Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - PROPHECY: Clemson DOMINATES ACC Top 100 List | Will Tigers CRUSH Conference AGAIN?

Episode Date: July 30, 2025

ACC Football Shakeup: MIAMI HURRICANES Surge, CLEMSON Dominates RankingsThe college football landscape is shifting, with the MIAMI HURRICANES making waves in the ACC. Host Alex Donno and former NC Sta...te standout Kenton Gibbs break down the surprising ACC media poll results, where Clemson emerges as the runaway favorite. They analyze the top 100 college football players list, highlighting ACC stars like Cade Clubnik and Francis Malinoaand. MIAMI HURRICANES defensive lineman Ruben Bain joins for an exclusive interview, discussing his offseason transformation and goals for the upcoming season.Tune in for insider perspectives on ACC football rankings, team predictions, and a candid conversation with a rising MIAMI HURRICANES star.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYTime to fuel up and turn it up with 5-hour ENERGY®️ Transfusion! Go to https://5hourenergy.com today and use my promo code LOCKEDONGOLF to receive 20% off your order. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders.  DripDropRight now, DripDrop is offering Locked On listeners 20% off your first order. Just head to https://dripdrop.com and use promo code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Stock up now before the heat hits hard.GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 We are revealing the locked on top 100 college football players list, and Clemson absolutely dominates for the ACC. You are locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Shout out to the everydayers. Thank you so much for making Locked on ACC your first listen and your first watch. We're available free wherever you get your podcast. We're free on YouTube.
Starting point is 00:00:34 We're part of the Lockdown Podcasts. network your team every day. He is Kenton Gibbs, former NC State defensive linemen and co-host of Lockdown Wolfpack. I am Alex Dono, host of Lockdown Cain's. On this loaded episode, I caught up with the spoiler alert, the highest ranked Miami Hurricane. Actually, sorry, the second highest ranked hurricane. There is one ranked in front of him, but a top 30 player, Ruben Hurricane Bain, we'll have my sit down for him later on in this episode. The results are in from the ACC media poll. There was one thing that surprised me a little bit.
Starting point is 00:01:11 We'll get to it. But Kenton, let's talk about this top 100. And are you surprised to know that most of the top players out of the ACC are wearing orange and purple this year? Donno, I'm shocked. I'm flabbergasted. I'm bewildered. I am so confused right now because what would make Clemson such a
Starting point is 00:01:35 a wonderful team where everybody's picking them to win the conference. They have a player that is top three in Heisman odds. They've got multiple players that are on awards, wants list everywhere, and we're supposed to be shocked at this team, that is a national champion favorite, one of the teams that if you put some money on them to win a Natty, I mean, congratulations, you might win some money, but the odds aren't like that much of a long shot to where it's like,
Starting point is 00:02:04 oh yeah, this is worth the value, as the degenerates like Donald would say. I mean, it's just, yeah, of course. They're a good team for a reason. With all due respect to the Abel Swini, it's not your ex and those. It's your layers and your Joe's. And they got some damn good layers and they're going to go. Yeah, so, all right. So here is the reveal of the first section, the top 10 of this top 100.
Starting point is 00:02:27 I just want to let people know how we tabulate this. So every locked on college host, and there are several dozen of us, right? There's got to be probably 70 plus college hosts on the lockdown network. We all voted on this. We filled out a ballot from 1 to 100. And we all took it very seriously, by the way. I know from Kenton and my part and from all the other great hosts,
Starting point is 00:02:51 a lot of research went into this. And so you're looking at the top 10 here. Ohio State has two of the top two players in the country, Jeremiah Smith at number one, safety Caleb Downs at two. then you've got Edge Dylan Stewart from South Carolina, Jeremiah Love running back from Notre Dame, Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams, and then we get to the first ACC representative,
Starting point is 00:03:15 Cade Clubnick out of Clemson. Now, more Clemson players will show up on this list. And yeah, Kenton, you mentioned, you know, club nick, he's, you know, he plays quarterback, so he's going to be one of those preseason Heisman trophy favorites. But, yeah, I know he plays the most important position. Clemson is so stacked. I'm not even sure Clubnick is.
