Can you describe what went wrong for this team down the stretch? 8-3 to missing the playoffs.
I feel like we just lost track of the details. I feel like we wasn't detail-oriented a lot of times. And, like I said, man, it's just—we just got to all focus on ourselves, and all do our job. All just one person do their one-eleventh and everybody come together as an offense. I feel like that was when you see we were at our best. That's what kind of held us back.
Would it be fair to say that the team felt like they had it, like they got it? 8-3 and everything was just going to happen for you?
I mean, I can't speak for everybody else. But I feel like when we was 8-3, I never thought we had it, because we didn't have it. That was just the reality of the situation, I can't speak for everybody else. But I felt as if we had to have a mindset switch or something or just continue to live in reality, or things like this will continue to happen to us. This is the worst feeling as a competitor, as an athlete. Working so hard for something and not being able to get it, attain it.
Not the end you were hoping for, but is there something you can learn from this season?
I mean, you can—you learn in every situation. I learn in every situation. I mean for me, I feel like, just from this season I feel like I want to be more vocal going forward. Just being more vocal, just voicing just how I feel, just things of that sort, and just being a leader. Being a leader, not just by actions, but leading with my words and just moving forward, continue to grow, get better, and try to be a better person, a better man for the team.
Josh (Allen) said the last month just felt like guys are waiting for a spark instead of going to create a spark to kind of get you guys out of that slump. Is that fair?
I guess you could say that's fair. But I feel like I'm a person where I don't wait around for anything. I'm out there trying to go get it, trying to take it. So, I don't see why we would have professional athletes waiting on a spark. Go create that spark. That's why you were brought here, to be that player. So, I really can't resonate with that.
You mentioned being more vocal moving forward. Would you like to get more carries inside the three? Are you surprised that you don't ever get asked to do that?
I mean, that's out of my control. All I can do is go out there and control what I can control. Coaches coach and the players play, and I go out there and run the play that they call each and every time and I do it to the best of my ability. So, I just got to continue to get better and find ways to score outside of the three so we're not in a situation.
Do you have to get more physical going into next year? Not you, but as an offense, do you guys have to be more physical, better running the football in general.
I mean, we just got to just stick to it. Just trust in each other, just keep believing. And I feel like we all got to get better. We can't go into next year with the same problems or being your same self. I feel like that's not growing, and that's not been a professional athlete. Because as an athlete, you know what to work on. I'm gonna watch film, watch every game and see what I can just improve in my game and get better at. And I feel like everyone else is going to do the same, and we're going to be out here much better next year.
