@DPo8*.
There's a nice buzz around the team right now. I enjoy coming to work every day, just being around these guys and going out to practice. The amount of extra work that everyone gets after practice, I think that says a lot about our team, the starters out there. People just enjoy working with each other, and we enjoy pushing each other on each side of the ball. I know we want to push our defense, I know our scout team pushes our offense.
For me, I don't really look at it as scout team. I kind of look at it as getting to go against the first team for every single play. I can't take that for granted, because I get to go against a Pro Bowler every day (cornerback Johnathan Joseph). He follows me around, so I'm going to go hard and attack the ball and run my routes and try to get better and try to make him better. That's all I try to do every day, really.
Johnathan has helped me a lot. He tells me things that give my route away, things like that, just little cues. I make sure I listen. I like to write down things in a notebook that people tell me so I don't forget. I got a little section for Johnathan Joseph; I don't even think he knows. I just listen to what he says and when he tells me about the small stuff.
Some of the guys I get together with off the field are Brandon Brooks and Ben Tate, Eddie Pleasant. Those are the guys I hang out with. But mostly, I just chill. I don't really do too much in my free time; I'm just trying to take care of my body.
It's good to see Ohio State start the season 3-0. I watch the Bucks every week. I get mad when I can't watch them because we're in Texas, so I just hope and pray every Saturday that they're on a national TV station so that I can watch them. I thought that we played pretty well against Cal last week. We have to learn to be stronger as a defense and as an offense and just finish, really, and I think we'll be straight. We've got a good group of guys, some great players and some older guys who are great for the younger players. They'll learn how to become seniors and juniors and learn how to become veterans in the college game. I think next year when they get a chance to go to a bowl game, they'll do some things. Urb (Urban Meyer) has those boys going. He's such a great leader as far as demanding perfection and demanding from people. I think our program can be successful under him.
I make sure I keep in touch with the guys at Ohio State. (Etienne) Sabino, our starting linebacker, that was my roommate and my best friend still to this day. We've been friends for five years because we met in high school, so we're pushing on six years now. That's my guy. I talk to (safety) Orhian Johnson and (cornerback) Travis Howard and (quarterback) Braxton (Miller) and (cornerback) Devon (Torrence), a lot of people there. Those will be my bros for life. You play on teams with guys in high school and the pros, but college is the only place where you actually live with these guys and do everything with them. It's where you become a family; eat dinner with them, go out with them, this party, that party. So for me, those guys will always be my buddies.
I appreciate the support and the love I've been getting from all the Texans fans. I'm going to keep grinding, and we're going to keep grinding for you. Thanks for reading.
DPo Diary Archive
9/14:Mental reps, 9/8:Week 1 excitement8/29:Ready to make plays8/17:Game mode8/10:Excited for first game7/31: Life in NFL training camp
