40 Jadyn Walker: The Mindset of a USC Trojan Football Player

"Your biggest opponent is really just you."

Coach Rodo is joined once again by his nephew, USC Trojans linebacker Jadyn Walker. Back in town and sporting his new number, the former Portage Northern standout pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to transition from high school star to a Division I college football player in the Big Ten. 

Jadyn gets transparent about his journey, admitting he wasn't always the best student in high school, but details the shift in mindset required to lock in academically once arriving at Southern California. He breaks down the physical reality of college football—where everyone is bigger, faster, and stronger—and explains why mastering technique becomes your ultimate weapon.

In this episode, Jadyn shares his massive personal and team goals for the upcoming season, his ultimate "why" rooted in faith and family, and a powerful message for the next generation of athletes looking up to him. 

#CoachRodo #WinningRegardless #JadynWalker #USCTrojans #USCFootball #FightOn #BigTenFootball #LinebackerTraining #PortageNorthern #CollegeAthletics #StudentAthlete #Mindset #TechniqueOverTalent

(00:00) - Fight On: Welcoming back USC Linebacker Jadyn Walker & revealing his new number.
(02:00) - The D1 Reality Check: Why technique beats pure size, speed, and strength.
(04:30) - Setting the Bar High: Jadyn’s personal stat goals and competing for a Natty.
(07:15) - Shifting the Mindset: Transitioning from poor high school grades to a dedicated college student.
(10:00) - Finding Your "Why": How faith in Jesus Christ and family keep Jadyn grounded.
(13:15) - You vs. You: Overcoming self-doubt and understanding that your biggest opponent is yourself.
(16:00) - Community Pride: Coach Rodo highlights the example Jadyn is setting for local youth.
(18:45) - Don't Blink: Taking advantage of every single opportunity before it's gone.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Your biggest opponent is really just you. Kids, did you hear what he just said? He did not have good grades, but there was something in him that allowed him to be a Division I athlete.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

I'm a big, big believer in Jesus Christ, and I keep speaking out of every day. That's my why. My why's my family. When you get to D1, everybody's just as big as stronger, bigger, faster, stronger than you. But it comes down to technique. I want to have 60 tackles, at least two sacks, 10 TFLs. I at least need like one, I need one touch. I need one defensive touch. I need one TD. I need one TD. But as a team, I'm gonna say I want I want to go just 9-0. World schedule, we can definitely, we can definitely do it. Where we're headed, we can definitely do it. Go 9-0, win the Bench League Championship, go to the playoffs. Yeah, I'm trying to compete for that Natty.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

My nephew is back in town, so we had to have him on linebacker for the Trojans, USC Southern California. And I'm so excited, you know, just to be a Trojan fan and having a reason to be a Trojan fan. And now to have this dude back, and I told him he's gonna be on every time he came back, and he done honored ever since. So go on here, Jaden, and let everybody know who you are and your new number.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

Hey, what's going on, y'all? Uh Jaden, I'm Jaden here. Uh USC. Went to Porters Northern. Umbagger for the Trojans, and I was 31 last year, and I just changed my jersey to 15. I'm excited to be here.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

What's going on? No, you know, with you changing your number and all, you know, that kind of threw me for a loop because uh your mama had to tell me, because mom, you ain't even tell me. And I'm running around 31 and 31 and telling everybody, but you know, we gotta square it away. And is it isn't it like when you um move up in a depth chart, your numbers shrink? Like from a high number to a lower number.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

For sure. So yeah, I definitely wanted to, yeah, I I I called our uh called our GM, I asked him, I was like, yeah, can I get my jersey changed? I for sure wanted a single digit, but all of them got taken up. So I got 15. I'm excited. I just want to see what it looks like in a in our real jersey. It's been looking smooth in practice, but yeah, I want to put that real jersey on and see what it's looking like.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Well, I I I think it's gonna look good on you because I thought 31 looked good, but 15 I think is gonna look even better. And I and I and I love that to see that. So um what you you you want you here on a little little break or what have you? Like, how how does that work when you're a Division I college athlete, period?

SPEAKER_02 3:09

Yeah, so we're on campus, we're basically just uh, I'm saying, filling the gas and we're just full throttle going at it. So this it's uh I got here last Tuesday, been here for a week now. Um so yeah, just kind of just taking time off, seeing the family, uh taking a step back from football and just, you know what I'm saying, seeing the people that care about you that when you have a jersey on. And the spending time with my family, it's been fun. Yeah. For sure. Now, uh uh, you you did you finish up a semester?

