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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
The Unseen Grind: College Football's Reality
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Instagram makes college football look like lifts, fits, and touchdown clips. The truth is a lot more demanding and a lot more meaningful. I’m Justin Parks, and I sat down with Arkansas State safety James Reed and tight end Joshua Burrell to talk through the parts of the game most people never see: the long grind from Monday through Friday, the pressure to keep improving, and the way a locker room becomes family when you’re doing hard things together.
James breaks down what five years of Arkansas State football really does to you, especially when injuries try to derail your momentum. We get into surgeries, the mental battle of rehab, and the mindset that keeps you moving forward: lean into faith, lean on your teammates, and control what you can control. Josh shares his own comeback story across Florida State and Furman, plus how those moments forced him to rebuild his foundation “brick by brick” as an athlete and a man.
We also pull back the curtain on the transfer portal. Josh explains why the portal window feels like speed dating, how fast relationships form, and what actually drives a decision beyond hype. From coaching fit and tight end development to the brotherhood inside the building, we talk about why Arkansas State felt like the right place. We close with goals for the season, community support in Jonesboro, life after football plans, and what Red Wolf Nation can expect when these guys hit the field.
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0:00 - Monday through Friday: The Unseen Grind
1:15 - James Reed: Surviving 5 Years of College Football
3:40 - Surgeries, Rehab, and the Mental Battle
6:10 - Joshua Burrell: Rebuilding Brick by Brick
8:35 - Inside the Transfer Portal "Speed Dating" Window
11:05 - Why Arkansas State Felt Like Home
13:20 - Tight End Development & Locker Room Brotherhood
15:45 - Jonesboro Community, Life After Football, & Season Goals
Welcome And Meet The Players
SPEAKER_02We are Arkansas State Football. What's going on, Red Wolf Nation? It's Justin Parks here with another episode of Inside the Den. I'm here with James Reed and Joshua Burrell. So these are uh James plays safety here for us. Uh Josh plays tight end just coming in from uh Florida State and Furman. So um how so James, you know, you've been here for forever. Um just like we've been here for what, five, four years now. Five years now. You lucky you got that register, you know tell me too like, you know, just your whole overall experience here, like, you know, just coming in, you know, really playing as a freshman, you know, say we was obviously teammates. So like, how like has the whole like you
James Reed On Five-Year Growth
SPEAKER_02know, A state process, you know, been for you?
SPEAKER_01You know, so I say it's I feel like it's been a journey for me. Um I think uh just coming in as a freshman, you know, not knowing what to expect, you know, uh coming from high school and you know, always being the top dog of your school and uh finally getting with people who you know know how to compete at the same level and push you at the same rate. Uh I mean, it has pushed me and made me uh a better person, you know, a better leader, just a better person overall. You know, um even having like a guy like you, you know, bring me under your wing coming in here, you know, it has made me transition and become, you know, someone I never thought I'd become. And I've uh took strides along the way, and it's been a journey for these five years.
SPEAKER_02So Yeah, yeah. Just, you know, especially going seeing you as well. Like, I think, you know, going, especially my last year 24, you know, you go, you know, have like two really good games, you know what I'm saying? Like, we back there, you know, going
Injuries, Surgeries, And Staying Steady
SPEAKER_02crazy and then like see you go down that practice, bro, with an injury, you know what I'm saying? Then I think last year you got injured as well. So I'm like, how, you know, you could have easily, you know, given up, you know, stopped playing football or just like mentally quit, you know what I'm saying? Then this offseason when you had what two or three surgeries. So like how's like, you know, I've I've had a lot of surgeries myself as well. So I can't, you know, act like I I met through it too. So like how how did your mind, you know, how did you process what was happening? Like, I how have you been able to, you know, overcome that? Sure.
SPEAKER_01Um, one thing I say is definitely it definitely was not easy. Um, one thing for me personally, I lean I leaned into my faith. Uh, that's why I had to do the most, I had to lean into God. And then second, just lean onto my teammates, man, and uh really just control the things that I could control. I know some things are out of my control. So I feel like if I control the things within my control and take things one day at a time, then uh everything will come back just as normal. You know what I'm saying? I'm saying, uh, so like at one point, joy is always gonna come back in the morning, you know what I'm saying? No matter what struggle you're going through, what adversity may be, uh, the joy is always gonna come back.
