so and like I said Mo motivating the whole room to get better as a whole last year you guys were a finalist for the Joe Moore award how is it or what is the key to you know keeping that consistency up when you replace so many you know mixed people going into the line this year uh I don't think it's about the people on the line it's more about the standard by the group so coach Terry does a great job enforcing that and all all the older guys who've been at Oregon for a long time and myself we try to hold that standard to everybody so even the younger guys know that that's the standard for Oregon offensive line play what do you think it's going to take this year to win that award for you guys uh just physicality and just coming to work every day and yeah simple as that it's pretty simple you just work players Terry Swanson talk so much about the impact Terry has on on them can you just speak to just why he's pred in the way he is among offensive line absolutely I mean first of all he's young so he's he's a joy to be around but he he seriously needs dialed in when it's time when it's time to do that and also his experience with uh with the Vikings on the defensive side of the ball makes him so smart so I feel like he's educating me so much on both sides of the ball and and help with my technique development in terms of pass Pro as well so just a whole bunch of things the dude he always brings 100% energy every day never lacking so it's been a pleasure to be coach by him a little bit of a challenge Johnny when play with Grizz next year pretty much all of last season and at least in preseason looks like it getting looks with a bunch of different guys at guard whether it be Bedford whether it be Poncho whether it be sh there's a little bit of a challenge when who might be next year is rotating a little bit more than it was a year ago or is just part of it not at all like I said earlier everybody in the room knows the standard and we're going to play today standard how is the chemistry with Matt Matt in particular oh he's been good I I like playing with Matt he always brings energy he's a he's a veteran in the o line group I think he makes everybody better too competition's been such a big Competition word this Camp uh who are a couple guys on the defensive side that maybe really feel that competition oh yeah uh definitely Matteo he's been doing a great job obviously uh Jordan Birds you got Tatum Tatum is having a great Camp so all those guys I'm excited to see uh what they continue to do going into the season who's the best trash talker out of those guys oo o those they're actually all three of those dudes are pretty quiet um but me and BR we go at it quite a bit you know me and him we have fun with you what's the biggest difference in in those those sophomore Edge rushers Tatum Matteo just from from your one to year two what have you noticed going up against them uh What uh obviously just the development in the strin program they're stronger now so uh they're uh they're continuing to improve in that way and then um and just you know learning everything and just being sharper just kind of like Poncho like they're just more seasoned players and it comes with experience so yeah