Carlos Locklyn and Running Backs Preview Their Position Group
8/7/2024 9:48:00 AM | Football
On comfortability playing James Peoples or Sam Williams-Dixon in a big spot
“You use the word comfortable. Me, I'm never comfortable. I live my life being uncomfortable and I get comfortable. I'm confident that they'll get the job done. You know why? Because I'm confident in me. I got confidence in them, so they'll be able to get the job done.”
On the growth of the running back room as a whole
“They've made tremendous growth. Obviously they've got the talent, but now it's just creating the mindset. I tell the players all the time, you're going to take on my mindset and if you've been out there watching us work, they know they're going to hear my voice. From the time I get here at 4:30 in the morning I start working out, I see them, and they hear my voice. I could tell coaches all the time. If your player is playing soft or missing assignments, that's on you. When Coach Day says something about the back, I take it personal. Why? Because that's on me. Don't yell at the kid, get on the coach, get on me. It's my job to fix it.”
On the incoming freshmen
“With those two guys in the room, James [Peoples] and Sam [Williams-Dixon], seeing them come in each and every day continuing to work and improve their game, me and Trey's job is helping them keep their confidence up and letting them know it's ok to make mistakes. You want to come out every day and continue to improve your game, and I think we’ve seen that.”
On the impact of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly
“With all of our coaches, I think that they’ll put us in the best positions to succeed on the field especially with Coach Kelly and knowing that the offenses he's run in the past, and how he’s able to dial up different things not only using one running back, but also two as well.”
On his spin move
“I’ve been doing that since I was younger, and I haven't just recently started playing football so it's always been in the bag.”
On the offensive line and its growth compared to last year
“Those guys are getting better each and every day coming in with a great mindset and how close that God has brought them together. It's going to play a huge role just on the field. Those guys being close together and talking out on the field.”
On offensive coordinator Chip Kelly as an innovator
“It's amazing. He opened my eyes to a lot offensively. I see a lot of things differently than I used to. He's helping all of our guys get better and he's a great coach with a great mindset, he wants perfection. He wants to be sharp and he's definitely demanding that out of us. We're just trying to get better every day and I'm so happy and thankful that God has brought Coach Kelly here, he's such a great coach.”
On his confidence for this season
“I feel like the guys in front of me, like Quinshon and Trey, they've got confidence in me and when they have confidence in me, I have all the confidence in the world.”
On learning from veteran running backs
“Those are the best running backs I've ever seen in my life. They practice like they play the game, all the highlights you see, they practice just like that. So me and James, we don't take that for granted. We see them practice and we want to practice the same way."
On what's unique about him to this running back room
“We've actually talked about that and apart from the person I am, I say I bring an edge to the game. I'm very competitive. I run hard every play. You ask my teammates, I run hard every play. I put my best foot forward and I’m just a really hard worker. So I bring that.”
On what coach Carlos Locklyn has brought out of him
“He's got my best, I've dug in deeper. This fall camp is physical and people know that it's physical. You're at the Ohio State, it's going to be hard. That type of coaching really has elevated the room and it's made sure that everybody knows you have to come in every day and work and it's brought that intensity, it's brought the best out of me, my teammates, and peers."