SPEAKER_02So absolutely. No, that's
The Transfer Portal Speed Run
SPEAKER_02real. So Josh, obviously coming in from Ferrari, you know what I'm saying? I thank you. Uh so like how you know it's crazy because the portal, you know what I'm saying? Like, can you talk to me through that whole experience? Because I know it was wild, because my port from my standpoint of working the portal and getting you guys here, hitting you guys up, yeah. Uh one day, then literally you're on you on the flight, 5 a.m. the next morning coming in. So, like, Alex, you know, how's your process been transferred from Farming? Now you here, you know, like how's everything been for you? Yeah, no, for sure.
SPEAKER_00It's been um, you know, it's been interesting. Um, but this transfer portal window, they had only one window this this time, uh kind of in that December, January time. So it was way more hectic. You know, everything's ramped up, everything you kind of call like speed date no more. You know, so um it was it was real quick. You know, you got coaches hitting you up, getting on the phone. It's like, okay, you got to figure out if you're gonna be on a flight the next day, like or same, maybe even that same day, you know, just trying to trying to figure it out, figure out where you want to go, and uh just kind of figure out and eliminate what you like about different schools, what you don't like. Um trying to build a relationship that fast. Like I said, it's speed day, and you kind of got to figure it out as fast as possible. But you know, my process led me here. You know, I really like A State, and you know, just the the culture, the brotherhood, everything about it, and you know, um, I'm I'm happy I'm here. So yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
SPEAKER_02You went through some uh interests as well, right? Because I know you would tell me about your uh ankle, we was just chopping it up and you was having what you was your ankle, right? Yeah, yeah, sorry, John. So like how it was going from that process. Like, could you talk about I guess all the injuries, you know, how you had to battle back through those as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Uh like you said, I started my career at Florida State. Uh I was there for three and a half years, and then I played uh at Ferma for a year and a half. I had two surgeries on my right ankle um at Florida State, and then I had a tight rope surgery, um, angle sprain at Ferma in my left ankle. So, you know, I've had you know both sides, and you know, um, you know, it's definitely not easy. But um, like like James said, just leaning into your faith. Um I when some when people talk to me about just kind of how my injuries have happened, you know, kind of like how my career's gone, I always tell them like after my surgeries, I've kind of like taken that step back and realized like those are my times. I feel like I was my furthest away from you know my relationship with the Lord. So I feel like those my opportunity is like the Lord telling me like this is your time to like you know start over, you know, start back from ground zero, build back brick by brick, you know, just kind of lay that foundation of who I want to be, what kind of athlete I want to be, you know, also just build my you know my my personality as well. You know, I you know, get getting the reading books and stuff like that after my um my injuries as well, you know, just kind of sticking with that now. So um that's how it's gone. But I'm I'm I'm healthy now, ready to rock and roll.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, no, I I definitely respect it because I I know you had two on one ankle, though. So yeah. Yeah, that's crazy. It was back-to-back years, too. Oh, yeah, that's uh it was a lot for sure. My boy in that training room every day. Every day, business. I can't know how to ankle feel like you can't go a day without business. Like, you know, don't get tripped with that one day, you're gonna feel it the next day. I had to I had a tight rope as well. So uh striker, that's when striker landed on my ankle. Yeah, I remember that spring practice. I don't know what you did. Yeah, I'll tell you right now, but I I was hollering. Yeah, tough. Well, I'm talking about whole practice stopped. Whole practice, bro. Literally, I bet literally, I went back and watched it one time before it was just like, you know, I was so loud. I think the coaches just like stopped and like look old practice. Because it was like I was going crazy that spring too. So then when that happened, it was like, oh, like because I never I never do that. Yeah, when like that's the first time like I had an injury where it was like, oh, like I'm hurting. Like, you know, I had somebody like you know break their ankle, break their elbow. That was my first ever, like I had shoulder surgery, but that's my first injury of like, oh, like this, and like this hurts for real. That was like yeah, that's like that was that was different. So yeah, for sure. Uh yeah, for sure. So it's different. So yeah, you mentioned speed dating, like that whole portal process crazy, man. Like, I tell everybody every day, man, I like they gotta do something with this calendar because it was so rough, you know. You got guys coming in, like, while y'all was at the crib, come from Vogame, you got guys coming in flying out. Then I didn't know people was doing same-day business, though. I didn't, I didn't know that. That was crazy. So you get on the phone at like 8 a.m. Then like, hey, I need you on a plane at like 12. Yeah, so you can get here at like 3, so you can to the facility. It's just like, oh my god. Yeah, I couldn't imagine. That's too much. And then I don't know how, like, then some people I guess came by themselves too. Yeah, you can't, it's kind of hard for your family to accommodate for something like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I was like, yeah, I'm not even gonna worry about trying to get the family involved because they their schedule is too hectic. I gotta get this going. So it took a solo trip. But that's how it was for me when I came here. Uh, I flew in, flew in at night home, I forget what day of the week, but I flew in at night. I visited that night, facility to everything, had my meeting with Coach Jones, you know, uh Coach Coach Altman the next morning. I was gone probably like midday the next day. But you know, I I knew everything I didn't know by then. So especially being older too.