SPEAKER_01 3:37

Did the semester just end?

SPEAKER_00 3:38

Yeah, school's over.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

So that's yeah, summer, summer break. So a summer break.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

But you gotta be back in school for up for workout for football. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

You gotta go back. Yeah, and I'm I'm taking summer classes too. Take your summer classes. Okay, what kind of classes are you taking? Just some calm classes. Some calm classes.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Okay, now now how how how tough is it like your third year, you know, your first year, you know, red shirts. To me, this is really your second year. But, you know, coming into this year, it ha what's the difference? What has the difference been? Like, what should young people who's about to become Division I athletes, division two, or division three, what is the from year to year, what is the differences that they may have to need to be ready for and expect? For sure.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

So uh I would say obviously you're gonna adapt to it. Maybe you won't, maybe you get a little homesick. I personally didn't get homesick, but I would say as time went on, I adjusted on the fly. But like life move, like when you're in college, it's it's it's fun. Super, super fun. And like time goes by fast. So like it's good to like take a step back and um take a take a step back and just and think about and reflect on like what happened and like what's been going on, because you might get lost in it, but it's it's it's it's fun. I would say like just being going going through it and being and d doing it, like you can I can get better throughout the years. I'm saying for my mistakes, I can just keep keep growing keep growing. So I I yeah, keep growing.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Okay, now now when I think about yo, the USC Trojans, because I know I sent you a video and I know your behind ain't looked at it. But like another reason why I just love you being there and me being a fan is because a lot of people don't know the Trojans is who integrated the South. You know, as a little history lesson. When Paul Bear Bryant was the coach of Alabama, Alabama dominated Southern college football. And they didn't have no black people, and he didn't think that he need any, needed any until people were talking about how good Southern Cal was and the brothers that they had, I'll tell you about this. He invited Southern Cal down there, and Southern Cal whooped him so bad that the players was coming home saying our practices were harder than playing against Alabama. And that, after that butt whooping that the S that the USC Trojans put on Alabama, is when they started having black athletes. So have they taught to you about any of that kind of tradition, like, you know, the traditions of the Marcus Allens and OJ Simpsons and the Ronnie Lotz? I mean, do they do they talk to y'all about what how traditional your school really is? Like, it's really a big deal for you to be there, especially for a person like me who wanted to find a reason to be a USC fan, found one because of the story, and you gave me a reason to be that. And and, you know, like is that something that they tell y'all, like, do you know how special it is to be a Trojan?

SPEAKER_02 6:43

For sure. Like, every before every game we'll watch how we'll watch highlights of just throwback games and like we'll we'll see what it what it looks like to play like a Trojan. And like we try to, you know what I'm saying, emulate, you know what I'm saying, do the same, do the same thing in our games as like the back in the day with the Trojans. Yeah, we see a lot, we see a lot of film, we see a lot of film, a lot of highlights of the old players, a lot of the good players coming out of that USC. So it's all it's it's a great, it's a great place to be. And shoot, it's just historic, yeah. Like you said, historically, it's just known to be it's known to be all these all these superstars and put players in the league. So it's just crazy, crazy on, it's crazy on there.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

And you're gonna be one. You're gonna be one. Because uh, you know, like I just got in your behind the ball, you know me, I would usually be harder on you, but now that you're way bigger than me, and then the hug you just gave me, I felt like you was gonna break my goddamn back. But so I got to take it easy. But uh, you know, you you you you you you know you slacked off a little bit. Sure. Talk about, see, this is what these kids have to understand about you can't take a day off, even as an athlete at the highest level that you are, and how you even said to me, man, uh no, and I said I wouldn't call it laziness, and your response to me was, yes, it is. I was being lazy. Tell these kids how important it is that they stay on their shit. For sure.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

You know what I'm saying? But again, the game of football, I think, yeah, the game of football is just fundamentals and uh putting in every everyday, it's a tag life with just the same mentality and keep the same routine, stay consistent. But I would say, just be real with yourself. You know what I'm saying? If you know you're not putting in the work in, don't expect for the outcomes, the outcomes you did, you know, don't expect the outcome to be good if you didn't put the work in. I feel like I be I'm real with myself, so I know what I'm bullish, I'm like, okay, I'm bullish and so I love it. So I know if I'll if I don't do this, I can't be, I can't be mad if it if if things don't go my way. But same thing. So I mean, yeah, I'm just yeah, I'm super honest with myself and keep it real. But I mean, the thing I think I stress about and think thing I say is in my mind is just like somebody's somebody's out there getting better than me. And if you don't, and if you're not out there putting work, somebody out somebody for sure out there is getting better than you. And you while you're sleeping, that person's getting better and they're gonna outwork you.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