Starting point is 00:03:32 the best player on his team. I think there's a few defensive players there to give him a run this year. I don't think there's an argument for Kay Klubnik being the best player on that team with all due respect to K Klubnick. He had a fantastic year last year. But there are, I mean, you saw what Peter Woods did last year. Like that is a 300 pound plus man that played on the edge effectively. He wasn't like a, hey, this is short yardage. We need you to step in and be the edge for now because we have a lot of other good big body. No, no, no, no. That young man, first, second, third down, all three downs playing on the edge, and you're going to tell me that he's not the, he's considered to be a number one pick kind of guy. Kay Clublick, with all due respect to him, he's not talked about in that same
Starting point is 00:04:21 way, even though he's a quarterback. You talk about the most important position and all that. He is in the most important position. He's in a position where people get thirsty and draft one of them all the time way harder they should be and yet and still people are talking about Peter Woods as the guy is like hey he's very possibly a number one pick and that doesn't even mention Parker who again another premium position and he can absolutely go as well so there's definitely an argument there yeah and those two names that you mentioned are literally the next two in the top 100 once we get to 11 through 20 Peter Woods from Clemson uh defensive lineman T.J. Parker, edge rusher from Clemson, and those are the next two guys on the list, the next two ACC representatives.
Starting point is 00:05:08 And obviously, you know, Kenton, it's well deserved. You notice the top three ACC selection so far are all Clemson Tigers. So if you go a little deeper here on page two, you get a couple Miami hurricanes. And, you know, I think the votes got this right for Francis Maui. Noah. I think I probably had them a few spots, maybe higher on my ballot, but number 23, I'm not going to complain. I think he's going to be one of the top offensive tackles in the draft this year. Miami's starting right tackle. C.C. Maui Noah.
Starting point is 00:05:39 And number 29, Ruben Hurricane Bain, who we're going to hear from a little bit later on. He cracks that top 30 as well. And you'll see Kent in my chat with Bain coming up. The dude is motivated. He seems like he's kind of entering the season a little pissed, right? Pissed about how bad the defense was around him last year, you know, frustrated that he was playing through injuries a season ago. And he's actually dropped like 15, 20 pounds, which I think is good for him because he was playing around 280 last year on the edge. I think he kind of got his quickness
Starting point is 00:06:13 back from his freshman year. At least he thinks he has. Yeah, you know what? He's a guy that I think he plays better lighter. I think that one of the things that makes him him is that explosiveness is that that quick switch change the direction. I mean, obviously the nickname Hurricane doesn't just a fly because he's a Miami hurricane. If you've seen him work his spin move at his highest clip, it is devastating and dizzy. I would hate to be an offensive tackle and see him coming. So it's exciting to see him, you know, drop down, get that explosive is back and all that good stuff. We're all hoping for a healthy season for him.
Starting point is 00:06:48 If you're a fan of college football, you want to see a healthy season for him outside. Of course, Tallahassee, maybe games. They don't like you. I know. I understand. You ain't got to tell me. And C.C. Maui, no. What a massive mountain of a man. I was joking with him at ACC Media Day,
Starting point is 00:07:05 he said, you know, you couldn't block me, right? I don't have a snowballs chance in hell against him. You're sizing him up. You know what I mean? Hey, listen, I do that to everybody. I do that. But with him, I know, he's a ball player, man. He looks like it. He talks like it. And even his reasoning for staying on the right side of the offense being, hey, I will do whatever the team needs. what an offensive line answer. Because we all know it is a premium to play on the left side. You get paid more if you are the left tackle, protect the blind side and all that.
