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Inside the Den
Inside the Den provides a high-access look at the daily grind and academic growth of Arkansas State student-athletes. The series demonstrates the direct link between the Red Wolves Foundation and the resources that drive player success. This is a transparent look at how your support provides the scholarships and professional tools necessary to build a championship culture in Jonesboro.
Inside the Den
Transfer Portal Truths: Discipline vs. Loaded Rosters with Joe Drew and Kenyon Clay
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You can hear it when a player has earned his confidence. Joe Drew came to Arkansas State with a late start, a freshman learning the pace, and a mindset built around work instead of hype. Kenyon Clay arrived through the transfer portal after years at Southern Miss, and he brings a veteran view of what changes when a program demands discipline every day. With Justin Parks leading the conversation, we get real about how defensive leaders are made, not marketed.
We talk through Joe’s first start at Troy, the noise, the pressure, and why he felt calm when most players would feel butterflies. That leads into a bigger question: what does it mean when a college football program truly plays the best guy, regardless of age? Kenyon breaks down the differences in intensity and accountability he feels at Arkansas State, plus why undisciplined teams waste talent even when the roster looks loaded. If you care about college football culture, strength and conditioning standards, and player development, this one goes deep.
Then we hit the heart of it: the “why.” Joe plays for his name and the people who carried him there. Kenyon plays to honor his mom’s sacrifices, and he explains how purpose shows up in every lift, every meeting, and every rep. We close with team goals, community impact in Jonesboro, and a message to fans about what to expect this season.
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0:00 - Earned Confidence: Red Wolves Football Culture
1:10 - Joe Drew’s First Start: Handling the Noise at Troy
3:05 - Playing the Best Guy: Why Age Doesn't Matter
5:15 - Kenyon Clay: Transfer Portal & Southern Miss Lessons
7:40 - Discipline vs. Hype: Why Loaded Rosters Waste Talent
10:12 - Strength, Conditioning, & Accountability Standards
12:35 - Finding Your "Why": Playing for Family & Sacrifice
15:10 - Jonesboro Community Impact & Season Expectations
Welcome And Guest Introductions
SPEAKER_01We are Arkansas State Football. All right, guys. Welcome to another episode of Inside of Den. Your host, Justin Parks. I'm here with Joe Drew. And Kimmy Clay. All right. So these are one of our two highest performing people in the program. You know, they've done a lot for us. You know, Joe just literally coming off like a freshman year, uh, you know, strong year, you know, probably then, you know, starting off, you didn't, you know, start immediately, you didn't make an immediate impact, you know, in the beginning of the year, then, you know, when I got here in like late September, you know, I seen you come on the skin, you go on from scout team, then boom, you starting to you really end up making a start, your first start short game. So,
Joe Drew’s Late Arrival Mindset
SPEAKER_01like, how has the you know process been for you, you know, transitioning from high school, not signing early, you know, getting into the program like late June last year, from what I'm hearing? Like, how has the change been for you?
SPEAKER_02The change, it's been crazy. Like, because like at first, I didn't even know I was gonna be here. At first, I didn't even know I wanted to come for this sport. So, when I got here, my mindset, I didn't even, I didn't know what I was doing. So, I got here just to work. I did my research. I coming as a freshman, I didn't expect nothing big. Like, first number when I got here was 49. Like that's what you're saying. Like, I ain't expect nothing big. I was like, I knew I had to work for because I'm a freshman. I was 17, I wasn't even really legal, you know. So at the time went by, I was like, I'm gonna just work, and whatever my outcome is towards the end of the season, I'm just gonna build out that every year because I was working for my degree at that point.
SPEAKER_01And 49, that's like one of them like old school SEC safety numbers, right there. Number 42, 49. I ain't seen that number. Come on. Everybody got 20 rebut you know with that uh what that dirty 38, 30, 38, 38, best number of the nation. Come on, no, nah, but uh it's final for me.