And the thing that I love to hear that you just said was I hold myself accountable. And that's what these younger athletes need to understand that you can't be at the highest of levels if you don't hold yourself accountable. And that's the one thing that I gotta say, you even you you did as a kid, you know, even when we when we would talk to you about what you was doing wrong on the court when you was playing basketball. The thing that I loved about you is you would always pat your chest. Now, no, well, he, well, blah, it was, okay, coach, I got you. Okay, coach, I got you. My bad. And for you to be able to know and and, you know, being at the level that you at, and to say that, you know, I know that I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do, but the thing about it is you've been doing it long enough. Whereas to some of these kids who are gonna be starting haven't started doing it at all, you've been doing it long enough to know that what you need to do to get back to where you were. And if not, bigger and stronger. I mean, sometimes it's good to shrink down because now your muscles and all of that stuff get a rest and get a break. But, you know, what what's what's what how grueling is it gonna be for you to get that, get that, you know, as we say, get your weight up. Right. Exactly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

That's what I'm saying. So as long as I can stay consistent and just stay stay in the groove, it's easier. It's it's so much easier to lose what you gain than what it is to like gain. Say I gain all this weight, gain all this strength. That's super hard, but it is super easy just to lose that, just just by sitting on your butt, sitting by your sitting on your butt all day. And so you you you are going to what? So like I would say just every day it's just like a mental battle, finding that that that laziness, that that procrastination. And when you think about it, just go do it. And it's easier said than done because shoot, yeah, I like we said earlier, I've I've been psyching off too. It happens. That's everybody. I'm trying to be, you know what I'm saying, the 1%.

unknown 11:06

Right.

SPEAKER_02 11:06

Trying to go to the top. Right.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

You know, and and you know, the the thing that I loved is um, you know, I called you and told you, I wish I had a got a hold of you when I was there. So I was out in Scottsdale and um I saw this old dude who had his car, had the USC plate. And I say to him, uh, my nephew plays football at USC. And he says, Oh yeah, I'm a donor. Who's your nephew? I said, Jaden Walker. He says, number 31. I said, Yeah, he said, I know that kid. That's the only kid that was out there hitting somebody all last year. Lincoln Riley better get it together. But that kid was out there hitting everybody. He was fearless. And I told him, you were always like that as a kid. Now, knowing that people out in California, don't everybody know you're around here, but out in California and your uncle is in Scottsdale, and people know who you are. Man, tell me, tell me how does that feel, man? It's a crazy, crazy feeling.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Crazy feeling, like surreal. Like, dang, somebody, yeah, people out there know my name. Oh, it's OC. It's a good feeling. It's a good feeling at the same time, too.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah. Talk about your life as a Trojan, man. Tell us about being a Trojan.

SPEAKER_02 12:23

Shoot, being a Trojan means everything to me. My fault.

SPEAKER_00 12:28

No, you good.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Uh shoot. I just I love, I love, I love the atmosphere, the school, uh, the environment, and like right where it's at, it's in, it's it's a good, it's a good, good place, right? You have the beach, you have the city, you have so many different avenues, and it's like for school too, like so many connections and that, so many connections that can just you just by you going to USC, like your foot's in the door, your foot's in the door with some of these places just because you went to USC. So when you get that paper, you get that degree. True.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Doors open. Doors open, yeah. Man, and I love I love hearing what you just said because you know, most people, if they have it or or if their kids listen to this, they'll just hear the football part of it. You just said the degree. That's the most important part, because they don't understand that you are going to SC to play football and uh goddamn dog on it to the NFL with all being. But you also understand that your number one thing is to walk out of there with that piece of paper because you never know what could happen. But the one thing that can't happen is that piece of paper being meaningless. You know, that degree is gonna be incredible when you come. I mean, a degree from Southern Cal is like, you know, that like you said, that's a big, big deal, and it allows you to stay out in Southern California because the alumni is so huge. But if you want to go anywhere else in the world, it is so huge. Like, when you do they bring in boosters and and, you know, uh alumni to talk to y'all about things like that?

