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ATHENS, Ohio— The Bobcats have arrived for fall camp and the 2023 season is right around the corner. Recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Brian Metz is looking forward to the rush of fall camp and a new slate.
What are you looking to improve upon from last year?
Metz: One of our main goals for the offseason was developing depth, which is a fancy way of saying everyone has to get better. Our guys are learning that the successes of last year don't automatically translate into successes this year, so we do need to pick up where we left off, but we also need to make sure that everybody on our roster — from player one through player 120 — that they're working when no one's watching, and they're getting better, so when it's their time or their number is called, they are ready.
What is something you'd like to improve in your specific position group?
Metz: We want to be all-around players, our tight ends. We don't want to be subbed in and out based off concept. We want to have that comprehensive understanding of the playbook like we're the third-string quarterback, like we know what everybody's doing, what everybody's assignments are and that we're able to execute everything. We want to be more flexible. We want to be more multiple. We want to be able to be moved in and out of the formation and relied upon to get things done for the team.
What's something you're looking forward to throughout fall camp?
Metz: I enjoy camp. There's an expression from Dave Johnson, who used to be our offensive line coach, that there are no days (and) there are no hours, there's just football. That's always fun. The team bonding, the unity, finding out what the spirit of the team is and having a lot of face time with our players. That's the best part.
What's one of the lessons you learned from last season that you're really going to carry with you for this season?
Metz: There were definitely some times (last season) when the outlook was not great. There were some bleak times and our guys continued to work and didn't really pay attention to the outside noise and just put one foot in front of the other and tried to take the next step. You look up at the end of the year, and it looks like the perfect season, and there were definitely times during the season it did not feel that way. One of the main lessons from last year is if you just keep working together and trying to raise the bar every day, then the score takes care of itself.
What are you looking forward to for the season?
Metz: I'm definitely looking forward to the gameday environments here. Playing MACtion games, Saturdays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As an alum, I really enjoy the game day experience and the way it brings the community together and the school together. I'm looking forward to running out of the tunnel with the guys knowing that there's a lot of work that has to be done.
What's your favorite part of the game day environment?
Metz: I love the anticipation. When the coaches get out there a little bit before the game, before the coin flip, and we're putting the headsets on, testing to make sure they're working, cracking jokes and trying to lighten the tension. That moment right before you get to see if all of the work and preparation you put in, what the result of that is going to be, it's probably my favorite part.
If you could give your team some advice before the start of the season, what would it be?
Metz: It'd be to take things a day at a time. People want to fast forward to certain outcomes or certain results, but it's about the journey and the people that you're doing it with. You're going to look back on day seven of fall camp and you're going to look back on it very fondly because it's all about the journey.
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