First Start At Troy Under Pressure
SPEAKER_01No, I was saying as long as you make a play, it don't matter, the player make the number. But so, like how so talk to me about like your first start, you know, Troy, big, you know, conference game. It's what seven o'clock game. And from my history, I know how Troy get, you know, their fans get rowdy, you know what I'm saying? They they right there behind you, breathing on your neck, talking crazy, then you know, just like probably finding out literally what hours before the game that you were starting, really probably the night before. Like, how is how did you think? Like, because most guys, you know, would be afraid in that moment, but you went out there and had probably one of your best games of the year that game, you know, leading us to a victory on the defensive side. Like, how how how did that feel, you know?
SPEAKER_02Well, it's crazy. Like, it was so many factors that like for me, I wouldn't that made me not really, I wasn't really, I didn't have butterflies. I mean, it was like it was my parents were coming to that game. I had a lot of people from my school come to the game. I had a teammate I played with, he was on Troy, and I had some of my old coaches come. So at really the beginning of the week, me like me not knowing I was gonna start, I was just having they were gonna come to the game. So me starting, I could kind of just like build the like build the fuel for like me to be able to play. I wasn't nervous at all. I know everybody, every second, the minute they figured out I was starting, are you okay? Shoot with Coach Kwan me. He used to he text me about, I think, 10 times before I went to sleep. He came into the room, Griff, he talked to me, you know. So I wasn't, there wasn't really no nervousness to it. I was ready to play. I mean, I was ready for an opportunity. I knew if I messed up, it's college. It'll be a slight chance if I get back on the field. Yeah. So I just embraced the moment. And honestly, I like the environment. I know it's like our rival or it's like we already like them for real, but I like, I like that. I like being the underdog, you know, I'm a truth.
SPEAKER_01No, I was truly amazing,
Earning Time As A Freshman
SPEAKER_01though, because like most schools in the country, you know, like they, you know, recruit and then I have guys ask me all the time, like, hey, do y'all play freshman? And then, you know, like I I always bring up you because it's like it's not a pitch, you know. Yeah, you, you had Nigel, you had Malachi. Like, how does it feel playing for an organization that's gonna prioritize putting the best guy on the field, you know what I'm saying? Other than relying off of politics, like, hey, he's older, veteran guy, you know, like kind of highlight it there, like, you know, probably like 15 years ago, 10 years ago. Like, how does it feel knowing you play for an organization that, hey, I see value in this guy no matter the age, you know, but by the product he puts on the field?
SPEAKER_02It really boosts your confidence, especially like coming out of high school. Everybody now that the story was you're not gonna play because you're a freshman. Yeah, you're going to special teams. But when you come up and then you hear, oh, we're gonna play the best guys, now it changes your mind too. Now, okay, if I'm just better than him and I beat him out of this spot, and I beat him out of this spot and I do this better than him, you'll be find your place on the field. It don't matter, and they might switch your position, you know, but you'll find somewhere on the field knowing, okay, I'm better than him, even though he might be a senior. He might be 22 or whatever. You're 17. If you beat him out, if you beat him out right there, you're gonna play.
SPEAKER_01Right. Right, most definitely, most definitely.
Kenyon Clay’s Transfer Adjustment
SPEAKER_01And we got uh Kenyon right here, Clay, you know. So obviously, you know, I was talking to Will about this too, but just like coming in, you know, playing at Southern Miss, you know what I'm saying, not having, you know, obviously I played against you, you know, we always talk about bringing up stories. Me and Will, you know, we always talk about our stories too, which is kind of like how college football has changed, you know. Me and you probably 10 years ago never meet because you know, the transfers were the transfers just different, you know. You didn't really have transfers to whoever you came in was a freshman, either y'all played with each other for four years or they probably just got done, they just quit playing football or whatever. But now, you know, you just get new turnover every year, you get a probably a hundred new teammates a year or 60 new teammates. Like, how did it feel, you know, coming in, you know, to a whole new environment, you know what I'm saying? Whole different culture, whole different demands, you know, on a day-to-day basis. How did it feel, you know, the transition going from Southern Mist, you know, then basically to your conference rival now, Arkansas State. You know, how was the transition for you in that aspect?
