So'oto: "We’re getting into the second week of spring. We’ve had two tackle, full-padded practices, which is really only on the defensive side, we count that as actual practice. We play in shorts, upper shoulder pads, but really when you’re grading people, it matters when you can tackle. We’re learning a lot about the guys in our room. But before anything, I want to wish Jamar Sekona a happy birthday. One of our guys. A lot of guys have stepped up. A lot of guys are getting opportunities to show what they can do, and really positioning themselves for fall camp, when you can carve out a role in our defense. We’re moving guys around, all over the place. Some of you guys were at practice on Tuesday, and you saw Jamar Sekona dropping out into coverage. We’re seeing who can be versatile and who can go out and get a job. Who’s hungry enough to go out and fight for a job, to get an opportunity to represent the Trojans on Saturdays? A lot of guys are all over the place. A lot of guys are doing things they haven’t done in the past. It’s all by design, to see who can do what’s what."
Where did Tuli impress you the most as a freshman?
VS: "I think where Tuli impressed me the most, I’m a big first impression guy. My first impression of Tuli was, when we didn’t know we were going to have a season last year, he was the first one to every workout or training session. That speaks volumes, one, to your priorities, and two, to the type of person you are and how you’re built mentally. Waking up, getting here. They had the D-Line and O-line go really early. It was something you had to be ready for, to wake up, knowing you’re not going to have a season, and then still train. Once we did have a season, nothing changed. He showed up, came to work, put his pads on, and worked. That’s where it started to be impressive. But what’s more impressive now is he’s a young guy, and I put a lot on his shoulders in terms of being a leader and doing it in his own way. He’s been impressive as far as the development of who he is as a player, but also who he is as a teammate. It started back in September, when we were allotted to do actual training, and it’s continuing to this day. "
What's the next step in terms of his development?
VS: "More production on the field obviously, and being more consistent in how he holds other players. Once you become a great player on the field, the best players make everybody else around them better. That’s something that he has to learn. Everybody in the room and on our team has to understand that once you become the guy, it’s how you become a legend is when you bring everyone else around you, make everyone else around you better in your own way. His brother was different. He was a leader, but he didn’t speak a bunch. But everyone knew that Marlon was going to do what Marlon had to do for the team, and he was going to play at a certain level. For me, it was making sure Tuli, allowing him to be himself and lead the way he wants to lead. That’s the next step, to be a leader that brings everyone else up to your level as far as mindset and training. All the things that are off the field that good player leaders do. That’s the next step, with being more consistent on the field."
Tuli, how much more responsibility do you feel this season with some veterans gone from the DL?
TT: "I don’t know, it’s just, everybody is learning. We played a lot last year, but we didn’t get to truly understand what our job was as a d-line. This spring ball is really helping us develop every single player to do our job, to do something on the field."
In what ways are you learning this spring?
TT: "Some stuff I’m trying to improve on is just getting stronger in the weight room. Truly, I need to work on everything. Technique, footwork, everything, I need to get better."
You've been dropping into coverage at times, have you done that before?
TT: "We did a little bit of dropping last year, but I feel more comfortable doing it now. I’m finally starting to understand coverages and what I have to do in certain coverages. So I feel comfortable."
Vic, what have you seen from Jake Lichtenstein?
VS: "Jake has done a really good job in the weight room. First and foremost, he enjoys weight training. As a coach, you see pictures in the offseason where he’s by the beach, with his shirt off, and he’s ripped up with big old muscles. For me, it was like, let’s see what happens when we put the pads on. Credit to Jake. He’s got a very physical mindset to how he goes about things in the weight room. It’s carried over to the field, where when we’re not in pads, he’s still striking like we’re in pads. Which I love. He’s been doing a really good job. It’s nice to see him out there going through everything, playing the run, getting after the quarterback. There’s a lot there that we have to work through, but what he’s done with his body this offseason and his mindset has helped me as a coach to push him and get him better."
Vic, we've heard a lot about Jamar Sekona and his transformation. What have you seen?
VS: "I think, one, he was in shape. And I told the guys all the time, the sign of a good defense is when little guys like to hit and the big dudes run. And he came in in shape and he was killing all the winter workouts and put himself in a great position to get a lot of opportunities. Now, what his role will be in the fall is still up in the air and it's still something that's being worked on daily. But he positioned himself in the best way that he could with these winter workouts and coming in in shape. So Jamar's done a great job as well, loves to compete and I'm excited to see what happens."
How much rotation do you want to see up front ideally?
