What are some of the things about working with Malik that you really enjoyed in your time at LSU?

I mean, I love Malik.

I just he is one of the most competitive people that I've ever been around in my entire life.

And it's really, really important to Malik to be the very best.

And his attitude towards.

the way he practices and the way he approaches making himself into a great football player is infectious.

And listen now, he's someone that likes to have people around him be as accountable to football as he is.

What is it with Notre Dame and tight ends and the ability to produce tight ends on a consistent basis? Obviously, the Giants had one in Mark Bavaro years ago, but what is it about the program that just continually churns out good players at that position?

Can you talk a little bit about that?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I've, I've really been a big believer always in my career that, uh, the system that you run offensively has to be flexible enough to adapt to the personnel that you have.

And, you know, when we were at LSU, obviously, uh, a lot of really good wide receivers, people that could really go make plays.

We had a dynamic quarterback at that time obviously as well in Jayden Daniels.

So, you know, we were a little bit more skewed towards highlighting the abilities of, of what was on the roster and, and taking advantage of that.

And I think you have to carry that with you, uh, to Notre Dame.

Um, but just talk a little bit about what the upside is with Riley Leonard, because it certainly seems like the Colts really enjoy what they have in the player.

So what was it about Eli's, uh, skillset that allowed him to be as much of a threat down the field as he was?

Yeah, I mean, he's a real fluid runner, uh, really good movement skills.

Um, you know, matched up one-on-one, uh, even on safeties, uh, he's gonna win the majority of those battles.

Uh, really good set of hands on him, aggressive to the football.

Uh, you know, so the tools are there, you know what I mean? To be a really good vertical threat and somebody that you can get down the seam and, and do some damage with.

I th- I think the thing we gave him the most, most, uh, grief about in the tight end room in particular, I, I think he got knocked out on the one-yard line or the two-yard line, uh, probably at least eight or nine times during the season, uh, where he'd have an explosive pass play and somebody would click his heel or something, and he would, he would end up falling down.

I mean, he could've led the country in tight ends and touchdowns, quite frankly, if he [laughs], if he, if he could've just stumbled one more step a couple different times.

[upbeat music] Hell, is, is there any tight end in particular that, you know, for our audience, if maybe they haven't seen a ton of Eli, they would maybe know, "Oh, okay, I remember that guy from when he played with X team in the league"? Is there anybody that, that, um, you know, might have a similar sort of game to Eli?

So simple question: Who is he?

Yeah.

Well, listen, uh, I hope, uh, that, uh, for Seahawk football in Seattle that, uh, that happens.

He's, he's a tremendous young man who, uh, has every physical trait you could ever want in a running back: explosive, uh, dynamic, uh, quick, very twitchy in the hole, subtle cuts, uh, can run with power, uh, can hit a home run when you need him to, uh, does a really good job in pass pro, can catch the ball out of the backfield.

Really a complete running back in, in really every, every aspect of it.

And then just, just the cherry on top of the whole deal is the type of person that he is.

Because obviously, you know, being in the situation that he was here, uh, with another talented guy in the backfield with him, and both of those guys kinda sharing the load to a certain extent, uh, what a great teammate, what a, what a great, you know, guy for really, you know, the program and, and a guy who's gonna be a professional in the building and, and give you everything he's got every day.

Is there a story, is there an anecdote over the last couple years of your time with him that, you know, when it's all said and done, be like, "Yeah, man, that, that really speaks to the character, the player, the person," any which way you wanna take that?

Have you had someone that he reminds you of through those years?

Oh, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy.

I'm trying to think of...

I mean, listen, this sounds weird.

He reminds me a little bit of Louis Rankin.

Do you remember Louis? Oh, yeah.

He played for us at Seattle when we were at UW.

Is there a story? Is there an anecdote over the last couple years of your time with him that, you know, when it's all said and done, be like, yeah, man, that really speaks to the character, the player, the person, any which way you want to take that?