SPEAKER_00Uh really, I'm gonna be honest. Uh, I'm not gonna say it was too difficult, but like, I mean, I'm I was at Southern Miss for three years. So like I was with those guys for like the whole three years. So, you know, just learning how to build, you know, new bonds with players. You know, I knew uh you still had Jalen, Corey, and uh Quez and uh Chauncey, all those guys on the offensive side, and uh, you know, not necessarily try to fit in, but try to find my purpose for, you know, being on this team. And uh I don't think the transition was too bad because, you know, uh, I mean, I played college football, I know how it moves, so uh I really just had to adapt more than anything to, you know, Arkansas State rather than how I was at Southern Miss.
SPEAKER_01Right, right. Yeah. And I know that could be, you know, challenging. Like, you know, just I know last year, just a different program. I know we
Discipline Builds The Comeback Season
SPEAKER_01got Coach Armor now, but how what was like the difference in terms of program philosophy? Basically start off in the weight room, you know, going from whoever the guy was at Southern Miss, then going to Jeff Jones, which I know is a higher energy, which we coached all our programs, philosophy rules, core values of just Linda's effort, toughness, you know, deep being detailed. I remember Jeff Jones always saying just detailed, being detailed and in details, you know what I'm saying? Just probably having like more, I know it's probably demanding over there, but I know it's probably a little bit more demanding over here. How was that, you know, changed? Like, how did you operate?
SPEAKER_00I think the the intent was like the intensity of this program, like alone, like, and that's from the strength and conditioning, the coaches, butch, like CVJ, like all of it, it's it's just way more intense because like you know, it's it's uh he always says a privilege to win, like winning is hard, but like that's all we strive for. So like it's southern miss, like we strove, I say stroll, Lord. So we strive for the same thing, you know what I'm saying, every time, but like um the discipline was the main thing that separated us. Like in Southern Miss, like we had the talent out of the world, but like if you have no discipline on your team, like I I just feel like you you are no you may be a five to six game winning team, man. For me, I was seven and six, three and nine, and then I go one and eleven, so that showed me everything I needed to know. And then just like yesterday, um he talked about how we you know we didn't perform the best statistically on the field, but like our connection, like the things that he teached the discipline, that's what led us to being able to go from one and four to uh world champions. So like it's I think discipline is the the huge like difference between both programs.
SPEAKER_01And that's one thing I truly like kind of applaud y'all for that. It's funny you brought that up, but just having like that resolve of like starting a year off like y'all did, you know, you win the first game, then losing four back to back. Like I said, I've been on two-win teams, I've been on the three-win team. So like I know like some it's easy for guys to give up, but for you guys to bounce back and win four straight after losing four straight, you know, that really truly show resolve, you know, because y'all could have easily won at one game and then win another game just based off how hard that schedule was. You know what I'm saying? But it truly showed what, you know, the locker room, just the culture that y'all had in there, you know, because in society it's so easy to tap out nowadays for y'all to be mentally strong enough to bounce back from one and four to end up winning the Bowl Championship. I can guarantee you there's a lot of people that counted y'all out. You know what I'm saying? I've been in that locker room before, you know what I'm saying? I know sometimes y'all probably counted y'all self out, but for y'all to bounce back like that, it showed that nah, y'all didn't count y'all self out. It's like y'all already knew that the relationship that y'all built in that locker room in this portal era where you're getting a new team every year. I don't know this guy for four years. I just met this guy two months ago for us to build a relationship that strong to bounce back that that really like I was proud of y'all because like I said, I've been part of some teams where it didn't, it didn't happen that way. It was, it was, we didn't win another game after that first or second one. It was over with. So I know, I know that was uh that was that was truly powerful though. And I know this year the biggest plan is just to make that leaping battle. Now we'll go from seven wins, but the ten wins now. However many 10 wins to 12 wins, however many, however it plays out, you know what I'm saying? But the work gotta be put in for that now. Oh yeah, for sure. So what uh so a question for Rope, y'all, what is y'all like? Why?