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Uh yeah, well have some we had some uh meetings and uh events we went to a little bit. Like we do if we do events with just random, we did we did we like we did an event recently with Jersey Mics. It was like a it was a big fun thing. We all jumped in the pool, we all jumped in the pool, our GM jumped from like the tallest like uh skydive, not skydive, but uh diving board. It was just a tall diving board and we were all just having fun. Like it was just raising money in uh little uh fundraiser. It was it was super it was super cool. We do a we do a lot of that, giving back to the community and stuff. So yeah. That's that's basically what we that's basically what we do. We don't really talk to we don't really talk to the donors that much.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Right.

SPEAKER_02 14:45

They're kind of behind the scenes.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

So okay, okay. So you haven't like met any or or you know, like, hey, you know, I'm I'm gonna host some of the football players out to my house, so you guys come on. And stuff like that, and uh, none of that. Is that illegal or nah Nah, yeah. It's just it's just a different it's just a different thing, huh? Yeah. So what what should uh what would like like Tavey is going to school, you know, next year. If you was to have to talk to him about being a freshman on a college campus, um, what what would you tell him to to do to prepare himself to be successful so that he doesn't end up back at home? What would you tell Tavey to do? For sure.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

I'm gonna say put that head down at work, but I see yeah. Uh well obviously uh I would I would I would tell I'm gonna tell him you gotta you know you gotta be you gotta be early, you gotta beat all these people that have been in college for a minute by by the little details, which that means just getting getting up early, getting extra work in and outwork, I'll work in outworking every outworking all of the upperclassmen and making a name for yourself early and uh having the coach, you know what I'm saying, get your name out there for the coaches to see you and show them that you're not playing, like be a leader, be mature about your business, selling your grades, just anything they tell you to do, stay on top of that, but I would say just do do do way extra.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

See, and I like to hear that because, you know, one of the things that I tell the kids to do is, you know, if you can be early, be early. Everybody spots that early person, just like they spot the late. They don't say anything to the early person because it's a mental thing and they're paying attention. But they call out the late one because that is disrespectful in a sense. You know, so basically that's what you're saying is, you know, do the extra stuff and showing up early small details.

SPEAKER_02 16:38

Small details will take you a long way.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Yeah, it's okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:41

So like if I would tell them, get a routine, find find the routine that fits you right, and stay consistent stay consistent. Don't get don't get caught up in college life. You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know, you can cut up a little bit, but you you gotta just, you gotta just you gotta just know, like, bro, at the end of the day, you here for one reason.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

I mean, and I'm so proud of you in that aspect that I mean, let's be real, man. You out in Southern California, some of the most finest women that the earth has ever produced. Go to your school, and you just said, don't get caught up in all of that stuff. That's hard to do when you from a place like where we live at. And it just, man, man, me and the wife just love when we come out there and see you and we have access to you. You're not out there at a party. You're not with this girl, with that girl, with blah, blah, blah, man. You are like, oh, Uncle, I just got done cutting some hair. Uh I'll meet y'all at this. Like you out there really working and doing your thing. And I think people need to understand and hear you tell them how you're able to stay that focused in the in that type of environment. I mean, because everybody wants to go to Southern California. Everybody wants to go to Hollywood because it is everything that you see on TV. But yet, like I said, man, I'm so proud you've remained focused and there's no BS going on with you. How are you able to do that, Jay, when you're out somewhere seeing something that you were never exposed to until you got there?

SPEAKER_02 18:25

Uh, the people around me, I surround myself, surround myself with, for sure. You know what I'm saying? I don't, yeah, I don't hang around with much knuckleheads. There's not that many either on this this year's team either. I always tell him y'all here, tell you in my text, I say, stay sucker free. Every time. Every time we have the conversation. And in the conversation, same thing. Sure, I'm on Mario Nar.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

So you so you surround yourself around good people who keep you on track. And there's a lot of them your teammates.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

Yeah, heck yeah. All of them are teammates. That's basically who I hang out with for real.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

So you guys are a bunch, a good group of kids. You guys aren't no, you know, out here, like you hear football players do on campuses, like because they think they own the campus, they all be out there wilding and doing all kinds of crazy stuff, doing all kinds of parties and you ain't in, you don't do nothing of that. You just cut your hair, hang out with your teammates, go to the beach. See, and and and that's what again, man, why I love the choice that you made because it's expanded your growth. But just to hear how you navigate it, I mean, you navigate that stuff like a champ. Every time I talk to you, it's never nothing negative. It's never, it, it's, it's never a situation where I need to worry, you know. So I know your mom ain't in a situation where she needs to worry.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Her only worry is that your butt don't be answering your phone or answering calls right away and all of that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

But it's just, man, you you, for people who love you, man, it just feels so good to know that you're so far away and we don't have to worry about you, you know, because you were never a knucklehead. Some people who were never knuckleheads go to a school like SC and become one. You know, you get around other guys from other areas, you know, they be they have different influences and things of that sort. Have you run into anybody who tried to get you to, you know what I'm saying, be something other than what you the that what Jay don't do?