Starting point is 00:07:35 And yet he says, I don't need to put this on tape to look good for the scouts. I don't care about all that. I want to do what the team needs. That is the type of offensive alignment that you want. All right. So here, the next ACC player that comes up here, number 39 in the country,
Starting point is 00:07:55 Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Lewis. who he deserves that recognition. It's actually, I'm noticing, I'm actually proud of the locked on host for showing some restraint with Arch Manning to put him in the 30s. You know, you know, if you know our host, no ball. Because when you do these top 100 polls
Starting point is 00:08:13 and people who don't know, and no disrespect to Arch, he just hasn't proven it yet. He's played a couple games. He can earn it this year. But if this was a non-locked-on poll, they would have had Arch probably in the top 10. With all due respect,
Starting point is 00:08:26 know what arch is done to be in the top of hundred at all. All of these other guys have shown their behind. I mean, have acted a donkey on that field. Arch hasn't. I mean, what, you are living in all? But you know, we're not here to talk about that because we've talked at Nauseo about where he belongs to where he does. Kyle Lewis, what a player.
Starting point is 00:08:45 What a player. Do you remember what Narduzzi said about him at ACC media day? He is the type of player that I could let him go and be instinctive and find the ball and in coverage or in any part of field when he gets his hands on the ball, he's as good as any running back in America. Now, just for those who do not know, there is a running back that walks in pits, in pits facilities every day by the name of Desmond Reed,
Starting point is 00:09:19 one of about eight to go for over 1,500 total yard from Scurons last year. and the guy who coaches him said we have another guy on the team that when the ball is in his hands, he's as good as any back. Let him play two ways. Hey, it's the new nature of the game, but I'll tell you, with a guy like Desneri, you don't even need to put that type of wear and tear on it. So, you know, it's Kyle Lewis. What a phenomenal player.
Starting point is 00:09:46 And the way that Narduzzi system allows these guys to be instinctive and kind of make it happen. But that's the beauty of Narduzzi system. It allows you more freedom, but it also puts more pressure on you to create plays and be right. Because it doesn't matter how instinctive I allow you to be if your instincts are shot. If you can never follow where the ball is, it doesn't matter. Kyle Lewis did not have that problem in any way, shape, form and fashion. We got more ACC players in the top 100. Are some of these too low?
Starting point is 00:10:14 We'll talk about that. Plus, the poll results are in from ACC media days. and the Florida state media got a little crazy. We'll explain. You want to keep it locked right here. We're only getting started on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. Oh, I love the boost that I get from five-hour energy. Time to fuel up and turn it up with five-hour energy's transfusion.
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Starting point is 00:12:05 I cover all things Miami on Locked on Cains. All right, so moving along, Kenton to the remainder of this top 100. See, and other ACC players who land on the list. I guess there are Terry Moore from Duke would be the next player up at number 42. So it's nice to see that Blue Devils defense getting some recognition there for one of their top safeties. Absolutely. And you want to talk about locked on host knowing ball. Terry Moore right there tells me that some folks know some ball because you have to fully understand what's going on on the field to understand how he impacts the game.
Starting point is 00:12:45 Yes, it comes off as statistically he does. a lot of things well. But he is one of those guys that he is truly a leader back there, a quarterback of the secondary, a guy who knows the calls, knows the checks, and rarely ever do you see him out of position in a defense that Manny Diaz coaches. Now, why is that important? Many Diaz is known as the master of disguise. If you are going to be a safe in that type of system, you have to be very effective at knowing where you're supposed to be getting everybody else lined up or else you're going to see a lot of bust. Not a ton from Duke, not a ton from Terry. So, you know, he's a heck of a player, very, very cerebral. He thinks his way through the game at a high level. I love to
Starting point is 00:13:29 see you. You see a few more, a couple more ACC players here between 51 and 60. Kevin Jennings, quarterback of SMU at number 55. And Isaac Brown, star running back at Louisville at number six. I mean, listen, I know we keep saying that the locked on host, no ball, and there's no denying that. But I feel like if we really knew ball, Isaac Brown would be ranked above number 60 overall. I agree with you there strongly. I think that this is the one they got wrong. But you know what they say, Donald. If you look at any list or ranking and you think it's perfect, it's probably because you did the listing or the ranking.
Starting point is 00:14:09 Okay. Isaac Brown is phenomenal. He is a top 50 player in this country. And I think that even with as spectacular as his freshman year was, I think this year will be his coming out part. I think this year will be the moment where it's not just about, oh, the ACC notices. Oh, you know, a couple of teams here and there are, oh, I noticed him put on the show against Clemmy. No, no, no.