The Real Why They Play
SPEAKER_01Why do y'all do what y'all do? You know what I'm saying? Y'all doing some of his hardest lifting, you know, just conditioning, you know what I'm saying, demands and practice. Like, why do y'all play college football when y'all can do literally anything else in the world? So, boom.
SPEAKER_02Uh at first, I ain't gonna lie, first, my whole freshman year, even after the season, I ain't had no lie. Because like I said earlier, I didn't know I was gonna be playing college football, you know. And like once once I go back, once I went back home, and you see my grandparents, they happy, you know, I made it through my college year. They happy to see me win the bowl game. My parents, you know, they happy. My dad, you know, he was the only child. So I'm the only son. So to me, for me to keep the family, you know, keep it going, for him, he was emotional, just to see me keep uh thriving in college. And now I think it's just my name. I know a lot of people say they're family. It's more like my name. Like Joe Drew, I'm I'm that I'm me, you know. So I carry my name everywhere. I'm gonna make my name known in whatever I do, bad or good, you know, I'm gonna do it to the fullest, because in my family, that's Drew means we do it all the way. No matter good, bad, we're gonna do it to the fullest, no matter what. So it's just my name and I'm gonna put myself out there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, sure.
SPEAKER_00I ain't gonna lie. My wife, um, my mama, like, I'm gonna be honest, I'm an only child. Um, it was only me and my mama, and uh like it was so many sacrifices that she made. Like, I didn't start playing football until I was maybe eight or nine years old, you know, youth football. And like my mama was working. She always tried to find a way for me to get the practice. Like, it was just little stuff like that. So then I was like, you know, I get to high school, I see I'm, you know, performing well, uh, being able to get interest from coaches, and I'm like, man, this could be a way I can repay my mama. Like, you you would never be able to repay your mom, but like just having the mindset of knowing that's what you want to do, like, I ain't gonna lie, like, the sky is gonna be the line because like that's your why. Like, you got a purpose of doing it.
SPEAKER_01And I feel like my purpose is only her for real. Nah, it's it's crazy. Cause like I feel like you grow and mature, you think you knew what all your mama did. Yeah, I know. I don't know, y'all gonna realize it one day, but y'all probably realize it now, but I got older. I knew my mom made a lot of sacrifices, but like getting older and like seeing like the behind the scenes, you know, sacrifices, bringing me up here five hours, you know, especially gas prices so high right now. Like crazy. It's all, bro, four hours from my house. So I know she's coming up here, she made a round trip, four hours, four hours back. But um, I really think that like, you know, a lot of guys, you know, y'all have great stories, y'all had great success. But, you know, the people around you, you know, really keep the thing going on. Because you have that one piece that at least give you the opportunity to see this place, then you know, you probably don't end up being here. So it really is powerful that uh, you know, that she has such an influence on your life that she sacrificed a lot for you to be here today. Thank you, mama.
SPEAKER_00No, it's very crazy. Yeah, yeah.
Favorite Restaurants In Jonesboro
SPEAKER_01So so what um so what is y'all's favorite restaurant in town?
SPEAKER_02No, hey, shout out Waffle House, I go to Walfall. I go there every night, 9:30 at night, go on a Waffle. It's to a point they know my order.
SPEAKER_019 30.
SPEAKER_02What about sleep, bro? No, I'm not sure. That's crazy. Now if I go there, but they know my order. I don't like I know the I know the price of my order every time. Like it'd be it'd be new people that get my order. They'd be like, I don't know the price, because then they gotta look at everything. I'll be like, I already know what it is. I had to tell them the price and then boom, get on.
