Austin Jackson – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
OL Austin Jackson
(How good of a measuring stick are the joint practices with the Bucs going to be for you specifically and for the team?) – “For me specifically, I’m excited about the joint practices. Definitely get another look at more of a game day type of practice, a little bit more intensity. I think we have pretty intense practices as it is, but it’ll definitely be fun to get out there and practice with some other teams.”
(I almost get the feeling you’re dying to show people what you’ve improved in the last couple of years. Last time we talked to you, we talked about how good you felt, your offseason. You felt you had a great offseason.) – “Yeah, I wouldn’t say I’m dying, but it’s definitely something I want to prove to myself also. My own expectations of myself. I have pretty big dreams. I’m going to live up to them. So it definitely started with a great offseason, a better routine. Yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited.”
(Any part of you want to shut the doubters up?) – “No, I just play football. I just play football and everything else comes from that.”
(Yesterday you were able to get T Terron Armstead in with the offensive linemen – 11-on-11. What did that feel like when you had him on the other side?) – “It was good. It was good. I feel like he brings a great level of intensity and focus to the team. We all work very well together. We’re very like-minded. I think he brings a veteran type of leadership, too. He definitely brings a lot of experience and decisiveness.”
(The adjustment from left to right side. Do you figure it’s been more of a challenge from run-blocking standpoint or a pass-blocking standpoint, changing sides?) – “I would say the biggest adjustment is playing in the scheme, not necessarily the position change. This type of scheme has its own certain rules for running and blocking, so definitely learn both. The transition’s been fun though for me. I’ve just been taking every day like a great opportunity to get better at something, get better at multiple things, so it’s been great.”
(You mentioned dropping some weight last time we talked. How have you felt that kind of tangible impact out here so far in practice?) – “Yeah, so I was able to maintain a lot of my lean mass and add more but also slim down and I think that’s helped me a lot more quicker, more in shape, even stronger.”
(How much of a handful is LB Jaelan Phillips practicing?) – “Oh, he’s a beast. He’s a beast. He’s a monster. He’s fast, strong, smart. Great player.”
(Have you seen him take a leap Year 1 to Year 2 or is this kind of what you expected him to be all along?) – “Yeah, he’ll definitely make a leap. He’s always been the type of player he is, and that’s progressing. Definitely he’ll make his leap. He’s definitely faster and stronger. All the things.”
(Did you ever go up against him when he was at UCLA?) – “No, he didn’t play that game. He was hurt that game and then he ended up going to Miami two years later after that. I actually did play against him at the Army All-American game when we were in high school. We were on the West team. Great dude.”
(OL Robert Hunt was telling us a couple days ago that he loves the outside zone scheme. Says “I’d like to play the rest of my career in this scheme.” Do you yet have a feel – I mean we’re still in early August – do you have enough feel for it yet to know if you like it as much as Rob Hunt does?) – “Oh yeah, I love it. I love it. I can tell he loves it. This is the scheme he’s played in in college. He’s really adept at it, so I’m lucky to be next to him as someone who’s been able to play in it and do well in it because I love it, too. It’s definitely a great system. A little bit of an adjustment, but the adjustment is bright.”
(You go to the other side of the line, the opposite side of the line, and flipping everything; is that a big deal, a big challenge or are you able to just … entrench yourself into flipping things?) – “My competitive nature makes it easy to stand up and say, ‘I’ll be a right tackle.’ Easily. But there’s a lot of work that comes with it. You don’t just show up. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, training my body and my mind to operate at the other side.”
(We’ve seen RB Chase Edmonds have some big runs out here in training camp. What have you noticed about his game? What really stands out?) – “He’s fast. Very fast and he’s a great runner. Picks the right holes. Pretty great.”
(What do you think about USC joining the Big 10?) – “Oh, I’m excited about that. I’m excited about that. SC (University of Southern California) is definitely get a lot of ops, a lot more – you know, we want those primetime games. We need more primetime games so that’s one thing I’m also excited about. I think in the Pac 12, I played at like, 7:30 every night on the West Coast. So I’m definitely excited and it’s going to be a great transition for USC.”
(Now you understand why we don’t watch a lot of West Coast, right?) – “Oh yeah, I don’t watch West Coast games either anymore. (laughter) It’s too late.”