SPEAKER_02So like why so what what you know, both of really for both of y'all, what really like made the decision,
Why Arkansas State Felt Right
SPEAKER_02I guess for you guys coming here, I know a lot different, you know, dynamic coach and staff changes or whatever like that, it's coach on the still here. But like what was what made the decision easy for you guys?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Um, like I said, being older, I kind of knew what I was looking for uh in this portal process. Um, it was kind of for one, you know, Coach Bush Jones, um, you know, it's kind of you know his just everything about him, you know, just the way he goes about his work, you know, um his his track record with guys of you know getting to the league, you know, just putting guys out, you know, winning winning ball, winning ball games, everything like that. Uh like I said, the coach of the brotherhood. Um I would say Coach Altman coming in, coming in with that uh kind of that Vanderbilt uh offense too. I kind of like that. He's put a lot of production with tight ends as well. Um so that attracted me. And then just Coach Bush's side, Coach Alex Jones, you know, just the way he the way he coaches, the way he goes about everything. And you know, he might be young, but he knows a lot of a lot of ball. Yeah, you know, I mean he showed me like all the clips and everything, how he's gonna make me better, you know, all my footwork and different things, and he just really showed me how I can take my game to the next level. So that's really what attracted me to his stage.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, Alex definitely knew a lot. He always tell me that story about them. Uh he was the scout team receivers coach at Bama.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And that's like the worst thing to be out there when you got saving coaching up DVs, right? Miss up that scout card, don't get cussed out. But kill it. No, definitely. So you, you know, coming in, so you came in in 2022, literally, I think a year after me. Maybe, yeah, a year after me. So, like, what kind of you know made the decision easier for you? That yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um I mean, back then, um, just coming out of high school, I remember talking to Colt Jones, and uh my biggest thing when going to college was just development. I wanted to be developed, I wanted to be somewhere, you know, that was authentic and real, and where, you know, relationships were real were real. And uh honestly, I felt that on my official visit, you know, just being around the guys, you know, you, you know, Trey and the guys and you know, Ruck, and just uh, you know, being able to just, you know, have that relationship outside of football. Man, we kicked it and stuff, and we was able to talk and just you know, laugh and you know what I'm saying, uh just understand, you know, it's it is football, but at the same time, it's about building relationships, connection, and just the things, the intangibles that can take you, you know, further than uh off the field, you know. So uh that was a big thing for me.