SPEAKER_01They already know that. That's how you know you go somewhere. But do you know you know everybody now working that name?
SPEAKER_02I don't know that name. Looking like, but like they fucked. They don't got no name tags. It's Wallfield.
SPEAKER_01You supposed to ask my butcher. Y'all communicate that. Got a network.
SPEAKER_00Nah, that's real. I could sponsor you. Oh, so like me, like it just depends like on my move. So like I say, I got really, I say two and a half just because it ain't came yet, but I'm ready for it to come. I love Mama Sane, like hibachi. Like, that's the spot for sure. I love J Towns because it reminds me of the mud shots back at the crib. Yeah with that, you feel me? So, yeah, definitely them two. And I hope I get a chance to get to the walk-ons. Oh my god, I knew, bro. I was so ready for them to have the walk-on, cause like I had walk-ons in Hattiesburg. I ain't gonna lie, they got some good burgers.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, George, I don't know nothing. But I tell you, Joe, when they open up their walk-ons, I'm gonna tell you now Justin Parks is gonna spend all his money at walk-ons. What's that? Burger Trinity, wings, spiders, gator bites.
SPEAKER_00He ain't never had awfully not gator bites. Come on, it's real. Like, I ain't gonna lie, they got a variety of everything.
SPEAKER_01A walk on is coming, I can't go and tell you not Justin Parsons beat her faithfully. I would know every employee name, and they'll know for that.
SPEAKER_02I bet to the Kings.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I like I ain't been I I like Kane's. I just I like the sauce. Uh get too deep into it. You know, yeah. I like I'm more I like Zach's for you a little bit. Okay, a little better. Zach, I like Zach.
SPEAKER_02They like the same thing.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it's yeah. But no, the wings of things ain't different, though. Oh, yeah. No doubt, no doubt. So,
Choosing Arkansas State On Visits
SPEAKER_01why did you guys, you know, could have gone to any school in the country, right? You know what I'm saying? Or had the options of the schools you had. Why did why Arkansas State, like coming on your OV here, y'all visit here? Why did y'all choose Arkansas State? Because I was a player when you took your OV. I actually remember it was right before the ball, maybe I wasn't mistaken. Fine, mistake as like December before the bull gang. That's how crazy the ball is.
SPEAKER_00Right before the ball game, coach you gotta prep and then host an official visit. So yeah, but y'all still ball prepping. I was at home a month ago because our last game was in November. That was a 11-game loss. So now let's chill out. But uh before Thanksgiving. I was at home good meeting. But nah, for real though. Um, let's see. I took four visits um when I uh entered the transfer portal, and actually, Arkansas State was the last school I visited. Uh I went to Washington State, I went to South Alabama, and I went to Virginia. And those three schools did not give me the feeling that I had got when I came to Jonesboro, Arkansas. I literally like it's like I felt like I was at home. Like when I went to Southern Miss, I knew I was at home. I mean, it's Mississippi. I'm going to, I know I'm gonna go to a different state to play ball, but like I need to feel which one is gonna be the one that's gonna feel like I'm still in Mississippi. And this was a no-brainer. And then what really blew my mind I'm in a team meeting with y'all. I think y'all might finna go with this, y'all might leave the next day or something like that. Either way, go. But he was talking about the bowl game. And he was like, we want to beat Bowling Green, we need a pump return touchdown. I watched the game. Courtney Jackson take a pump return to the crib, finally score 38-31. I said, Yeah, you know what he's talking about. This dude, like, you can't tell me this, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, so I was like, bruh, I got the feeling of being at home. I mean, it was it was kind of no brainer at that point.
SPEAKER_01It was so crazy. That whole week I remember it too, you know, just that belief that it's gonna happen. You kind of gotta speak it to believe it, you know what I'm saying? And then it happened early. Happened early. It was like first quarter, boom, get thrown out, defense get threatened out, boom, point the ball, boom, touchdown. It's just like it blew my mind. Change the game momentum. So it's so funny to remember that describing the great, because I remember it too, obviously.
