00:00All right, a couple years ago, I was walking with Shane Gillis on the way to see Notre Dame take
00:06on Ohio State.
00:13You know, that's where the idea of doing Frank Walks began.
00:16The walk streak began five days later, and we opened this jersey, which was quite tight back then.
00:22Now I'm kind of swimming in it.
00:23Well, in kind of a new tradition, I'm doing another Notre Dame walk today with two defensive stalwarts, Adan Shuler
00:34and Drake Bowen.
00:37Let me get this off, because we're going for a walk.
00:42Frank Walks, Frank Walks, it's time for Frank Walks.
00:48Frank Talks while Frank Walks, it's time for Frank Walks.
00:59All right, okay, we got two members of the defense right here.
01:04We got Adan, Adan, and Drake.
01:09Mike, how much have you been chopping at the bit to get back here on the field after the committee
01:16last year, the clown car committee, took you away from a chance to win a national championship?
01:26I mean, every day for me, like, I was out all spring, so I didn't get to practice or anything.
01:32Didn't really lift for the first couple months, so since I got back, like, I've been ready to go since,
01:37since literally we were told that we weren't in.
01:40It's been, it's been a long, long couple months already.
01:43Yeah, I'd definitely say the same thing.
01:46You know, it's definitely frustrating, but, you know, Coach always liked to say we got to keep the pain, so
01:52I feel like that's what we've been doing this offseason, keeping the pain.
01:56We're really excited to get back, though.
01:58That's something that we talk about, we dream about getting back on the field, playing with each other.
02:05So, yeah, like, it has been a long, long couple months, though.
02:09I mean, I look at Notre Dame this year as a team that's ready to go out there and kick
02:14ass.
02:15Yeah.
02:16That's what I, that's what I feel.
02:17For sure.
02:18I mean, I mean, you got USC now, they're afraid of you.
02:23I mean, a hundred, almost a hundred years of tradition of playing, you guys, and now USC's run off and
02:30hiding.
02:33Fight on, I guess they don't want to fight anymore.
02:35Yeah.
02:36Yeah, we need to quote that, because that's the truth.
02:38Yeah, nah, yeah.
02:39That's what we need back.
02:42But I'm really looking forward to this season, you know.
02:45I truly think that Notre Dame, you had that two early stumbles, but at the end of the year, I
02:54think that Notre Dame was genuinely one of the four best teams in the country and could have beaten just
03:01about anybody.
03:02Yeah, I don't think I know, you know, and we can't keep looking to the past.
03:08But, you know, definitely keep it in our mind and, you know, just make sure we don't make the same
03:12mistakes that we did at the beginning of the season from last year and make sure we just continue to,
03:17you know, hold the standard at Notre Dame.
03:20But, yeah, I definitely feel like we were one of the best teams in the country last year going into
03:25the playoffs.
03:26Now, you start off right away, you're playing in a historic spot.
03:30You're going to be starting the season in Lambeau Field.
03:34What is that like to know that you're going to be playing on that legendary place?
03:40That's going to be fun.
03:41It's going to be a special one.
03:42Like, you know, going from Notre Dame to Lambeau, it's like kind of the same, like such a legendary NFL
03:48place.
03:48So, that's going to be one of those that's super special that you kind of remember for forever, honestly.
03:55Yeah.
03:56I think just going back to being a kid and always watching Aaron Rodgers and the guys play there and,
04:02you know, people Lambeau leaping.
04:04So, like, just like he said, the history of the place and, you know, to be able to do it
04:08in a Sherrod uniform, something different, something new, I think is going to give us a lot of it.
04:13Now, if you get to pick six, you've got to do it in Lambeau League.
04:15Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:15Don't tell Coach Frito because I know he'd be mad, but I'm definitely going to do it.
04:21Now, I see that you're from New Jersey.
04:23You're from Irvington.
04:24Yeah, yeah.
04:24I mean, I'm actually from Belleville.
04:27I'm right next to you.
04:28We're neighbors, practically.
04:29Yes, sir.
04:34What are some of your goals this season?
04:37For me, it's just continually getting better every week, being a great leader.
04:43You know, doing it with Drake every week is easy in itself, but, you know, it's always hard being a
04:47leader at Notre Dame.
04:49But just continue to bring that New Jersey mindset and attitude that I bring to the team.
04:55I think it's something that I'm looking forward to.
04:58But just elevating my game, elevating, you know, the brotherhood and, you know, just being me at the end of
05:03the game.
05:03I mean, if you come out of Essex County, you're already ready to play.
05:06Yeah, yeah, definitely.
05:08I feel like my style of play shows my Essex County, the Essex County in me.
05:14So, yeah.
05:15And, Drake, and I know a couple years ago, you made a big forced fumble against Ohio State.
05:24Sure.
05:24And that almost, I mean, that gave life and hope.
05:29Yeah, that changed the game.