SPEAKER_02So people don't realize, bro, the relationships like off the field. That's one thing it's never gonna change. Order gonna happen. You know, you gonna have a different teammate. I guess you're gonna have 60 for you, you probably 90 new teammates. You know what I'm saying? Like you was probably 30 new teammates, then the year before that it was 30, 60, 40 more teammates. So I mean, you're gonna have new teammates, but like that's one thing. That's like you kind of gotta get adjusted to you gotta learn your new ones, you know what I'm saying. You gotta get to know them, get to hang around them because like I've been part of good teams and bad teams. Bad teams was not together at all, didn't hang out, kind of by yourself in a room, kind of by yourself playing a game, by yourself, not talking to nobody, you know, the good things I've been a part of is like you gotta kind of tell the brother, like, hey bro, you gotta go home, bro. Leave my house, but you know that's one thing I learned from being here. So what's one thing you would tell, like, you know, somebody that's like, you know, that only sees like the Instagram
What Fans Never See Daily
SPEAKER_02post of us working out, you know what I'm saying? Just the overall, like the regular fan, the perception they have of football players. What's something that you would tell them, like, let them know, like, you know, like, hey, like this, we go through a lot, or like what's something that you just tell them?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like I wouldn't even know how to put that in words, but um, I mean, it's it was way more behind the scenes, I say, than just what you know, the I the I can see, you know, on Instagram by the pictures and the videos and the cool reels. I mean, uh, from a day-to-day process, I mean, it's it's war from Monday through Friday and even Saturday and Sunday if you want to be great. But um, you know, I feel like this, I mean, this is where we want to be, this is where we chose to be. But um, yeah, it's it's it's way more that goes into it than just you know all the clicks and the the flashiness. I mean, we we truly go to war and we go to war with each other on a day-to-day basis, you know, to be where we need to be.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, I say that. Yeah, sure. I I say kind of the same thing. Uh just like some of the words that Coach Bush says, like, if you if you're gonna be here at Arkansas State, you gotta you gotta love ball, man. Like that's in every facet. You gotta love ball, you gotta love handling your business, showing up early, doing extra work, you know, handling your schoolwork, everything like that, taking care of your body, training room, you know, getting extra work, Coach Armor in the in the weight room, you know, there's different things that change your body and stuff like that. You gotta truly love ball and really be dedicated. But um, besides like the clicks and stuff on Instagram, like you'll you'll also like know like if you're in the in the building with us, like you'll you'll see the like the laughter and fun that we have in the family atmosphere that's there too. Like the coaches trolling coaches, the coaches trolling players, the players controlling everybody. Like it's it's just a real like family atmosphere, and like you can really like you know get what you want out of the out of this program for sure.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, most definitely, bro. It's funny you say that because like going from player to like coach, man, it's been just so different. Like, you know, it's so different just seeing like you know, you have this perception of like you know, coaches all serious 24-7 walking in the cell, like just all tight. Like these guys are just regular people, man. Like the regular, like, you know, people just don't understand that, like, you know, we you know, we laugh, we joke, you know, we you know love each other. I think the biggest thing, um it's just like, you know, that's one thing that's never gonna change, and people, you know, have to be inside to see it, you know what I'm saying? Have to be inside the building, you know, doing a little, you know, Instagram live and like yeah, see everybody, oh, so this will go on in here. People have one preservation of one thing, like, oh yeah, like yeah, sure. Yeah, for sure.
Personal Goals And Team Standards
SPEAKER_02So, you know, going into this season, like, you know, you know, a lot of expectations for us, you know, to play at a high level, you know what I'm saying? So like we could y'all give me some like, you know, personal goals and also like team goals that y'all want to accomplish for this year that for sure.
SPEAKER_00Um like uh one of the things in the in the team role is say uh be an individual champion. Um just want to start there, you know, doing your 111, uh, you know, just finding ways to better myself. Uh, you know, I switched to switch to tight end. I used to play receivers, so you're just trying to find ways to hone in on my skills, you know, just kind of be the best, you know, best um version of myself, you know, just being able to be a full facet tight end, you know, being able to run the route game, but also being able to block, play a little fullback, be able to be split out, you know, do everything in the backfield and everything like that. So just working on that, all those different things, working on my weeks, weaknesses, um, you know, just honing in on, you know, the playbook, you know, getting time it down with uh with the team, you know, combinations with the O-line. Um, and then just like I said, just building relationships with the teammates. That's really what's gonna what's gonna take the team far. I just taking it day-by-day, stacking days uh to a kickoff. Sure. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, so I'll really just piggyback off of Josh. I mean, uh for me, it's all about really just um want to be the best version of myself for the team this year. Uh everything is about the team, it's never about you know me, but I want to be the best version of me for the team, you know, and just hold into my details, clean up my details, uh, just become a dominant player uh so I can help the team out and um just continue to build connection and just spread this brotherhood all the way to the top. And we we'll take we'll go as far as uh we take each other. So right, okay, okay.
First Football Memories And Love Of Game
SPEAKER_01Where did you guys start playing football?
SPEAKER_02Five years old, man. I think I was like eight, but I played flag for I think two years before that. So my whole experience. I ain't played football to seventh grade, which is great. I my organized football was backyard football. Yeah, like you getting called, throw it up, get busted. Yeah, but I'm busting. Yeah, go smell. Like, yeah, man, like that. Them days were like different. Now you don't even see no kids outside. You were though. Unless it's recess at the elementary, sure don't. I can't get nice. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00There's no phone. Put that putting that water bottle in the bike, man. Yeah, so you get it a little the motorcycle side. Oh, you might know it's on the job.