Starting point is 00:14:31 This is going to be a situation where I think the entire nation will be put on. Oh, my God. Louisville's got a guy again. I don't know how they did it, but they got another one. those ones that's going to be impactful at the next level for many, many years. I see you see a lot of ACC players between 60 and 70 here, starting with Carson Beck, Miami quarterback at number 63, Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams at 67, Virginia wide out Malachi Fields at number 68, Duke offensive tackle Brian Parker the second at 69.
Starting point is 00:15:08 You know, I did a YouTube short about Carson Beck's ranking at 63, and that makes him the 10th quarterback on the list. I get it like people are not necessarily buying Carson Beck's stock. You know, there's been a lot of sour grapes coming out of UGA for him. You know, people are wondering how his injury recovery has gone after the elbow surgery. I mean, based on chatting with him and talking with Miami staffers, I think he's going to outplay that ranking a little bit. I feel like the stock is pretty low compared to where it was at this time last year, Ken.
Starting point is 00:15:40 But you know what? If I was saying that's the way I like it. Yeah. I like it. Don't think I'm good. You know, think that it's going to be a tough year and all that. But I'll tell you what, when you have low expectations, all you can do is exceed them. And you've got low expectations, but one of the higher pay salaries in America.
Starting point is 00:16:01 I like that. I love that. Give me a few million. and also tell me at the same time, we're not expected to. I'll go too credit. We think that you'll be one of the better players in America, but we're not expecting you to produce at that level.
Starting point is 00:16:16 Like you said, Donald, he's healthy, he's clear, he's throwing again. Everybody knows how I feel about him. I think he's a very middling quarterback. I think he's a little bit better than middling. I'd say good. I'd say good. Let me not say middling. I think he's a good quarterback.
Starting point is 00:16:30 I just don't think he's in a great quarterback territory. But like I already alluded to, that gives him a lot of. of room to shut guys like me up. It really and truly does. And he wants to shut you up. That's his number one goal this year is to shut up Kent and Gibbs. Listen, if he's got a bullion board with my face on it,
Starting point is 00:16:49 all I would say is don't miss. Don't miss now. If you're going to hit that, don't you throw out and hit my ear or nothing like that. You better get me square. So then you got three more ACC players there. Antonio Williams wide receiver, Clemson. I feel like he could have been ranked a little higher than 67. Malachi Fields. If he played anywhere but Virginia, he'd be ranked higher than 68.
Starting point is 00:17:14 And Brian Parker, part of what should be a really good Duke offensive line this year. Let me tell you something. Malachi Fields is a big body supreme at wide receiver. He's listed at 6-4-2-23. I think he's about a couple of bullberry biscuits away from about 230, 235. He's a big dude. He's a big dude. He's a big dude. And he knows how to use his body to box out defenders. He knows no cornerbacks are as tall as me. And even if they can jump as high as me, they can't reach as high as me. So I'm going to go up here and make this thing happen.
Starting point is 00:17:47 But like you said, there's been so much inconsistency at the quarterback position. Who's your quarterback? Is it Muscat? Is it Calandra? Is it somebody else? Nobody knows. Well, now you've got Chandler Morris coming in. Another time where you've got a quarterback where, with all due respect to Chairman Morris,
Starting point is 00:18:02 he's done great things so far in his career. but it's another first year guy coming in to be his quarterback as opposed to have some continuity. Donald, you're absolutely right. If he plays anywhere else, we are talking about him as one of the premier wide receivers in the nation. I think that people will be talking about him like they did Ted McMillan last year. It just so happens to be Charlottesville just ain't pumping out that kind of love. All right, so you got three more ACC players in the top 100. you see Duke quarterback Darien Mensa at number 78.
Starting point is 00:18:36 Then we have Haynes King at number 89. I mean, you talk about underrated. I mean, and then you got one more Georgia Tech yellow jacket on the list, and that is Jamal Haynes at 96. You know, I feel like, I mean, listen, I'm glad Georgia Tech has a couple of top 100 players, but, I mean, I think they're definitely going to outplay those rankings in the 80s in the 90s this year.
