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Brandon Carr Helped Build ODU Football. Now He’s Building Young Men
Episode 13813th July 2026 • The Monarchists • The Monarchists
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Brandon Carr helped build Old Dominion Football from the ground up. Now the former Monarch offensive lineman is building football players, leaders and young men as the head coach at Indian River High School.

Coach Carr joins Aaron and Mike to pull back the curtain on ODU Football’s original era, including the brutal offseason workouts that established the program’s standard, the moment the Monarchs realized they belonged, the comeback from 21 points down at JMU and what made ODU’s explosive 2011 offense so difficult to stop.

Brandon also explains how an aspiring baseball player and future FBI agent discovered his calling as a football coach. He breaks down his relationship-driven coaching philosophy, the importance of consistency and accountability, and how Indian River has created a culture in which players fall in love with the work.

The offensive line talk gets deep, too. Brandon discusses how he evaluates young linemen, why fundamentals and athleticism create a true mean streak, the meaning behind “Doing Simple Great” and why he partnered with former UVA and NFL linebacker Eli Harold to develop the next generation of big men in the 757.

Plus:

• The lessons Brandon learned at Fork Union

• Why he chose ODU and believed in Bobby Wilder’s vision

• What happened inside the locker room during the JMU comeback

• The brotherhood that makes offensive line rooms different

• Why relationships still matter in the NIL era

• His most important advice for recruits: “Love who loves you”

• A preview of Indian River’s experienced 2026 team

• His DMX pregame soundtrack

• The former Monarch he would add to Indian River’s roster

• Why ODU Football’s best days are still ahead

This episode is brought to you by the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation. Because of you, we create winners in the classroom, in athletic competition and in life. Become an ODAF member today.

Like the episode, subscribe to The Monarchists and tell us your favorite memory from the original era of ODU Football.

Go Monarchs!

#ODUFootball #MonarchNation #757Football

Chapters

00:00 ODAF Intro

00:17 Meet Brandon Carr

00:48 From Baseball Dreams to Football

03:31 Fork Union and Relentless Determination

05:19 Building ODU Football From the Ground Up

08:10 Delaware, Belief and the Explosive 2011 Offense

10:28 Wing-T Roots and Becoming ODU’s Center

12:05 Why Brandon Chose Old Dominion

14:20 From FBI Plans to a Coaching Calling

17:05 Inside ODU’s Comeback at JMU

19:35 Brandon Carr’s Coaching Philosophy

22:35 Becoming Indian River’s Head Coach

24:50 Creating Buy-In Through Consistency

27:45 Falling in Love With the Work

28:40 How Brandon Develops Offensive Linemen

30:10 Building the 757’s Big Men With Eli Harold

31:30 What “Doing Simple Great” Really Means

32:32 Technique, Athleticism and the Mean Streak

35:06 How Offensive Line Play Has Evolved

36:40 Teaching Football Without Overcomplicating It

38:25 Recruiting Advice: “Love Who Loves You”

40:20 Brandon’s Advice to His Younger Self

42:03 Previewing Indian River’s 2026 Team

43:25 The Game Everyone Circles

44:00 Rapid Fire: O-Line Life, DMX and Nick Mayers

47:05 The Most Rewarding Part of Coaching

48:05 Brandon’s Message to Monarch Nation

Transcripts

ODAF Intro:

This episode is brought to you by the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation.

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Because of you, we create winners

in the classroom, in athletic

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competition, and in life.

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Become a member today

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Mike: Monarch Nation, me and Aaron

are back with another ODU alum doing

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big things in the football world.

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, We are joined today by Coach Brandon Carr.

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He is the head coach of Indian

River High School football, he's

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won Region Coach of the Year.

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The guy's doing big things.

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Welcome to the show, Coach.

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Brandon Carr: Yes, thank

you, guys, for having me on.

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, Mike: We're blessed to have you.

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So we, we wanna start at the beginning.

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So we know you're a coach.

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We know you've played football.

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At what age did you

start playing the game?

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, Brandon Carr: I started at a young age,

um, around that age when everybody's

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starting to play flag football.

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I think that's like five, six years old.