SPEAKER_02You just got the little pizz too. So everybody, you was cool if you had the that mongoose. Yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh. That was different, man. Now you don't see that no more, man. Now you see TikTok to everybody. TikTok to everybody streaming. It's over with. Nah. Yeah, but it's crazy. I I feel like, you know, I found my love for football then, though. Like I used to watch, you know, growing up in Alabama, I think, you know, you just it's either Alabama or Auburn, you know what I'm saying? Teaching, it's so dedicated because even the schools, uh, school obviously starting in August. And then now, you know, Alabama August don't play until November, but you know, you every Saturday they're talking, you know, they're talking every Saturday, and then now it's game day. Now it's just crazy. Like the whole state, literally, you know, it's just just one game bringing the whole state together. It's so crazy to see that. So like that really, you know, brought my love for football to a whole nother level, you know. So it was crazy. That's all they got. We don't got no professional team like Dasville. Yeah, they ain't got no Titans, you know what I'm saying? We don't have the Miami Dolphins. Like, is it Alabama or Auburn? So it's college athletics. So it was it was really different. But um what's what's like your favorite game that you've ever been to in person? Ooh, Georgia, Alabama. This past year they got blew out. I've been in three. I've been three SEC championship games. The craziest one, like SEC game I ever been to, Auburn, Alabama, Iron Bowl. I went on to visit. And that's when both Knicks are fresh and they won. Like, dude missed the field goal, doint, and then you know, Auburn went and scored. That's when like Xavier McKenna got trucked, helmet flew off. And man, I seen that first time ever being on the game where they stormed the field. Yeah, so that was crazy. So I'm there, I'm like, I'm a Belma fan. I'm kind of hurt low-key in my man, let me. I just want him to feel I'm like, why? I'm at the age now. I feel like when people get older, like you don't really like your diehard team, like it's still your diehard team, but you're just like, all right, I'm gonna just enjoy the moment. You know what I'm saying? But uh that was a good game in the SC championship game when Alabama played Georgia when John Mitchie and Jameson Williams on the team. That was another good one. That was like a crazy environment. Like you're Georgia fans, you walk in the game, they barking at you. Like, like you got Obama jersey on there, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah. Like they barking at you like that it's crazy. So that really showed me like, oh, like this is like this is real, you know what I'm saying? So what about you?
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna go last season, man. By week, man. We went to uh Alabama, Tennessee, Alabama, Tuscaloose. Oh, yeah, oh my goodness, they were rocking. And then uh uh pick six before I like the stadium like was literally shaking. I'm at the top, so the stadium was literally shaking. I'm like I'm celebrating when I'm like, hold on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you know what I'm saying? And you got all that money and you uh sit in the club, say you said you're in the skybox. No, no, you're in the top table. Oh my god, it wasn't the top time. It's all right, yeah. It's all right. At least you was in there, though. Yeah, at least we was in there. Find a way, find a way. But you can't even see you gotta wear the binoculars. Yeah, what about you, bro?
SPEAKER_00Um, I would say I was a part of it, but it was crazy atmosphere. My first game at FSU, we played Notre Dame like that Labor Day weekend, only game on that night, I think like 7:30. Oh, bro, it was it was crazy. Like it came down to that field goal and coach Marvel cut a timeout and we had made it and we had to run it back and we missed it and lost the game, won that field goal. Oh, I know you that's sick. That was that was I think Nordivale's second year. It was crazy, bro. Like our whole season, I think, kind of predicated on that game.
SPEAKER_02But it was part of it kind of been a part of like some crazy things just on the fact that like you got them missed field goal, but then like when boys won 13 and 014, they still ain't make it. And Belma made it. I'm like, oh, I feel I look he felt bad for them boys. I ain't gonna lie, because I like you could just tell, like, washing a beer, that whole room just deflated, like everybody was that's my that was my last season there, being in that room.
SPEAKER_00Oh, you was in oh, so you, yeah, oh yeah, being in that room when we when we found out, bro. It was devastating, bro. That was crazy. Everybody's like heart just got ripped out of cheers. Yeah, yeah. Y'all had Jerry Verse, the fist dude, yes, Johnny Wilson, Keon Cole, Trade Back. I think I was going stupid and trapped. It was it was crazy.