Starting point is 00:19:00 Oh, absolutely. Jamal Haynes has never played like a guy that belongs down there. He is a bowling ball of butcher knobs listed at 5-9 190, but let me tell you something about Jabal Haynes. Five-nine is generous. It's generous. I'm just being honest. But you know what? That 199 ain't.
Starting point is 00:19:17 He's a load to bring down. He's got that low center of gravity, great contact balance, great quickness, and a little bit of long speed to boot, I am telling you, if by the end of the season, if we had to reorder this at the end of the season, I'm willing to bet that both he and Haynes King, both skyrocketed. Yeah, no, I'm willing to bet that as well. All right, so, Kenton, we, we both attended ACCC kickoff media days last week. And we both, you know, voted one through 17 on how the ACC football season's going to finish. And listen, I restrained myself, Kenton, for as much as I wanted to just, hey, I'm here as a Miami guy, let me give my total.
Starting point is 00:19:58 in first place vote to Miami. I resisted the temptation. Because in my heart of hearts, I believe the conference is going to finish Clemson at number one, Miami number two, Louisville 3, SMU4, and so on. So, you know, despite the fact that I went to Miami, I bleed orange and green, I voted for Miami second,
Starting point is 00:20:20 which was the media consensus. That's where most members voted Miami. I voted Clemson first, right? So the way that this poll finished, Clemson runaway favorites to win the conference, 167 first place votes. That's out of 183 media members. So most everyone voted for Clemson. Miami comes in second. They had seven first place votes.
Starting point is 00:20:43 So a few outliers voted for Miami. SMU comes in third, two first place votes. Georgia Tech comes in fourth, two first place votes. At five and six, you've got Louisville. and Duke, not a single first place vote between the two of them, Louisville and Duke. And then at number seven, you got Florida State. Now, I'm not, I'm not even upset about them being number seven. Like, it is what, like, I could see a scenario where they finish top seven in the ACC.
Starting point is 00:21:12 But coming off a two and 10 season, you're telling me four medium, they got four first place votes, Kenton. They got more first place votes, or at least as many first place votes as Georgia Tech, Louisville and Duke. Actually, more than Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Duke combined, as many as SMU, Georgia Tech, Louisville and Duke combined. Four first place votes? I mean, who was it to Plant the Spear.com? Like, who's voting Florida State first place? You cannot trick me, Plantisphere, guys. We're watching you.
Starting point is 00:21:48 We're on to you. But here's the problem, Donnell. There was only two of them there. Who were the other two? That's a good point. Who were the other two, Brian Smith, come to the front. He didn't go. I don't think he had a vote.
Starting point is 00:22:03 Well, you know, you're still going to vote, even if you're not there in person. We talk to Brian Smith all the time. Like, he would not have voted for the state. That's fair. He wouldn't have done it. He wouldn't have done it. Well, Donald, at this point, it feels like me and you need to go around Charlotte
Starting point is 00:22:17 playing a giant game of flu. That's what it seems like we got to do here. Because I'm very confused about this, not even from a standpoint of, hey, I hate Florida State or I just don't like what they stand for as a program. No, I don't. I actually, I voted for them last year to finish first place. Shame on me. They went two and ten. But I voted for them first place last year.
Starting point is 00:22:39 And here we are coming back this year. And nobody in their right mind is voted Florida State first. If you voted Florida State first, I think we need to bring in a policy. a drug test and all of the ACC media. I really think we do. Because Florida State, by all accounts, is replacing everything. They're stripping everything down to the studs
Starting point is 00:23:00 and rebuilding it in one off season. That generally is not a path to success at the power four level. You can do that in the FCS. You can do that at most HBCUs. You can do that. You cannot at the power for level. It takes multiple years to,
Starting point is 00:23:19 do that. It takes multiple years to get that. Look at Coach Prime in Colorado. Look at Northwestern after Fitzgerald was fighting. You could say, well, you know, that team won six or seven games the next year. Sure. But six or seven games is not a conference champion. Not in the
Starting point is 00:23:34 ACC at least. That's not, you're not going to see that. So I'm sitting here saying this is a very unsurious vote by which people. I mean, very, come on. I mean, at least try to take your vote seriously. Now, the only the only other outlier was randomly Virginia Tech received one first place vote.