VS: "Ideally, it'd be great to have a full two-deep that rotates. But if you saw last year, I'm not afraid to play guys that just go out there and play and can play the whole game, like Marlon. Marlon played a ton of snaps and he even played on third down when usually you have to get taken out but if guys are playing, if Tuli can play 90 plays at a high level and be productive, then he's gonna play 90 plays at a high level and be productive. So who that is is still up in the air and who carves out a role for themselves in the fall is still yet to be seen but a lot of guys have come in ready to work and ready to learn."
Tuli, what does Vic emphasize in practice?
TT: "One thing I really like when he coaches is making us compete with each other. It just really pushes us to work harder. Just seeing other people work hard makes you want to work hard. We love to compete."
Vic, what's stood out about Jay Toia?
VS: "Jay is just like everybody else, and kind of to Tuli's point, everybody knows that there's open spots and everybody knows that how you do when we have full pads on is going to directly correlate to how many snaps you get in the fall. So Jay is just like any other true freshman, mid-year, is understanding the playbook and figuring out how to be a college student and how to play at a high level with a coach that demands a lot. And he's been doing a great job. Again, another kid that has a lot to work on but doesn't shy away from contact, doesn't shy away from work, shows up every day with a great attitude to take hard coaching and to get better. So the sky's the limit for Jay and we'll see what happens these next three months, but the way he shows up for work is the same thing that Tuli has, just the passion for football and I can work with that."
Vic, did you said on Trojans Live you wanted to piss off Brandon Pili at practice Tuesday. How did that go?
VS: "Yeah, got him pissed off. Now I gotta teach him technique. Mindset first and then everything else after, right? But yeah, we're excited that he was back out there and got to go through a full practice and now it's next practice, next practice, next practice and so on."
Vic, feel like you're able to start building your culture the way you want to?
VS: "Absolutely. I think not having a spring ball and being a new staff is a lot of different challenges, but one of them being, who is this guy? You don't really get to know your players to the depth that a spring season has and allows you to have. So I'm getting to know these players more, they're getting to understand my expectations where there isn't a game we're preparing for on Saturday and I think the culture aspect of it, you can actually dive deep into and not worry about running out of time before we get into who our opponent is and making sure that we have them ready for formations or whatever, right? So a lot of my time speaking to them is about development, is about your job on the defensive line, which, Tuli, what's your job on the defensive line?"
TT: "To establish the violent, physical nature of football through relentless effort, both immovable and unstoppable, we do not chase, we hunt."
VS: "And that's what we're doing now, is we get out there to go hunt. And I'm looking for guys that are hungry and when they show up they know they're going to get the same thing from their coach. But at the end of the day, the culture of being the right type of Trojan, the culture of leaving the field knowing that the guy across from you feels way worse than you do, is what we're doing now."
Tuli, feel any different without Marlon there?
TT: "Feel no difference, everybody on my d-line is my brother. We're still family over here."
Where did Tuli impress you the most as a freshman?
VS: "I think where Tuli impressed me the most, I’m a big first impression guy. My first impression of Tuli was, when we didn’t know we were going to have a season last year, he was the first one to every workout or training session. That speaks volumes, one, to your priorities, and two, to the type of person you are and how you’re built mentally. Waking up, getting here. They had the D-Line and O-line go really early. It was something you had to be ready for, to wake up, knowing you’re not going to have a season, and then still train. Once we did have a season, nothing changed. He showed up, came to work, put his pads on, and worked. That’s where it started to be impressive. But what’s more impressive now is he’s a young guy, and I put a lot on his shoulders in terms of being a leader and doing it in his own way. He’s been impressive as far as the development of who he is as a player, but also who he is as a teammate. It started back in September, when we were allotted to do actual training, and it’s continuing to this day. "
What's the next step in terms of his development?
VS: "More production on the field obviously, and being more consistent in how he holds other players. Once you become a great player on the field, the best players make everybody else around them better. That’s something that he has to learn. Everybody in the room and on our team has to understand that once you become the guy, it’s how you become a legend is when you bring everyone else around you, make everyone else around you better in your own way. His brother was different. He was a leader, but he didn’t speak a bunch. But everyone knew that Marlon was going to do what Marlon had to do for the team, and he was going to play at a certain level. For me, it was making sure Tuli, allowing him to be himself and lead the way he wants to lead. That’s the next step, to be a leader that brings everyone else up to your level as far as mindset and training. All the things that are off the field that good player leaders do. That’s the next step, with being more consistent on the field."
Tuli, how much more responsibility do you feel this season with some veterans gone from the DL?
TT: "I don’t know, it’s just, everybody is learning. We played a lot last year, but we didn’t get to truly understand what our job was as a d-line. This spring ball is really helping us develop every single player to do our job, to do something on the field."