SPEAKER_02 20:27

For sure. For sure, opportunities. For sure there's opportunities, but every time I just, I yeah, I I know my know my morals. And I I I'm a big, big believer in Jesus Christ. And I keep I keep that keeps me grounded every day. That's my why. My why's my family. Obviously, sometimes it does get hard, but yeah, I just I say true to me. It's okay to say no, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

It's real hard. It's real hard at 19, man, because because again, you you're in an environment that you was never we're in a small, we we from a small city.

SPEAKER_02 21:02

And I got free, yeah, I got freedom. I got my own car now.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

You got your own money.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

Yeah, for sure it's out there.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

You know what I'm saying? You got every opportunity to be something like that. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, literally. And that's why I'm so freaking proud of you, man. And I and I really, really am. I I wear my Jojo will tell you, I wear my SC gear so god doggone much, man, because that that's how you know you are one of the kids who who who left here, and I don't worry about you coming home. You know what I mean? I don't worry about you going to college and not being able to make it and end up being back here to be me worrying about what you're gonna go up and be. You are still that little seven year old big smile, young, bright, lovely, to me, a kid, even though you can break my back now with just a hug. You know what I'm saying? You you still like man, you you still brighten my day when I see you and I talk to you, man, because I'm so proud of you and what you've accomplished and what you are continuing to accomplish, and you're not allowing anything to distract you. And it's so easy. You know what I mean? I mean, man, it it's it is I love talking to you. I love seeing you. I love bragging about you. You know what I mean? Because I don't I don't think these kids understand that when you leave home and go to college and you leave everybody behind out there alone, that the like you said, the opportunities to go wrong is grand because all it takes is for one person to become your family member that you think you're missing, but it might not be the right person. You know, it might be that guy who's taking you to the hood and hanging out with his hood friends because that's what he came up and that's what he knew. And all of a sudden, you know, you in some shit that you was just coming to hang out. And and and it just, man, it I tell you, man, it it it is, it is, you know, I think it's important that, you know, you let these people and these kids because a lot some kids watch this podcast. I think these kids need to understand that putting in the hard work to get where you are is very, very possible. But when you get there, there are other things that you need to do to be there, to stay there.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Yeah, I would say for sure, nowadays with social media, it's so easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, but a lot of that stuff don't even be real for real. Like you can you might see you might see somebody putting their putting their work out, he might just do that just for the camera. Right. Not really be him for real, for real. But I would say that a lot of young kids, I mean, I I sometimes I get caught up in it too, just comparing myself to other people. But you know, it's really just like it's you only only your biggest, your biggest opponent is really just you. So once you really like master your master your mind and mas master master your mind and just like really just like cut out all the cut out all those like negative voices, I think you should be you should be good, you should be silent, like just talk, talk positive. Um be good be good to be good to others. And I also believe what goes around comes around. I feel like I'm a firm believer, like I w why I went to SC, because I treat I treated every I treated everybody good. Obviously I was a good player, but I feel like like the chances I the chances I had to go to SC I did, I didn't have the best grades. So like I feel like he just I don't I don't know like what goes around comes comes around.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

But you put good energy out there and it came back to you. You know, and and the thing about you saying that, you didn't have kids. Did you hear what he just said? He did not have good grades, but there was something in him that allowed him to be a Division I athlete, and then when he got to school, be able to maintain and say, because you can't, you they're not gonna keep your ass at SC if you're not passing class.

SPEAKER_02 25:07

Right. Yeah, I just I just had to think about Arville Reese High School. He had like a super low GPA. 1.6. In college, you know what I'm saying? He grew from that out here like a 3-7. Now he's in the league. Exactly. He was with y'all, wasn't he? Huh? Wasn't he who did he play for?