SPEAKER_02Dog team. Dang, bro. Like, I always it's so crazy. That's how college football. It's one thing I learned, man. The portal, like, it's it's everybody trying to say how bad it is, but I think the portal is really good. Like, you know, guys, like for your example, like you probably stay there, you know what I'm saying? Like, you probably it's probably just a hard time getting on the field. Yeah, for sure. You know what I'm saying? Like, I've seen so many cases where guys go somewhere else and you you get drafted, like you know what I'm saying, because every situation ain't it ain't the right fit for that particular person. You know, it's definitely give you an opportunity, you know what I'm saying? If you go about it the right way, no. Guys like going just because they don't like hard coaching or don't like being held accountable. Like, I mean, you're gonna find that pretty much everywhere you go. So you're gonna have a rough life anyway, just you know, yeah, trying to run from that. But I definitely feel that though. It's good it's cool to hear the experience. That's that's one thing important to give you too. You give you experience like, all right, I was actually there, so it was like, like, yeah, this was like that. It's true. So, you know, being here, you've been here obviously five years now, 500 years.
SPEAKER_00Um so or he trying to keep bringing it up, like Brandon.
SPEAKER_02I've been here a long time too. I've only been here one more year than you, but yeah, man. So, like, you know, for both of you guys, you obviously ain't been here that long, but you've been here long enough, you know, just get around the community, get around people, you know, these parties we have, you know, at the facility, you know, with the boosters and everything
Community Support In Jonesboro
SPEAKER_02like that. Like, how, you know, has like, you know, getting out in the community, doing community surge, making kids smile, like, you know what I'm saying, but also having the town, you know, support you in a way, you know what I'm saying, like always being around you, you know, they're like, oh yeah, you play Arkansas State. Like, how does, you know, how supportive is John Burrow to you? You know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01Uh I would say it's uh very supportive. I mean, um, they always show love, you know. You go out, you have your shirt on, just even you don't have that number on. I mean, they're literally recognizing you in public places. So, I mean, uh, I I think it's amazing. Um, you know, we're very grateful for them. And uh even just being able to uh impact the community, you know, go out and talk to the kids, read books to the kids, uh play on the playground with kids, man. I mean, it's it's amazing. It's second to none. Um, I get a lot of joy from it myself, you know. It definitely uh gives you a level of gratitude, you know, because um we we could be anywhere else and we could be doing anything else, but we got this opportunity right here, so I think it's I think it's amazing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, I'll I'll give a little quick story. We was um at the one of the elementary schools or in middle school, and we were just playing uh pickleball that one time. Yeah and bro, we were walking through the hallway, and of course, like some of the kids are like, Oh, where's like, you know, some of the more familiar names on the team that have been here were like Chauncey and everybody else. But then one of the kids was like, Where's Don Arius at? I'm like, how do you know DQ already? Like he just got here, but like that shows you how like how supportive they are, you know, just kind of like, oh, he's probably only been like a couple times before that, but yeah, it was just like that familiarity, like wanting to see his face around, you know, just kind of like I said, just kind of being in a small town, but also having like that support in the community, um, just kind of knowing everybody's names. Um it just showed how big um they support ASU football, man. It's want to continue to get in the community and stuff like that. Can you continue to do more things? Just kind of speak on like the portal to just being at three different places now. That kind of gives you a little more experience in that. Just kind of being a build relationships with the boosters and stuff like that. It takes you a long way in life too.
SPEAKER_02So no doubt. Yeah. No, it's it's it's good, man. It's good that you, I think, you know, one thing I can attest to is just like you guys kind of like you know, you bought in. It's easy to come in and be like, man, I ain't I'm not meeting nobody. Like I was I had teammates like this, me. I was like, I'm I was staying at the crib, I ain't doing nothing. But just you know, come in, you know what I'm saying? Like, I already already know DQ name. And DQ, you know, texting me, like, hey man, when you send something up, man, you know, you gotta text me for it. You know what I'm saying? So, and then y'all just buying in, you know, coming in, you know, buying in, doing community service, people knowing your names, you know what I'm saying, just being out and about, you know what I'm saying. That's one thing that won't ever change. It's just it'll always repay you back. Like you were saying, you always reap the benefits from it, you know. So you never know, like, you know, you just make a little kid smile, like it just make your whole day better. You get what I'm saying? So that's one thing like I always try to do as a player, bro. Because like, you know, we was all young, so we all would we all wanted, you know, album players or you know what I'm saying, 10 Tennessee players for you, like coming in, like, you know what I'm saying? So it's always good to give back. So uh it's definitely a good thing that y'all doing that though, especially coming transferring in, like, you know, you could easily not do it, but you know, only got it for a short time, so I don't know. Yeah, because once it's over, it's over. You play it right now. Yeah, open. Oh shit, quick.