Starting point is 00:23:56 Although I wonder, that might have been a hanging Chad situation. Because if he can't in order, it was a digital vote. There was a very complicated drag and drop mechanism. If there might have been, I don't know, there might have been like an 80 year old man. Like maybe Bill Belichick had a vote. He's older. And maybe there's somebody screwed up the drag and drop. But like Virginia Tech got, that's not a serious vote.
Starting point is 00:24:17 It had to be, been like, what was it, like the Fighting Gobbler.com or something. Like, how did they get a vote? You know what? There were multiple older gentlemen there that I thought to myself, how do you do with computers? Do you know how to rotate a PDF? Answer, quickly. You know, though, there was a little bit of that there.
Starting point is 00:24:39 There was a little bit of that element in the room with us. So it's possible. And you know what? I think that we need to attribute the Florida State both said as well. But Virginia Tech, maybe I thought I was drinking a Kyron Drones Kool-Aid. I thought I was getting back on the bandway. Apparently, somebody never left. Apparently somebody said, hey, Donovan Green and Kairn drones.
Starting point is 00:25:00 Hey, Byshaal Tooting, who we don't need them. We're good without it. I'm very intrigued by Virginia Tech getting the first place. All right, let me go through the whole poll here. Clemson first, Miami, second, SMU, third, Georgia Tech, fourth. Louisville, Duke, Florida State, 7th, North Carolina at 8th, Pitt at 9th, NC State, 10th, Virginia Tech with their one first place vote at 11th, Syracuse 12, Boston College, Virginia and Cal round out the top 15, and then Wake Forest and Stanford come in 16th and 17th. But when we come back here on Lockdown, ACC, I had a chance today. I was at Miami Media Day. It's the day before training camp starts. And I sat down with number 29 on the top 100 players list.
Starting point is 00:25:50 Miami edge rusher Ruben Hurricane Bain will hear from him when we come back. You want to keep it locked right here on this brand new episode of Lockdown ACCC. So Ruben Bain, he's getting national love. He's on the Nogerski watch list, you know, the locked on hosts have him as a top 30 player. He's getting national love despite the fact that he took, his production took a step back in his second year last year. It had a lot to do with him missing almost a half dozen games and playing through some injury. So Bain is motivated. He's kind of angry heading into his third year at the U.S.
Starting point is 00:26:25 sat down with Ruben earlier today. Ruben Bain, a new defensive coordinator this year with Coach Hetherman. What's the new scheme been like in the transition? It's been amazing. Transition been fairly smooth. Coach Hedeman gives us a lot of room to learn and improve and really be free. The scheme is second to none, in my opinion. It's not too far from last years,
Starting point is 00:26:47 but Coach Heaven is a smart coach, and he's really know what he's doing. You had some injuries and stuff you played through last year. How does it feel to be able to put that behind you and start a new chapter this season with camp tomorrow? Man, it's so, so amazing just to be able to, like, man, this whole weight. I'm back to 100% healthy down in the way.
Starting point is 00:27:07 I'm feeling the way I was supposed to feel, and I'm feeling happy to play football. This off season is probably the one of the best we have so far. Speaking for a personal standpoint, definitely my best. I've really seen a lot of growth and improvement. Time will tell. That's all I can see. Anything in particular that makes you feel like this is the best off season?
Starting point is 00:27:29 Really just the growth in competition. Me and these dude had all the competition drills. He could tell you. He probably not going to tell you, but he could tell you. But really, Just the improvement of the bomb, I see all the new guys and the connection the team had. There's a lot of new faces here, as you can tell, and we can really bond it like we was all here and came in together. So it's a real, real, real, real strong atmosphere.