SPEAKER_01 25:22

Ohio State. Ohio State. Yeah, Ohio State, the linebacker. Yeah, well, first round, too. Yeah. And and and so what people need to understand is it's your your counselors in high school tell you it's too late with your grades and stuff, but if you're good enough, committed enough, and you're able to show improvement, coaches of D1 caliber or D1 schools will take a chance on you. No doubt. And then look at what's happened. I mean, they are ecstatic about you. I mean, you're moving up, up, up, up. I mean, I remember we came to the game, you went from being on the kickoffs and kick returns, punt, hunt returns, spot duty to I'm turning on the TV and all of my friends, hey, your nephew, 31, just made the hit. And then I'm texting back. Y'all watching the game? They all, yeah, you know. I mean, it's it's a maturation process. And you're only 19 years old, man. 20. 20. Oh, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:24

You didn't about to turn 21, ain't you? Yeah, December. This year.

SPEAKER_01 26:28

We are old. Boy, boy, forget your age and all of that, man. You're about to be a grown man soon. Now that you know that comes with different grown man responsibilities. Now, uh, another thing that I want you to um talk to these kids about and to talk to my other fellow coaches that watch, like, what are some of the motivating tactics or some of the that that that your coaches use to motivate you and and and to keep you frontline and center?

SPEAKER_02 27:05

Especially with football, I would say you gotta have that dog in you, but take technique. We teach a lot of technique. When you get when you get to when you get to D1, everybody's just as big as stronger, bigger, faster, stronger than you. But it comes down to technique and not not hesitating pulling the trigger. So I would say like just becoming becoming comp become confident on the field. When you become confident on the field, you stop thinking, you just go. It really comes down to just making a decision and pulling the trigger and going. It's just instinct. It's real just instincts. Yeah, you got yeah, you gotta know your plays, know your responsibilities, read. But once you know, go. Make that decision and go. Don't even don't even think twice about it.

SPEAKER_01 27:45

That's what we texted about, isn't it? That's it, baby. When you see it, go. That's the day. And I I just remember that play against the Purdue quarterback on the two-yard line, and that bab, that dude come around that corner and hear you come through that gap. It was like you just read it in the magazine, man. It came over here and lit him on. That was an example of if you see it, I don't even need to think about it. I know where he's going and I know where I need to be. And uh, and was that was that film room work, or that was just some instinctual shit.

SPEAKER_02 28:17

Right, yeah, right there, yeah. I was reading my keys and I just went. Seen him, seen him, seen him go. I didn't think he was gonna run it, but watch watching the film back, yeah, it was like a design quarterback run. So yeah, there's two pullers, read the pullers, was going with the pullers, and I just went, seen the gap he was running.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Yeah. Just ran and just hit him. And that, hey, man, and and of course the wife is yelling at me because I'm yelling in the living room, going crazy, and all of that stuff, watching the game, and me and the fellas is texting back and back, talking about it. But, you know, again, that's just what what what I do, what we do, you know, as fans, you know, and it's crazy because hey, I can still be your fan too. That's what you know what I'm saying. Uh, just because I know you don't mean that I ain't gonna be, I mean, I'm I can I can and all of that stuff too, you know, just like everybody else, man. And and and, you know, so so what are your expect expectations of yourself on this season coming up? Because I'm probably gonna catch, me and the wife probably gonna catch about three or four of the games. We're gonna, we, you know, we're gonna try and look at our travel schedule and our work schedules. And we definitely, you know, we love coming out to LA, so we definitely, especially that uh, what's the name of the little restaurant you took you sent us to with them dunkers? Ooh, wee! Just by just for that. So, so uh I digress. You know, tell me what your expectations of yourself are this summer, or not this football season.

SPEAKER_02 29:44

Yeah, uh, I want to have like I want to have 60 tackles, at least two sacks, 10 TFLs. Um I need I need I at least need like one, I need one touch, I need one defensive touch, I need one TD. I need one TD. But as a team, I'm gonna say I won't I want to go just 9-0. With our schedule, we can definitely, we can definitely do it. Where we're ahead, we can definitely do it. Go 9-0, win the Bentley Championship, go to the playoffs. Yeah, I'm trying to compete for that Natty. This is this is that year we have a lot of people coming, we have a lot of people coming back on both sides, defense, offense. We have we have we have to get the number of recruiting class for a fresh for the freshman subcoming class. So it's like it's right there. Like you can see, you can see our coaches and everybody. I mean, they're they're trying their hardest to, you know what I'm saying, do whatever to get us there. So it's just on us players, put the work in, keep getting close. It's a team sport. So as long as if you trust your brother across from you, you guys, you guys are gonna play way better with chemistry. It's the bot, the bot, the, yeah, if you if you guys are a good family, you guys should be a good football team.

