Transcripts from our training camp interviews with the Spartan Nation's own T.J. Duckett and Drew Stanton!

T.J. Duckett

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Jamal  It’s the first day of training camp, tell me how you feel?
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T.J. It was good. It feels good to get out here and do some live work, some live action and it’s building blocks our goal. It’s good for everyone to get back in. It’s good for everyone to get together again.

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Jamal  You come out in the off-season. You’ve been working real hard. It comes to OTAs, would you have to talk about the playbook that you also have to memorize, how comfortable are you with the playbook?

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T.J.  I think it’s a lot better We still have alto to do, but with it being the second time around, the second time hearing it. I think plays are a little more familiar and I’m a little more comfortable with it.

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Jamal  How are the players doing so far? You had a high turn out at the OTAs, sop the players had to kind of work with each other. How are they working so far?

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T.J.  Great, great. We have great team chemistry and we’re all excited. We’re all here for the same goal. We know we have to work hard, we know we have to make each other better. But like I said, we all know what the end result should be.

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Reporter  You haven’t been here before but it seems like there’s a different atmosphere around here now. Everybody thinks this can be the year the Lions finally get it going.

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T.J.   Yea, we feel confident about it. That’s why we’re out here working. That’s why we work so hard. We all start out the season with high hopes and that’s what we work for, and that’s why we’re all out here.

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Reporter  Why did you come here?

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T.J.   I felt like this is a great opportunity. I think when I had a visit here meeting with the coaches they said a lot of great things and just watching the team least season and I felt like they were almost there. I felt I could help contribute.
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Reporter  How’s the attitude today?

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T.J.   Great. We came out ready to work. The first day everybody worked hard, and that’s all we could ask for.

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Reporter  It seemed like everybody was throwing a lot of things at you your first day

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T.J.  Yea, it’s football. Expect anything. They taught us a lot in OTAs and a lot of it they expect to carry over. That’s what’s going to make us a better team.

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Drew Stanton

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Drew: …about East Lansing and those different things. I know it’s nice to have that special relationship with somebody on your team that kind of came from the same place you did.

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Reporter: Do you have any extra responsibilities as a rookie? Carry the balls around, anything like that?

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Drew: I’ve got some stuff that I’ve been made aware of that I’m suppose to do during the season but we haven’t gotten there yet.

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Drew: A lot of my mechanics have changed in doing different stuff and just trying to get acclimated to that, and then as far as the offense goes, trying to digest it more and more as we move along because they are not going to slow down for me if I don’t understand it. I have to ability to ask questions and find answers. I need to be able to kind of understand it and break it down in a way I can best give them the end result.

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Reporter  The big number has been 10. 10 wins. From what you’ve seen so far do you guys honestly think that will be an obtainable goal this season or you have waft your goals or for you, what do you think this team can accomplish?

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Drew  You know, I think it is one of those things that there wasn’t much to talk about when John made that statement about ten games. You know, hopefully, like we were saying, Josh said the number went up when the schedule came out so he’s got a different opinion, so you’re going to go ask him about that one. Â

Reporter  What do you think though? What do you think this team can obtain?

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Drew  I think it’s one of those things you never go into a week assuming that you’re going to lose. You don’t want to put a stamp or a mark on something like that. So, especially as a rookie, I’m just trying to finds my way right now. I can’t really come out and make any bold statements like that, but its one of those things, like I said, that John made the statement, he feels confident, and he wouldn’t have made I t otherwise. But its one of those things that we’re a team and we’re going to strive to do the best we can each week.

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Reporter  As a rookie, how special is it to be back here in Michigan and how do you go about it approach wise so not to let the pressure get to you?

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Drew  I haven’t really felt any pressure yet to be honest with you. Just because I’m trying to learn and I’ve been sheltered in that sense in just trying to do as much as I can and when you come to the practice facility and you get inside these walls and start to learn I could be in Alaska for all I care. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and digest it, like I was saying before, and trying to get some positive results out on the football field.

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 Reporter: Is it great to be back here?

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 Drew: Oh, I’m really excited. I’m very happy.

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 Reporter: How much does it feel like you’ve improved since the first mini-camp in March?

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Drew: Its coming along, I definitely feel like I’ve progressed and doing the stuff that he’s been asking me to do but I still have a long way to go definitely. I felt comfortable today, a lot more relaxed than I have been in the past with calling the plays and the verbiage and getting that out. It was nice for me too because I got a chance to go over there and work with the run game and I understand all the different checks and the motions and the reads and stuff that we have within that and really take some quality time away from there.Â

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Reporter:Â How far do you think you are in getting the whole playbook?

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Drew: I don’t know, it’s just one of those things that try and keep your head above water now and each day is when they start throwing new stuff at us and new wrinkles to the offense and I’m getting it in simplistic form with your basic reads and Jon’s on a much different level than probably all of us, Dan’s probably close to it but its one of those things that the offense can expand so much more and you’re always constantly learning so much more and getting better within it.

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Reporter: Is Jon a mentor to the younger guys? What’s your relationship with him been like so far?

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Drew: He’s been unbelievable. I think to have him has been a blessing for me because he takes his time to help you out and to make sure you understand stuff and if you have a question he’s not one of those guys who shrugs you off, he’s going to be there to answer it and he’s really what you want at a quarterback position as far as a leader goes. People respect him in the locker room so I’m just trying to take in everything I can from him especially the way he conducts himself on and off the field and then his knowledge, he’s been around this game for a long time for a reason so I’m trying to find all those secrets.

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Reporter: Drew, you were recruited out of Farmington Hills and played at Michigan State, you obviously played a lot and had a great career there, you come to a team that you’re not expected to play for right away, I know that you’re a great competitor and you have that fire but how does it feel knowing that you’re probably going to sit for the year and get a chance to learn?

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Drew: That’s the big thing is that I have to learn but I have to be ready for whatever reason. I don’t want to have a chance to get in there and be unprepared so I’m going to do everything I can and prepare as if I am the starter. That’s what I’ve done my whole life and that’s what has allowed me to get here so that’s all that I know so it goes back to trying to prepare that way and making sure that if I get a chance that if I go in there and I can do the best that I possibly can.

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We apologize to the great Lions fans that can’t watch this as a video which would be much better for the fans. The new stupid NFL rules prohibit that.  Thanks GODell! MOST OF ALL, THANK THE TEAMS. GODell WORKS FOR THEM AND THEY ARE ALLOWING HIM TO DO THIS!

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