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You kinda get out there,

start moving around.

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Um, but then I kind of took a break

for a while, um, and not by choice.

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, Growing up Pop Warner,

I'm a little too heavy.

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So I f- fell over to the

baseball side of things.

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Um, but then I jumped right back

into it in, uh, middle school, and

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then it just took off from there.

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You know, did some time at, uh,

Western Branch in Chesapeake.

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Then I was at Fork Union for a year and

a half, then finished up at Old Dominion

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Aaron: All right, so if you go all the

way back and we look at your original

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ODU bio, which is interesting to go

back to those pages for:

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I think when we had Robbie Duncan

on about a week ago, it has all you

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guys listed as outside linebackers

still instead of o- offensive lineman.

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… But your bio i- it's got you listed, it

had you listed as a All Tidewater guard.

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You were in a all-star game or two.

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At what point did you realize,

"Hey I'm pretty good at this," or

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did someone have to convince you?

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Did th- were they ever like, "Hey,

man, you're pretty good at this game"?

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Brandon Carr: Well, it's funny

you say that because , I wanted

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to play baseball growing up.

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I wanted to be a baseball player.

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And, um, ninth grade, um, that

spring I had missed a couple wei-

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uh, weightlifting sessions and Coach

Lou Johnston pulled me in and he's

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like, "Hey, like, where you been at?"

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And I was like, you know, "I'm

getting ready for baseball,

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trying to try out for baseball."

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And he's like, "Hey, you

wanna go to college for free?"

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I'm like, "Yeah that's what,

you know, yeah, of course."

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And he's like, "Well, I, I guarantee

you if you buy into this , what you did

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this fall as a freshman, I guarantee

you can go to school for free."

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And, um, I was like, "Sign me up," . And

I was like, "Hey, I couldn't hit the

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curveball anyway, so it's all good."

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And so, so I, I think I

picked the right thing anyhow.

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But yeah, um, he was the first

one to just like, "Hey you can

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be really good at, good at this."

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And, um, I bought into it

and it worked out for me.

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Mike: So obviously you get pushed

into football 'cause that's where

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your talent is kinda, and your body

is kinda telling you you need to go.

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Um, at what point did you s- that kinda…

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Everyone likes playing football.

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Not everyone loves it.

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But to play at the college level and

then to coach it, w- at what point

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did you realize, "I love this game"?

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Brandon Carr: Um, I would, I would

say it was, it was the spring of

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my sophomore year in high school.

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After having a good, a great off-season

in lifting, um, and seeing my body change

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and getting stronger and being able to

go out in the field and do some things

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and move some people and, um, I was

just like, "Yeah this is it, you know.

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This is, this is where

I'm supposed to be at."

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And , it's just one of those things that,

, when something comes na- natural to you or

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effortlessly, you kinda like, "Hey," like,

"Oh yeah, like, I love this," and then

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seeing the benefits of being in the weight

room and things like that it only excited

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me more to, to lift harder, get stronger

and just really be great at everything.

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Aaron: So before you got to Old Dominion,

you went through Fork Union, and boy does

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Fork Union, they've got a reputation.

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I know my best friend, uh, I graduated

high school in the early '90s,

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and my best friend went to FUMA.

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He ran track and cross-country.

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Uh, he also ran track with a guy

named Eddie George, who ended up

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being a pretty good football player.

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What at Fork Union did you learn or

were you around that kinda still s-

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shows up in the way that you coach kids?

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Brandon Carr: Um, I think it's just,

um, a relentless determination.

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, A relentless determination

to, to wanna be great.

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, The thing about at Fork Union when

I was there was, you know, you had a

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collective group of guys who were very

talented , who were the guys back at home.

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So when you got in that arena,

, you're like, "Hey," "I gotta go.

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I gotta…

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I wanna be the best."

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Like, I don't wanna just be the guy here

on the team or, and I wanna feed off

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these guys, and I wanna prepare myself

to be the best one here in this group.

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And that's for me, um, as a coach,

that's, that's what kinda drives

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me, , to, hey, if you're gonna do

something, you wanna be the best at it.