SPEAKER_01 30:51

Boy, that boy sounds like a D1 football player, don't he? Everything is family and us. And trust your brother, trust your teammate, it's everything that you want to hear as a coach that make you happy that you know you you know at least it's getting through to somebody.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

It's no sugar coating.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

Well, man, Jay, man, I'm so proud of you, man. And I'm so glad that, you know, you bless us and stop by every time you get in town to, you know, give us a show so that people can, you know, see. And again, I I like for, you know, coaches, parents, and kids who watch my podcast to hear from, you know, you and other college players and and understand that this shit ain't easy, man. You know, it's fun, but it is not easy. And the work that you put in and and above all, the thing that you said is be a good person and good things will happen to you. You know, is there anything that you want to want wanna wanna share or tell people or yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:55

Um I would say uh be stay stay true to yourself. Don't don't let nobody don't let nobody make you make you feel like you make you feel like you're not wanted or nah. You didn't really cut that. I don't know where I was going with that.

SPEAKER_01 32:19

Nah, you're good though. That's good though. I mean, cause cause you know the the the the the the you you saying some good stuff because that's that's the stuff that people need to hear from your age, not from us old mugs. They need to hear it from you, who uh is their peer who kids look up to you. I mean, when we had your little um uh uh retirement jersey at the restaurant, kids came just to see you. You know what I'm saying? So what you were saying was good. You know, don't like you just like have that same confidence on the mic that you have on the football field. You know what I mean? You cause people gonna listen to you just like they listen to you when you coming up that line and lighting them up, they'll listen to you while you're even sitting here in the chair, nephew, because you got a lot to say and you have a great story to tell that people won't hear. Because what people usually hear is um, you know, I come from a single parent who who's, you know, who made it where you are is single parent household. Um, you know, we live here, this, that, and the third. And the thing about you is you never talk about none of that. You talk about it doesn't matter. It's my effort. I put in the work. I'm a good person, you know. And and the people that's around me, what they surround my faith, you know, and those are good things, you know. So so don't shy away from speaking your mind, man. You know, we talk about that all the time. Speak your mind. That's that's what we got this for, man. This is your platform. Okay, man. We got an editor. Whatever, whatever you don't like, he can edit.

SPEAKER_02 34:04

So go ahead. I would say recently, something I've been like, something that's been on my mind is like, nothing is ever as bad as it seems. It seems there's nothing as there's nothing and it's nothing is as good as it's seems, yeah. That's that's something that I've been learning recently, like, no matter no matter how matter how bad I think I've done on a player or like how bad I think I'm doing, it's never actually that bad. Like life's gonna go on. Like you're gonna you're gonna get through it. You're gonna get through it at a point. And the same thing I would say, like, when I like uh like D like D1 football, like it's hard, like, yeah, you got the condition, the same thing for the same thing for the conditioning and and football, like actually like playing the sport too. But I would say it's just all a, it's all a mental, it's all a mental battle. Life's a mental battle, it's all a mental battle. So once once you can just once like once you can change your perception, not even change your perception, but like once you can just like I don't know, I don't like I don't see it, not see it through, but you know, project it. Like yeah, I would also say like your mind is very powerful. Like your thoughts, your thoughts and like whatever you think, that's that's really that's really like it's really powerful. And like you can really like manifest things, you can put stuff into fruition just by think thinking the right thinking the right stuff. And you can, yeah. I mean, and I get what you're saying and trying to say because uh, you know, I I heard it.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

I think everything is like a mental battle. Yeah. Yeah. Because I heard a great, great saying that goes along with what you're saying, which is it's never to be, it's never too late to be what you could have been. You know, that goes along with what you're saying, you know, you project it, you manifest it, it's a mental thing. I mean, you know, sometimes, you know, we get caught up in ourselves and say, hey man, I uh that those days is over. And when I heard that saying, it was, and then what you talking about it, man, it goes great with that, you know, it's never too late to become what you could have been. You know, and and another thing that I want to tell you is when you was telling me about, you know, sometimes you compare yourself to other people and other players. And I tell you something my grandmother told me when I was a kid, man. You can't be like somebody else, you know why? You're already taken. So therefore, you got to be you and don't compare yourself, but always be a better version of yourself. Be a better version of yourself. You let them make the comparisons. Um I got somewhere I gotta be. And and there's no obstacle that's gonna stop that. Like I told you, our goal, well, our goal is first for you to get that that daggone piece of paper. Second is for you to get drafted into a warm climate. Yeah. So when I come to the games, I ain't uh uh freezing. I will say this though, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:04

