TCU OL Ben Taylor-Whitfield discusses Frogs upcoming game vs. Arizona State
being three games this season, we know how much of an emphasis you guys put on being more physical with the run game. How do you think you guys have been doing so far in that area? I mean, for the most part, I think we’ve been pretty solid. Um, you know, especially the big USC game. Um, we kind of, you know, run game really snapped off the end. Um, they kind of taken toes here and there, but I think for the most part, as the season goes on, we’ll be more consistent, more dominant, and, uh, I think create a precedent that the O line runs the whole thing. I think last week without Cavoran out there, people were wondering how good is the run game going to be, but you guys went out and had over basically 140 yards still produced. How good uh how much confidence does that give you guys heading into this week knowing that you guys can still produce a good run game? Oh, of course it’s a lot of confidence, you know. I mean, whether we drop a play or we lose uh we gain a player, you know, either way, I mean think I mean just the overall thought that I mean the run game is pretty been pretty consistent for the most part and then, you know, we constantly build on that every week. Um it’s it’s just it brings that confidence knowing that either way we’ll be fine in a run game and no matter who we play, you know, no matter what defense we play, we’ll definitely be able to produce the way we should. We’re talking to Sunny. He thinks this might be the best defensive front you guys see all season. Does anything stand out to you stand out to you on tape when you watching? Uh I would say I think their D line, they hold the point really well. Um I don’t think so far as we played, I don’t think they’re the any any D lines that we played so far has held the point like their D line does. But I mean, if we play with good leverage, get pad level, you know, and just play overall dominantly and physical, I think we should be fine. Everybody does their one and, you know, keep playing the way it should, then we’ll do it. How fun is it to uh have a chance to block for a guy like Josh Hoover and just seeing what he’s doing this season? Uh, I mean, it’s amazing, you know, just seeing who grow from who he was and, you know, being a backup to now being a, you know, a high high prospect and a high player, you know, nationally known. Um just that just that overall you know love that I have for him and just what he’s done you know it brings a sense of like okay this is my guy this is my quarterback one like I want to do a better job of protecting him and continues to you know grow relationship with him but uh just just what who’s done over the past few years he’s definitely earned a lot of the shot he’s got how tight is the offensive line this year what’s the chemistry like between you guys I feel like we’re pretty tight um not uh like not as uh not as in the past years where it’s been like just a little bit of uh dysfunction and distinction between us. But I think this year the O line has been, you know, firing on all cylinders and then um just our love for each other is like really showing as we play together. You know, if you love somebody, you’ll play for you for so I think that’s kind of what’s been carrying us, you know, for the first part of the season. I pray that it carries us through the rest of it. You’re a pretty tough guy, man. It looks like you got kind of banged up maybe against ACU a little bit. You pushed through. just kind of talk about the toughness that you have this year and just uh you know trying to help the offensive line as much as you can. I mean for the most part um I think for me it’s just like knowing that it’s bigger than me. You know what I mean? Like of course uh you know come with coming with the sport is you’re going to get banged up. You’re going to get hurt and uh if you can find a way to push through pain, you know there’s two types of pain. The pain of the pain that comes with waves that comes and goes, but the pain of regret lasts forever. You know what I mean? So I want to take the one that comes with waves. like it’s going to hurt for a minute, but I know eventually I’ll get through it. And then there’s other sources here that’ll help me deal with that as well. So, I mean, just knowing that I can push through this and help my team succeed, I know afterwards I will have that regret as I could have pushed through it. Just know, you know what I mean? And that’s right, that right there, just just the overall love for my guys and love for the love of the game. Just wanting to show them that, hey, I’m I’m with y’all even though I’m hurt. You know what I mean? It looks like there’s a a pretty good depth in the law in the offensive line. I mean, Quinton’s been out there playing for you. We’ve seen Remington Strickland come in for Bruno and just moving around. Just talk about the the depth of the offensive line and how much it might may help you to to have a chance to get a break every now and then. Uh it’s definitely it’s definitely uh apprec appreciated. Um you know, now in the past years, we haven’t had much depth. You know, the guys that were out there were the ones that was out there. So, I mean, just overall it would kind of take a toll on us, but I feel like this year just just seeing us be able to produce with the first five guys now allows us to now relax and get other guys in. But just knowing that we also have depth that can come in and produce the same way is also that’s why that confidence is there that we know that okay, even if we go out there and do our job, there won’t be a back there won’t be a I would say there won’t be a downgrade or you know, it won’t it won’t like halter what we do. So we go out, they’re going to come back in and do the same thing. You know what I mean? So I think the depth this year is pretty amazing. And you know, the depth that we have and the abilities that they have is what, you know, brings that sense of confidence.
