First off, why did you sign with Pittsburgh last seasons – what made you decide to go there?
They chose me really. Tampa Bay released me my second year there and I flew back to Montana. I wasn’t there 24 hours when Pittsburgh signed me and I flew to Pittsburgh.
It’s crazy – I never talked to Tampa Bay or Pittsburgh pre-draft. It’s interesting how it happens. Crazy how things work.
What’s the off-season look like for you?
I’m just taking some time now – a couple weeks off- then going to Minnesota to train. I don’t have the luxury of being comfortable.
What’s in Minnesota?
That’s where I train – at the Training House outside of the Twin Cities. Joe Ault trained there last year. No Steelers were there last year -it’s more for guys from the North – the Gophers and Dakota guys that are built for the cold!
How did you make such a crazy adjustment from quarterback to offensive line at Montana?
My love foe the game. I’ve been playing tackle football since third grade – I’ve been playing longer than I haven’t been playing. When I was told I couldn’t play quarterback and got the offer to play offensive line, I said “Let’s play ball!”
How did playing quarterback help you as a lineman?
I think the athleticism it takes to run drills with quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs helped. And knowing ball and having that football IQ as a quarterback – knowing how defenses line up. If they are playing inside zone, if the safety slides down how to flip it and adjust – those things I learned as a quarterback and help you as a lineman.
You’re sill new compared to many at the position – what’s been the toughest adjustment to make?
The mentality of it – being gritty. You’re not doing that as a quarterback. You’re not putting your hands on anyone as a quarterback unless you’re giving them a high-five! That aggression was always there I just couldn’t show it as a quarterback and have to learn how to show that now.
You were a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy- the “Academic Heisman” award. How important was that to you and how did that academic approach help with football as well?
It was important – not for the trophy – but I just always considered academics a priority. You can’t do sports without it. When I was young I was doing spelling bees and things like that. I always wanted to play football so I was motivated to get good grades. My friend in class joked around a lot and became academically ineligible to play – that was all I needed to see. The classroom travels past football.
Any mentors in Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh? How did they help you?
Less in Tampa Bay. In Pittsburgh James Daniels and Dan Moore Jr. were the vets on the offensive line who helped a lot. Isaac Seumalo too – but he didn’t speak as much. Dan and James were leaders and helped with issues on and off the field.
Anything football related I went to Dan for since he and I played the same position. On things like schematics I went to him for advice. Things about life advice – I’d go to James.
How special was it to be able to go to a guy like Dan who may perceive you as a threat and still now you’re getting that ind of support?
Absolutely – I appreciate that from Dan a lot. He is one of the nicest and most thoughtful guys teammates I’ve ever had. He wants to see us all do well and win. He’s he first to help someone out when he sees them doing something wrong.
How was Pittsburgh’s offensive line approach different from Tampa Bays – what did you like about it?
Tampa Bay it was a Tom Brady led system. You started at 10 – they weren’t working their way slowly to install things. They didn’t install just one or two things at the start. The first install was massive. Tom needs so much time for everything else and it was an older offensive line so I think the coaches knew they’d get it.
In Pittsburgh it was a younger offensive line room. I wouldn’t say they dumbed it down for us but they had to slow the installs down. It’s a different offensive line style. Mainly zone. In Tampa Bay we ran everything – zone reads, duo, power, inside stretch, pin and pull….all of it. Day one in Tampa Bay I was trying to learn 200-to-300 different run schemes.
How did Pittsburgh work with such a younger line?
It was just about communication. They simplified things. For example I remember specifically defensive line calls. There are over or under fronts – or sometimes teams use a number system to call those out. Half the team in Pittsburgh never ran a number system – they came from places like the FCS that all used words not numbers. So Coach Myers and Williams understood that and talked to us in a different way.
What area did they want you to work on most coming in to next season?
I’d say my aggression, like I mentioned earlier. That doesn’t come natural to me.
How do you work on something like that? Isn’t that more about personality?
Coming from the quarterback position I didn’t have that natural aggression. I have it in me I just have to tap into it. Like guys on the team say – they want glass eaters. It’s weird but it’s a personality thing like you said. Coach T. would say you can’t just turn on – you have to be that guy 24-7. So I’m just focusing on tapping into that.
I saw Montana State receiver Lance McCutcheon just signed – thoughts on Lance as a rival school player from Montana?
I love Lance. He was here for two weeks. That whole Montana-Montana State rivalry dies down at the end of college. You get to meet so many of those guys and they are all cool dudes. We all have the same goals- we just chose different colors in college.
What memory stands out most to you from last season?
The injury for sure. It was a growth experience – I’ve been hurt before but there was so much riding on things when I got injured. I tore my Lisfranc – I think before that I was projected to make the 53. It was frustrating but I love the adversity and that uphill battle to make the team.
Lastly, hat should we know about you that has nothing to do with football?
I’m a big music guy. I played the saxophone and if you gave me a month I could get back into it.
Outside of football I just play video games and hang out with my dog Larry -he’ a pit-retriever mix.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