SPEAKER_00Like for real, I was in the back of the team meeting, and I'm like, I don't, I know Rook, because like, you know, Missy do I really know too many others, so it was just like he realized said that and it happened that they won. Sure for sure.
SPEAKER_02Sure, I ain't gonna lie. All right, so I ain't had no football offers. I had D2 basketball offers. You know, I was I was good, but you know, you gotta keep hooping like that. Okay, here we go. See, not hooping out. Okay, hey, pull the tape up. I got it. Okay, pull the tape. I ain't gonna say nothing.
SPEAKER_00Don't give people much pride when they come to hoop, especially since he's a football player. But I did see that boy highlight. See, hey, I don't we're gonna learn up.
SPEAKER_02But I had D2 and like like jugo basketball. Because now you gotta be like, if you ain't six tick, it's like for real. And look at look at now, seven foot point guards and stuff. So I had those. And then I remember I was uh coaching and rate department team, and Coach Kwame called me. Shout out to Coach Kwame too. He called me. He talked about he he saw my film, you know, we just started chatting up. And then uh State track meet that we were uh four by four. We was running the finals. I got done running, my mom ran to me. She was like, Coach Kwame called me. I was surprised at first. I didn't even know he had her number. And she was like, we got an OV right after graduation. A graduation night, I couldn't even like really not enjoy it, but I couldn't really like part of her. That night I was packing because we had to leave like three in the morning to go to Jacksonville and stuff to fly out. So, you know, the OV came around. I mean, I took a tour around the facility. It didn't really bring no shock to me because it was right after they got out for uh I think uh like the break. Like I got out of school. So nobody was there. Shooting half the coaches were there. I mean, so it wasn't nothing crazy. But when I had an individual meeting with Coach Kwame, like just me and him, one thing he told me was uh he first he told me it wasn't gonna be easy. And I I I pause. I don't like I don't I don't I like the hard stuff, you know. So I like it the hard way through. You know, I ain't I don't like the easy way. Like I it's if it's easy, that's not that's not nothing to me. And then he said, go where your heart goes. Because he said, if my heart is not here, don't pick him. Because that's a real coach. I mean, you got me through an OV, but at the same time, if my heart is out there, don't pick them. And things that I thought my heart was in basketball. But to hear another man tell me what I was thinking, out of all the coaches, even the back, none of the basketball coaches told me that. They just told me they just got me an OV because they thought I was good. But to hear another man tell me what I was thinking, I was like, this might be it. And it's the one they had I'm like major in engineering, they got one of the best engineering programs out here. I can, I'm sure I already got my associates, so you know, I'm keep going and going. I can see, I can see my whole life just expand from right here. So I talked to my dad about it. My dad, he was okay with it. My grandparents, you know, me going away, they kind of hurt them. But once once I heard Africa Columbia, that was it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I tell people this all the time, it's like, you know, you know, you said engineering program, like it benefited you, you know what I'm saying? But just like, you know, you from you're a South Georgia kid, you're so far away from home, but like me, Alpha Burn Man, it's four hours away, still pretty far. Like, I just think like obviously you from Mississippi, you know, it's right. Down the road, but it's still kind of far. Yeah, you obviously went to Southern Midst before, then you could have gone with all the other schools around. But the people, I tell people all the time, the people here, you know what I'm saying? The education here, but most importantly, really the people and the facilities, man, really took me away. But like I met so many genuine people that helped me outside of football.
