00:00You look good. How you feel?
00:01Feeling good, D.A. It's good to be back out here, be back with the boys, and, you know, earn a role, keep pushing, see what we can do.
00:08How important is it for your tight end grouping? Obviously with Hunter and you.
00:13Congratulations on signing the Hill and coming back. I'm glad you're back.
00:16But how important is that for a young quarterback?
00:19And you developed a really good rapport with Drake.
00:22Excuse me. Yeah, with Drake May last year.
00:24But how important is that for you guys advancing us as you get going this year?
00:28Yeah, I mean, first of all, super grateful to have the opportunity to come back here.
00:32But, I mean, being able to play next to Hunter, I mean, being back with Drake, just the amount of reps we put in.
00:38I mean, not just so far this year within OTAs and this early in camp, but also the reps we accrued all throughout last year.
00:45So, I mean, it's awesome. Anytime you get to be familiar with your passer, it definitely makes life easier.
00:51He understands my body mechanics, understands my subtle nonverbal tells when I'm going to break.
00:56Those are the things that you can't. Only reps can teach you that, right?
01:00Like, everyone runs routes a little differently.
01:02Like, the way Hunter breaks versus the way I break is a little different.
01:05And unless you get those reps as a passer, you don't have those subtle nonverbal tells when your route runner is going to change direction.
01:11So, very happy that the reps we put in count for something.
01:16What kind of growth have you seen from Drake May from year one now in his second training camp?
01:20Yeah, I'm sure D.A. could back me up on this.
01:23When you're a rookie, it's hard, right?
01:24Like, you're drinking out of a fire hose.
01:26You go from bowl game to draft to this to that, blah, blah, blah.
01:30And being able to have an offseason, we can kind of just take a deep breath.
01:33I understand he did a great job as a rookie and being able to build upon that.
01:36You kind of see, you know, see the swag in him.
01:38You see the smile.
01:39You know, eyes aren't as wide.
01:41Shoulders are a little slumped down, a little more relaxed.
01:43So, I mean, that's the biggest thing.
01:45I mean, we can talk about his arm talent and stuff all day.
01:47But just the mental piece for quarterbacks, I think it's the most important.
01:51How's it been with Josh McGatins?
01:53It's been awesome.
01:54My second opportunity to be in his offense, it's been fun.
01:58I mean, he knows how to get the ball to five different route runners that are eligible.
02:04So, I mean, it's awesome to be able to be in his pass scheme and his run scheme once again.
02:09How is it going?
02:10You know, I mean, really, only people that have been in that offense have been, you know, you and Hunter.
02:15Sure.
02:15You know, how does it seem guys are picking it up?
02:17You know, we were just talking about it.
02:19I don't think it's a personally hard offense.
02:21I just think it's a different offense.
02:23But how's that transition going?
02:25Because it's a lot of guys' first time hearing that verbiage.
02:27And, you know, it's not really that different of plays, but verbiage, how you call things, things like that.
02:34Absolutely, DA.
02:34Definitely scheme-specific terminology.
02:37But I think Josh, to his credit, has done an absolutely fantastic job of teaching.
02:41And all of his position coaches have done an awesome job of teaching.
02:44So, I mean, being able to have that extra two weeks in the offseason, being able to really, you know, ride the bike with training wheels, so to speak.
02:51Really understand the details versus different fronts, the adjustments, all the stuff that you know, DA.
02:56And being able to do it at a walking pace and building the foundation so when stuff starts getting a little faster and faster, you've been tested, so to speak.
03:06I mean, it's been very positive.
03:08It's about seven DAs we got.
03:10I mean, that's my guy.
03:11We've got to call them DA now.
03:12I know.
03:13David Andrews.
03:14Yeah, we'll give them DA.
03:15Who's one of the old dogs I would hang out with last year?
03:18Austin, so from our perspective, this camp feels different.
03:21I just want to know from somebody that's in it, and I'm not talking about the changes at the head coach and the different personnel necessarily, but how does this camp feel different maybe from an expectation standpoint versus last season?
03:35Expectations?
03:35I mean, with respect, I think that's external.
03:38I mean, if you have intrinsic motivation and you're a professional every camp, every single practice, every day, you should have a certain sense of urgency.
03:46So, I mean, I'm not going to get into predictions or anything like that every time you step on the field, and I mean, we're all pushing towards the same goal.
03:54So, I don't know.
03:55That would be it.
03:56All right.
03:56That is Austin Hooper.
03:57Austin, thanks for taking the time.
03:58Appreciate it.
03:58Thanks, fellas.
03:59DA, I apologize.
04:01Hoy, if you're out there, I'll call you later.
04:05He was so confident with that, too.
04:06He was so confident.
04:07It kind of hurt my feelings.
04:08Oh, it's weird.
04:09Yeah.
04:10I'm like, nope.
04:11Yeah.