Welcome To College Moments
SPEAKER_02So, what was like y'all welcome to college moment? Welcome to college moment. I got a few of them on you already called, bro.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we're gonna bring that one up. Yeah, I'll just say the whole summer of my freshman year, just coming in. I mean, you remember uh you as soon as I touched down on cameras, you calling me. Uh hey, I'm on the side, bro. We're going to live right now. Yeah. Like, going to live. I just got a little packing, bro. Six o'clock at night. Tell you, yeah. But um, man, I'll just say the whole summer, man. I mean, it was it was definitely challenging. You know, I'm just trying to follow y'all lead. Just, you know, everything felt like it was moving so fast, you know, even just going to the skills, man. I mean, it was everything moves so fast, way different from high school.
SPEAKER_02But yeah, you just like kind of kind of trying to keep your head above water, man. It's like so many unspoken rules that you don't know about yet. So that's why I was just like, wow, like you kind of gotta take that earlier first year. I do. Unless you had a big brother that played in college. I didn't, so I had to I had to take everything to the channel. Oh, yeah. You know, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Me, I'll probably say I was late to a workout. Yeah, really late by like a minute. But I ran over and I'm like, okay, they might let me slide. Like I'm I'm always usually all time, and I'm out there pushing that 300 yard plate push. I don't think I'll never be late ever again. I'm in the yard, ever again, 300, 300 yards.
SPEAKER_02And I'm I was the oh, well, you had the 45 plate, and yeah, oh if I didn't show up, it'll be 500 yards.
SPEAKER_00So I'm just glad I showed up. Yeah, it's a register. You've been hyperbim late. Literally. Now literally quads feeling like balloons.
SPEAKER_02You know how they could lack the acid. Yeah, it's over. Yeah, they want to find it all.
Why They Choose The Grind
SPEAKER_02So literally, so why like why do y'all do what you do? You know what I'm saying? Like I said, you do like 300 yards play pushes, you know what I'm saying? Like you play, you know, you're a student athlete, you know what I'm saying? You gotta go to class, you know, you gotta go to football, you gotta study football. You also gotta study for your own working silence. So, like, what why do y'all do what you do? You know what I'm saying? This is one of the hardest things that humans have to encounter being a college athlete, which nobody really talks about. So, like, why do you guys do it? You know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01First, I'll just speak on just uh the developmental piece, you know. Uh everything is about development to me, man. I wanna, you know, grow up and start a family, man, just uh be a father figure. So I feel like this is really like kind of bringing those habits out. And you know, you start them now. And um, another thing is just uh really just um I'll say the brotherhood that that that football creates. I mean, I I love the brotherhood that creates uh the relationship that you get out of it. I mean, just the competitive nature. I love to compete, you know, and I love that football brings the best out of me. So I I just love you know the violence part of it too. I mean, we talked about legal violence on the phone.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, literally. I think that's fun to me. So I think Yeah, people don't talk about it enough. You can literally like, you can literally like hit somebody without like going to jail playing football. That's one thing that that's what had me enjoy, man. I had some bad days at the garden of practice and you just feel better, bro. Cause it's like you go put your hands on somebody, you're going to jail. Football, yeah, football definitely. Like, I don't think people understand it. Like, people ask like why so many guys get lost after. Like, you gotta have a strong-minded individual, but people don't understand that like football literally like brings people out of tough environments, you know what I'm saying. I know some guys that like if they didn't have it, they you know what I'm saying. I ain't no telling what they would have done. So it's like, you know, it makes people happy, you know what I'm saying? It made my day, I don't know. I like I worked a regular job for two months. I'm like, man, no, I gotta get back in football. Like, I once you, you know, you you get a taste of it, you know what I'm saying? Like you plan, you know what I'm saying. You you got that structure in your life, you gotta live, and then like you go to life and you can just do whatever you want. It's like, nah, that kind of like drive you crazy. Like, you know, you gotta stay in it. So that's her.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I'll say I do all this for the same, you know, a lot of the same reasons that James said, you know, just wanting to be the best version of myself. I feel like football, you know, allows me to hone in on all those skills, those life skills, you know, just wanting to be a great man, a great father figure, like James said. Um, also just wanting to be, you know, successful in everything I do. Whatever I'm uh attack on, I want to just, you know, put my best foot forward and become successful. I also say just taking care of my family. Uh, you know, just this is an opportunity that a lot of people don't get, you know, getting a scholarship, being able to go to school for free, you know, get a degree, you know, set yourself up for life after football too. Yeah. Um, you know, just you know, doing all those different things. Just like I said, just want to be the best regular myself. And I'll just really just that
Life After Football And Fan Message
SPEAKER_00love for the game, too.