I'm I'm eligible. So I'm saying if if things go, if things go as planned, I will be going to that draft this yeah this next year. Yeah. Over around this time, I'm drafted already. But yeah. Woo wee, that's exciting me. But I want to say I want to say something else. Just for like the young kids, and even if you're older, I would say you can do whatever you want in this world. The world is yours, the world is wherever you make it.

SPEAKER_01 37:26

And this is a Division I USC Trojan who told you he did not have the best grades in high school, but had what it took to be a D1 football player, and then remember that he's also a student first and maintained that and became a better student once he got to college. Let's you know, again, it's never too late to be what you could have been. You know, you could have been a better student in high school. Well, guess what? It ain't too late for you to be a better student in college, and that's what the frick you're doing. See what I'm saying? Like with that saying. And that's what it resonated with me so much. And then talking to you and hearing this and and you know, you telling that story, like kids who get discouraged because you have a coach or somebody say, Man, you ain't got the grades to go D1. Wait a minute, I got a 2-5, you know, 2-7, you know. LG Alice algebra. That's I'm eligible. What do you mean I that's discur they discourage these kids? And for you to tell them that, you know, I played, I played Division I for one of the most storied colleges ever. I didn't come out of college high school as a 3.4.0 student. I came out as an average student, hell of a football player, good person, believed in God, and I worked hard at everything I did, and I was blessed. You can be blessed too, because I was right there.

SPEAKER_02 39:06

I was right there in y'all's shoes. Right there in y'all's shoes, literally. Small, small top. I'm not gonna lie, even till my junior year, I promise you this. I didn't even think I was gonna go D one. I'm thinking I'm gonna go D2, play wide receiver, be cutting hair to make money. Shooting this. Something just switched. I switched the linebacker, put some weight on. Speed, yo, speed beat fast. Yeah, speed. Something just switched, started eating more, and I just started, I just kept kept putting kept putting the work. And even though I couldn't see I couldn't see where I was heading, like I never would have thought I would be going to play football in California. D1. D1. At USC. At USC. And it all started. My first offer was Davenport. And you say I started to get, I'm like, okay, this is you know what I'm saying, it's not even that, it's not even that hard. Like being a kid, like yeah, me as a kid, like I would always be watching videos, always watching the highlight videos under the rad under the radar sports, just watching a whole bunch of foot football videos, just watching the D1 like hype up videos. And for me, to for me to even like just be in those shoes is crazy. It's crazy. But yeah, life, life, life be going fast.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

This is life be going fast. It does, man. It's like, you know, like like like the great poet Michael Beasley said, yesterday didn't happen, and tomorrow don't exist. It's only today, baby. It's only today, baby. The po the great poet Michael Beasley, the basketball player, you know. I mean, and and you just said it, man. They have to realize that it goes just as quick as it came. You know, so you have to take advantage of it and and Yeah, when you have your opportunity, take it.

SPEAKER_02 40:50

You don't know if you're gonna get another one. You don't know if you're gonna get another one. I don't even mean I am. Yeah, for real.

SPEAKER_01 40:55

For real. Well, man, nephew, man, I appreciate you coming, man. I love you so much, man. I love you too, huh? And I'm so glad that you're doing well. I'm so, man, we we are so everybody, not just me, everybody in the community who knows you is so proud of you. Because again, man, you are exemplifying what these younger kids, think of all of the younger kids that you even know, the example that you just set for them. You know, and man, and I'm I I couldn't be more prouder of you, man. As a as a young man, as a student, again, who is becoming a student because he wasn't a student in high school, but now getting the SC, you understand that I have to be a student in order to get to the dream that I have. And you're doing it, man. And I'm man, I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you, man. Yes, sir. Thank you for showing up. Uh, this is thanks for tuning in to another edition of Coach Rotto's Podcast Winning Regardless here with our special guest, my nephew Jaden Walker. Um, go ahead, just say one more thing, man. Just say one more thing before we bust up.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

Appreciate y'all having me. Appreciate you, huh? This guy, this guy here, he's the goat, y'all. I ain't gonna hit the goat. Yo, bro.