05:31What are your hopes for this year?
05:33Honestly, for me, you know, one of the things, obviously, start, get back to the championship.
05:39You know, that's kind of everyone's goal.
05:40But, you know, just kind of the same, just try to keep getting better each week, you know, starting when
05:45I got back in the summer,
05:46just keep improving, keep making sure that I get my body back right, you know, keep elevating to get to
05:53where I want to go.
05:54And then, you know, just trying to push myself and my teammates, just being the best leader on the team
05:59I can be,
05:59try to be the best, you know, leader in the linebacker room, try to push our linebacker room.
06:04You know, everybody, you know, we got a really good linebacker room.
06:07And so, you know, we talk about being the best in the world.
06:11And so, you know, trying to keep pushing each other to truly be the best in the world.
06:14I mean, Notre Dame last year, their defense at the end of the year was probably one of the best.
06:20And you also got a great offense.
06:23We're talking about C.J. Carr coming out there.
06:25How hard is it to go against him in practice?
06:30Yeah, I'd say, you know, sharpen in the sword, you know.
06:32You got to sharpen the sword before the war.
06:35I feel like that's what we do every day, going against C.J.
06:38He's great competition, great talent.
06:40I feel like we make each other better every day.
06:42And, you know, that's kind of the mindset going into every practice, like treat practice like the game.
06:47And I feel like that's what we do.
06:48We always compete.
06:50And Coach has to tell us some time to tone it down.
06:52But I feel like that's just the competitive nature of the room and of the group.
06:56So, no, I'm like, C.J. just, he's just going to make you better, like, make your defense better.
07:01You know, he knows the offense in and out.
07:04So, it just makes you really have to know your defense in and out.
07:08You know, he checks.
07:09You're going to have to, you know, make a check, talk to each other, do something to make sure that,
07:13you know,
07:14he ain't going to get the easy stuff that he wants.
07:17Yeah.
07:20Now, what are your guys, now you, let me come over here.
07:25What are your two majors, so?
07:28I was a finance major with a real estate minor.
07:32Yeah, me, I'm a sociology major and real estate and minor in real estate as well.
07:36Now, one big thing about Notre Dame is their emphasis on education.
07:42Yes.
07:42I mean, all these other schools, it's almost like you have to chuckle like those.
07:51How do you balance the classwork and the field preparation at Notre Dame?
07:58It's definitely a learning curve, learning how to do time management.
08:04You know, for me, like, I had to study a lot for finance.
08:08Like, it's a lot of material, a lot of time has to be invested, so you have to really, like,
08:14work with the people,
08:15work with your professors to really block out time to make sure that you get everything in.
08:21Because if not, you're going to be drowning.
08:24Because Notre Dame, they still have those standards.
08:27That's one of the things that's always great about Notre Dame.
08:30Yeah.
08:31And that's why I've always admired Notre Dame as being just such a great school.
08:38Yeah.
08:38I would definitely say it's about, you know, like you said, with your preparation.
08:42Like, you have to stay on top of your work, especially at Notre Dame.
08:45Like, the minute you fall behind, then it's going to be really hard for you to catch back up.
08:51So, just always staying on top of your work and making sure you prioritize what you need to do.
08:56I feel like Notre Dame teaches you time management.
08:59I feel like that's something, a skill that everybody in the world, like, needs to master.
09:03I feel like that's the biggest problem in the world now is time management.
09:08And I feel like Notre Dame teaches you that from day one.
09:13You know, you've got to manage your school, your football, your athletics, your social life.
09:18And they don't really care, you know, that you play sport.
09:20You've got to get it done.
09:21So, you know, it teaches you the hard way.
09:24You know, recently I started doing a little weightlifting.
09:28And thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Pump Club app.
09:32What's the most you've ever lifted?
09:35So, recently I did 465 on squat for six reps.
09:43Yeah, I would probably say that's my biggest lift pretty recently.
09:47Yeah, 405 for me for six.
09:49So, yeah, just, but we're always pushing each other.
09:52We're always constantly pushing each other to lift more weights and to continue to, you know, get stronger.
09:57Because that's the name of the game.
10:00But, yeah, you know, now that we play, you know, a high level of football, we don't really, you know,
10:06try and lift as heavy as we can.
10:08But, you know, we just try and be very explosive.
10:11Well, that's more off-season training, right?
10:12Yeah, yeah.
10:12We try to be very explosive in the weights that we do, you know.
10:18But, yeah.
10:20Well, I think this is going to be a big year for you guys and I'm glad to do this
10:25walk and I'm really looking forward to you guys going out there and just, just going out there and kicking
10:32some ass.
10:33Because, you know, all these people who always talk about Notre Dame, they don't want to play Notre Dame.
10:40So, thanks for joining us and go Irish.
10:44Go Irish.
10:44Go Irish.
10:46Go Irish.
10:46Great.
10:48Go Irish.
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