SPEAKER_02So speaking of that life after football piece, what did like, you know, you guys, you know, your ball is gonna get down roll rolling one day.
SPEAKER_00So, like, what is y'all plans, you know, for life after football? Uh for me, I can see myself probably going into sales, uh, probably doing some like med device sales or something like that. Um my uh my twin, I have a twin brother, actually. Um he's back at home in Columbus, South Carolina. Uh he actually just got car sales another month for um for the month of May. So he's he's doing pretty good in that. So I feel like we've always kind of had that personality to be able to do sales and stuff, you know, just building relationships, you know, communicate, different things like that. So that's probably what something I get myself into on a plan. Nah, that's what I said. That'd be good.
SPEAKER_01Melchin sales, pay. Oh, yeah, so definitely that. For me, uh I see right now I'm really just open-minded, but I always see myself going into some type of like business field. You know, I already got my bachelor's degree in business and you know, working on my master's. So I feel like really just keeping an open mind right now. Still have another year to think about it, but some type of business field for me.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, that's that's good for you. Cause me, oh, I could not be like unless I I don't know about y'all after like sixth grade math, it got hard for me. Like, bro. Because probably because I ain't have no tutors, bro. Like I got smart in college though, like, you know, so I was always smart, but you get, I guess college, you get more resources. Like I had a study hall, you know. Math is the only one where I can write a good paper. I can tell you everything that happened in World War I and World War II. But when it comes to like math after that Pythagorean theorem, oh my god, that it was bro, that was like crazy square plus B square. Yeah, a little bit, bro. You know, formulas, you start putting letters and numbers. I'm like, I'm like, yeah. Oh COVID, COVID saved me, bro. Like they passed me my junior year. Yeah, that's what made my hardest year. I got lucky, bro. I don't think I would have passed math with that. I think it helped a lot of people in that cloud. So you're telling me a pandemic had me graduate. Uh I can just, oh yeah, you just go. I'm like, oh wow, yeah. They have no choice though, because then you have to restart like everybody. Yeah, like that was just crazy. That people are it's predicaments that people get in that we just don't think about, and it's just golly, like the way they persevered through that was crazy. I just always think about that. So, what is something that like, you know, you want to tell the fans, you know, about you or like you know, what they can expect from you this year? I can go.
SPEAKER_00Um, no, I would say for me, um, like I said, I'm just a well-rounded tight end, you know, just being a more like receiving tight end kind of kind of body type, uh, you're just being able to be able to be a hybrid guy, uh being able to line up at the Y, you know, being able to split out, you know, put the hand down in the dirt, being able to line up the wing back, you know, different things like that. You'll be able to play the H, you know, different things. Um, but really just trying to hone in all those skills and really just trying to put that hybrid, I guess, skill set to use and really just help the team out. Uh, really looking forward to a good season.
SPEAKER_01So for me, I'm just looking to dominate in whatever role that may be. Um, just looking to go out and have fun, fly around, uh, give connection to the team, give energy, and just have a team that just flies around and just uh brings good energy on the field.
SPEAKER_02Well, Josh and James,
Closing Thanks And How To Listen
SPEAKER_02I appreciate y'all boys coming in, man. I wish nothing but success with both of y'all boys. Um, you know what I'm saying? Like I know what you guys are gonna do this season, you know, it's no, it's not gonna be a surprise when success coming y'all way. You know what I'm saying? Keep y'all head down, keep working. And um, yeah, that's gonna bring us to another episode inside the den. You know, I want to thank both of these y'all for coming. Um uh like and subscribe, you know, to Arkansas State Media Network on all social media platforms and YouTube. We also on Apple Music as well, so you can listen to it in the car. So appreciate y'all boys, man. What was up? What's up? What was up?