Accountability Standards And Daily Winning
SPEAKER_01If I wanted to be a bank, work in the bank, I could work in the bank. You know, if I wanted to drive trucks, 18 wheels, I could have done that as well. Like, but I feel like one thing this place does, it's just a good top. They tell you what you need to hear, not what you necessarily want to hear. Because if people around you telling what you want to hear all the time, you're not gonna get the outcome that you wanted, though. Want me to tell you that he wasn't lying. Like, this program ain't for everybody. Like I tell everybody out there right now, this program is not for everybody. It's tough, hard, demanding. You know, I say you're gonna be held accountable to the standard every day, you know, not even by the coaches, but your teammates as well. You know, they're gonna tell you what you need to hear. But at the same time, you feel me? But it's gonna make you better at the end because I'm like I said, I was here with two wins and three wins into six and then eight wins. And I could tell you those six and eight-win teams, and really that six-win team could have won more. You know, it's just like things happen the way it did. But the more accountable you are to your teammate having those uncomfortable conversations, like, you know, y'all two are probably our biggest leaders, the more you have those uncomfortable conversations with your teammates, and you know your teammates better than the coaches doing, hold them accountable to that standard every day. Don't even matter if you don't feel like it forcing yourself to hold them accountable, you know what I'm saying, the much more success you're gonna have here. You know what I'm saying? And you're gonna have in life, man. Cause the like one thing Coach John said that makes the most sense to me is just like the standard that you, you know, you let a guy, you know, let's say he go out there with white socks on. You know, we wear black socks. You go out there with white socks on, you know what I'm saying? But you know the standard, the standard that you'll that you walk by is the standard that you allow. So now you go back and try to tell them next time it's like I just wore it the other day, you know what I'm saying? Now you got a freshman doing it because somebody else, you know, upperclassman did it. So it don't matter if it's a senior telling the senior whatnot to do it. It's like at the same time, the standard, no, not above nobody, you know what I'm saying? But um, so what do you know, what are some of you guys like, you know, goals from a team aspect this year? You know what I'm saying? What are you y'all obviously putting in all this hard work in the summer, you know what I'm saying? Getting here in May. I remember getting here in June, but now y'all boys getting here in May now, in the May. So, like, how like the work y'all putting in, you know, on the field, off the field, what are some goals that y'all have for the team this year, this upcoming year?
SPEAKER_02Sure. Well, I mean, the main goal is the national championship. I mean, now with the the playoffs, you saw what James Madison, they never made it to the playoffs. So the goal is the national championship, but first you gotta get to the Summon Belt Championship, but first you gotta get to that first game. Yeah, first you gotta go through for all camp. So really every day, winning every day, starting now, like as a team, as a as a team, as a position, as a person, like even the coaches, we ever win every day. And I'm talking about not like not win against yourselves, like try to win the day against the other teams. Right. You know, if y'all win the day and y'all succeed against the other team every day, shoot when the game comes around. Hey, I know I know so boy, that that's that's it.
SPEAKER_01That's one percent every day.
SPEAKER_00I I feel like I got three things, three goals win the summer. They start started to really Tuesday. Windfall count. And really, like I don't know if people really, you know, think about it, but really buy into what Coach Jones preaches in team meetings, like. So I was just talking to him, which is crazy, because I was just talking to him today, and you know, we just talking, you know, just chopping it up, and I was like, you know, he changed my life because you know he talks through his experience. So like another grown man talking to another grown man, obviously, you know, he's older. So like I'm gonna listen to him. And like I can definitely say that when you change your life, like you know what I'm saying, out the field, it correlates and it's gonna show on the field. Every time, like, it don't matter. So, like, really I think that's the three goals. Win the summer, win fog camp, and really buy into what he's saying, because I'm telling you, if everybody buys in, we it's a no-brainer that we can like sweep the sunbelt. My opinion. Sky's in the is it's facts. I ain't gonna I ain't gonna insulate covering. It's facts. We buy in, we sweep the sunbelt. Totally would. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So
Community Support And Player Brand
SPEAKER_01on that note, so like just, you know, the community, right? Like, how impactful, you know. Obviously, you guys, I see you guys at community service quite a bit. How does like being out in a community, you know, having you know, all these events like this golfing tournaments, having you know, fans come toward the facility, having parties at the facility, you know, just getting engaged with the people out in the community because this really is a football community. They support us so well. Everybody loves A-State. Like, how does that like, you know, help y'all, embrace y'all, you know, just to, you know, play a little bit harder, you know, for Arkansas State just because the support that you get?