Starting point is 00:27:57 Real strong bond, real strong connection. The defense last year had ups and downs. Some of the struggles, does that put an extra chip on you guys' shoulder? Definitely. Because it's just a thing that you want to really show up. and really sure that whatever happened last year happened. We had a new team, new defense now, a whole new persona. And we come in with the mindset to just the nature.
Starting point is 00:28:23 Has your body changed from last year? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm down in body fat, down and weight. Really down. I'm closer to my high school weight. So I'm feeling fast and agile, fast and smooth, quick, twitchy. All of a, man, I'm ready to go. You know, what's it like, I'm, you know, I'm sure you've been asked this a thousand times,
Starting point is 00:28:43 but to have a pro football Hall of Fame or is your position coach, what's it like working with Coach Taylor? Oh, it gets even more surreal at the time, like, gets closer for you to be eligible to leave. So it's now like, damn, I'm kind of getting closer what JT is and all the information he was telling me. Like, really starting to hit now because like the real world kind of kind of starting to come into tuition. So it's just crazy. He's just seeing the stories he told me, and I'm one step closer of being into the shoes he was in. I know, you know, you guys take it one practice at a time, one day at a time. So I'll ask you, do you have any goals for the first day of training camp tomorrow?
Starting point is 00:29:23 Swing every rep, bust the O'Line of a half, get after it all day, all day practice. Tomorrow they need to be my day, man. Everybody going to leave. There's no doubt. Like, this is something serious. Best luck to you. Thank you. Did you notice how diplomatic I was when I said the defense had ups and downs last year?
Starting point is 00:29:44 Very kind. There was one up, and that was against Florida in the opener, and that it was mostly down after that. Let me tell you something. I love everything about Rue Mera campaign, but we got to get him a new barber. We got to find him a good barber down there. The hell out, we need a little bit of age. And I'm telling you, as a bald brother, that's two bald men.
Starting point is 00:30:05 We are telling him. But I'll tell you this much, he sounds like he's pissed off. for greatness. He sounds like he's determined by the failures of last year. And this is the interesting thing about camp, Donald. Everybody's camp is opening this way. Everybody's in the best shape that they've ever been in. Everybody is either, you know, last year didn't happen and that team won and did great things or we're disappointed by how that team ended and we take that with us. You know, it's very interesting how that dynamic plays out in Kent. Any successes from the last team, oh, that team's gone.
Starting point is 00:30:38 It's nothing to do with us. But the failures from the last team are always squarely on your shoulders. Always sitting there. Oh, yeah. We just were all left with a bad taste in our mouth. And nobody's left with a good taste in their mouth. They're very interesting quotes from camp. But again, Hurricane Barry, we love you.
Starting point is 00:30:56 But you got to get that headline together. We got to get you a barber to get you, you know, where you got to be. And I get it. Barbara advice from a bar guy generally bad. But we're telling you this because it might be time to come, join the crew. Well, I think he's working on one thing at a time. You know, he had the battle for a half injury. That was the first priority. He wanted to trim down a little bit because he thought he was playing too heavy last year. Now that he's got his body in optimal shape, it's,
Starting point is 00:31:22 it's time to, maybe time for a comb over. It's time to work on that airline a little bit. We appreciate everyone. Now, the next time I see Rubin, he's going to give me a hard time. It was all, it was all on me. Blame it all on me. Because I want more. ball men out here. I want more of us to accept it. I'm tired to see these Carlos Boozer painted on airlines and whatnot. I've had enough. I've had enough up. I'm with you on that. Well, we appreciate everyone for making Locked on ACC, your first listen and your first watch. We'll have a lot more on training camps around the ACC with everything opening up. Miami's opening up tomorrow. Make sure you guys check out
Starting point is 00:31:58 Kenton at TGIF underscore Kenton on X. Check out Locked on Wolfpack. Check me out on X at Alex Dono and at Lockdown Caines. Make sure for your next listen, check out the portal. I will confirm with Brian Smith that he was not one of the four first place votes for Florida State. Maybe we'll bring him on our next episode to talk about that. But he does a great job hosting the portal podcast available free wherever you get your pods. So we'll talk to you next time right here on the awesome locked on podcast network. Your team every day.

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