In what ways are you learning this spring?
TT: "Some stuff I’m trying to improve on is just getting stronger in the weight room. Truly, I need to work on everything. Technique, footwork, everything, I need to get better."
You've been dropping into coverage at times, have you done that before?
TT: "We did a little bit of dropping last year, but I feel more comfortable doing it now. I’m finally starting to understand coverages and what I have to do in certain coverages. So I feel comfortable."
Vic, what have you seen from Jake Lichtenstein?
VS: "Jake has done a really good job in the weight room. First and foremost, he enjoys weight training. As a coach, you see pictures in the offseason where he’s by the beach, with his shirt off, and he’s ripped up with big old muscles. For me, it was like, let’s see what happens when we put the pads on. Credit to Jake. He’s got a very physical mindset to how he goes about things in the weight room. It’s carried over to the field, where when we’re not in pads, he’s still striking like we’re in pads. Which I love. He’s been doing a really good job. It’s nice to see him out there going through everything, playing the run, getting after the quarterback. There’s a lot there that we have to work through, but what he’s done with his body this offseason and his mindset has helped me as a coach to push him and get him better."
Vic, we've heard a lot about Jamar Sekona and his transformation. What have you seen?
VS: "I think, one, he was in shape. And I told the guys all the time, the sign of a good defense is when little guys like to hit and the big dudes run. And he came in in shape and he was killing all the winter workouts and put himself in a great position to get a lot of opportunities. Now, what his role will be in the fall is still up in the air and it's still something that's being worked on daily. But he positioned himself in the best way that he could with these winter workouts and coming in in shape. So Jamar's done a great job as well, loves to compete and I'm excited to see what happens."
How much rotation do you want to see up front ideally?
VS: "Ideally, it'd be great to have a full two-deep that rotates. But if you saw last year, I'm not afraid to play guys that just go out there and play and can play the whole game, like Marlon. Marlon played a ton of snaps and he even played on third down when usually you have to get taken out but if guys are playing, if Tuli can play 90 plays at a high level and be productive, then he's gonna play 90 plays at a high level and be productive. So who that is is still up in the air and who carves out a role for themselves in the fall is still yet to be seen but a lot of guys have come in ready to work and ready to learn."
Tuli, what does Vic emphasize in practice?
TT: "One thing I really like when he coaches is making us compete with each other. It just really pushes us to work harder. Just seeing other people work hard makes you want to work hard. We love to compete."
Vic, what's stood out about Jay Toia?
VS: "Jay is just like everybody else, and kind of to Tuli's point, everybody knows that there's open spots and everybody knows that how you do when we have full pads on is going to directly correlate to how many snaps you get in the fall. So Jay is just like any other true freshman, mid-year, is understanding the playbook and figuring out how to be a college student and how to play at a high level with a coach that demands a lot. And he's been doing a great job. Again, another kid that has a lot to work on but doesn't shy away from contact, doesn't shy away from work, shows up every day with a great attitude to take hard coaching and to get better. So the sky's the limit for Jay and we'll see what happens these next three months, but the way he shows up for work is the same thing that Tuli has, just the passion for football and I can work with that."
Vic, did you said on Trojans Live you wanted to piss off Brandon Pili at practice Tuesday. How did that go?
VS: "Yeah, got him pissed off. Now I gotta teach him technique. Mindset first and then everything else after, right? But yeah, we're excited that he was back out there and got to go through a full practice and now it's next practice, next practice, next practice and so on."
Vic, feel like you're able to start building your culture the way you want to?
VS: "Absolutely. I think not having a spring ball and being a new staff is a lot of different challenges, but one of them being, who is this guy? You don't really get to know your players to the depth that a spring season has and allows you to have. So I'm getting to know these players more, they're getting to understand my expectations where there isn't a game we're preparing for on Saturday and I think the culture aspect of it, you can actually dive deep into and not worry about running out of time before we get into who our opponent is and making sure that we have them ready for formations or whatever, right? So a lot of my time speaking to them is about development, is about your job on the defensive line, which, Tuli, what's your job on the defensive line?"
TT: "To establish the violent, physical nature of football through relentless effort, both immovable and unstoppable, we do not chase, we hunt."
VS: "And that's what we're doing now, is we get out there to go hunt. And I'm looking for guys that are hungry and when they show up they know they're going to get the same thing from their coach. But at the end of the day, the culture of being the right type of Trojan, the culture of leaving the field knowing that the guy across from you feels way worse than you do, is what we're doing now."
Tuli, feel any different without Marlon there?
TT: "Feel no difference, everybody on my d-line is my brother. We're still family over here."