SPEAKER_02Really, just it's being like, we being blessed. Like to have the amount of people that we have come out here and like watch us. Like, Coach Jones, he said something about like, yo, your brand, like, how much are you worth? And like to see the amount of people by season passes, you know, to see amount of schools that want the us college football players to come see them, like to see all these tournaments, the for the the sponsors and all them would come to the facility and see us. Like that's just that's a blessing. It's like another family. Right. It's just like it's another family you never need for real. Like it'd be a random, like I I go when I go to the airport, every time I go home and back, it's always somebody like that with a um Arkansas State shirt. They tell people who's up when they walk by me on a plane or in the airport. I don't even know. Now I see them every day. Yeah. So it's just that's a blessing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I mean, really for me, uh, you know, well, first thing, this is a very supportive community. Like, like no other, I'm gonna be honest, like I ain't never experienced nothing like it. Um but really like I'm trying to figure out how to put this. It's just like most of the time the people in the community are alumni. So it's like yeah, I might be familiar, but my alumni is Arkansas State. You know what I'm saying? So I'm playing, yeah, I'm playing for me and my family, but also I'm playing for the school that I represent. So it's like why should they buy into us when we don't even buy into the you know, to the organization, to the university? So it's like, you know, be where you feed it, like understand that you know it's thousands of people that supporting, you know what I'm saying, the Arkansas State football team. So it's like, why not show them, you know, the love back, the support back by being, you know what I'm saying, whoever is the opponent? Like, why not show that we are out of the better school? It don't matter if it's athletically, um, academically, like, or city-wise, like just taking pride in what you have and you know, just going along with it for sure.
SPEAKER_01For sure.
Message To Fans For The Year
SPEAKER_01So, like, what's something that like, you know, obviously, what's something that the fans can expect from y'all this year? Like, what's what's a message that you have for the fans this year, like what they can expect from you this year?
SPEAKER_02From me or as I team into you, just all you Oh, from me, and like one me getting moved the linebacker, it it won it, like it's it's gonna be I'm a different, I'm gonna be a different player, I'm gonna be honest. And I'm well, it's uh it's gonna be somebody I don't even think I'm gonna recognize myself on the field because it's something different. But I'm gonna I got room to not have control, but kind of have that the joystick of the team, you know what I'm saying? And from the where I'm at, I can be everywhere. I mean, I'm still gonna be on special teams. We all know that. Yeah, so I'm gonna be everywhere, and it allows me to put my voice out there so they can know who I am. Because 38, I think still to this day, nobody knows I was 38. But now, me being a linebacker, you're gonna know who I am. That's it.
SPEAKER_00For sure. I mean, for me, I'm gonna keep it simple as possible. Uh last year, last ride, who's up. That's all you need to know.
SPEAKER_01That's all you need to do. That's all you need to know. Well, you know, I can really say these probably one of our best leaders, you know. Both of these guys here, Joe being so young, but coming in, stepping up, you know, Kenyon obviously coming from a whole different school, but just, you know, not missing the beak, being, you know, a pillar of what younger guys need to be like, you know what I'm saying? Setting the example every day in the weight room, just watch these guys shoot earlier, you know what I'm saying? And I'll call it how it is. I ain't gonna sugarcoat it out here, play it at a high level, man. But just seeing these guys, you know, I guess you can expect a lot from these guys, you know, and you can expect these guys to work their tail off every day, you know what I'm saying, trying to be the best for you guys.
Wrap Up And Where To Subscribe
SPEAKER_01But um, that's gonna wrap up, you know, our episode with these, with Joe and Kenya, man. And uh please like and subscribe to Arkansas State Media Network on YouTube, Instagram, and uh Apple Music. So um, we really appreciate these guys being here, man, taking some time out there today. And uh what was up?