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And , that's kinda, , what Coach

Schumann at Fork Union kinda dr-

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pushed in us and, and drove into us.

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So that's what I preach to my kids here.

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Like, "Hey," like, "don't just come

here and be a guy or be a number.

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Um, if you're gonna be

here, be the best guy."

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? If y- you can't be the best, if

you're not the best guy now in your

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position, work to be that best guy.

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So, that, that arena, that room,

that, that place, Fork Union it

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really forces you to stand up and,

and stand on 10 toes and, and battle

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just to be where you wanna be.

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'Cause there's nobody else.

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It's just you.

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There, there's no email, there's no cell

phone in your room, there's no phones.

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You got a 13-inch box TV that you

may get to watch, but you're just

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there in your own thoughts and,

"Hey, how great do I wanna be?"

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And that's, that's what I kinda

just use every day for myself

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in the coaching perspective

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Mike: All right, so

moving on to Old Dominion.

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We, obviously we're

big fans of the O-line.

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It's the heart of the

offense in my opinion.

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If the offensive line isn't working,

nothing's really working for the O.

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, We've had a couple of your fellow

teammates on, but I wanna hear your

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perspective on how those early years of

ODU football has kinda impacted your life

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Brandon Carr: Oh man, I, y- to,

to go and be a part of something

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built from the ground up it really

just shows you what hard work and

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determination can do for a person.

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Just the undenially, undeniable bi-

ability, thought of like, "Hey,"

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like, "we're not gonna lose."

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"We're here together for a purpose."

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, And everybody just wants

to win and be great.

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So just overall, just being in that,

in that mindset, in that, in that

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arena with everybody and in that team

with everybody, that just really drove

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me, um, and drove the group early on.

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Um, I think everybody had a little

chip on their shoulder early on and,

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um, I think I still carry that chip

to this day, so that's a thing that

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was just exciting to be a part of and

really just pushed me to be who I was.

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Does that answer the question,

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Mike: absolutely.

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So to kinda tag onto that, when you're

looking back at those early days of Bobby

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and the ODU football program that you

got to be a part of, is there a certain

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moment that kinda sticks out to you of

like, "This is why we were different.

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This is why we were good from day one"?

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Brandon Carr: Oh, I mean, you,

pick a s- pick a summer workout.

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, I think those days there

is what just separate us,

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separated us as a early program.

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Hats off to Coach Martin and

Coach Mack our strength and

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conditioning coaches at the time.

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But man, they, they have a bigger

mark stamp on that early success, um,

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than what anybody really realizes.

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And , they worked us hard,

they trained us hard.

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They never allowed us to

feel sorry for ourselves.

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No one cared if, hey, this

was a new program or you all

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were young coming together.

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Uh, no, the expectation was you

here you're gonna win, you're gonna

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be good, you're gonna be great.

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And it's gonna be uncomfortable

and how are you gonna respond?

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So I think y- you know, you

just pick a summer workout or

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o- off season winter workout.

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I, this is, of course, this is biased on

my end, , I don't think nobody was working

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harder than us in, in, in those times

early on at in those off season workouts.

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And it just…

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By the time we got to Saturdays, the game

felt like it was the easy part, because

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of what we had been through training wise

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Aaron: Speaking of Saturdays and how

awesome they were, you were part of

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a 2011 ODU offense that led both the

CAA in scoring and in total offense.

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Did you guys realize at the

time how explosive you were?

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Brandon Carr: So I wanna, I wanna go back

real quick to, for the, the turning point.

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Like, the moment that I knew I think

Delaware, our first year in the

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CAA we lost that game at Delaware.

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Close game.

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But seeing the way guys played, And, , at

the time CAA was it, CAA's the real deal.

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You know what I mean?

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So to come in and and play the

way we played and see how guys,

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how much they war, like, man, we

shouldn't have lost that game.

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That right there, I was like, man, this

is like, this group is gonna be good, man.

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Because all it takes is that

belief factor that you can win.

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And , once you got the belief factor

any much as, anything is pretty

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much doable So yeah, I'm sorry,

Aaron, , what was that question again?

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Aaron: Did you guys realize, like,

how truly explosive that offense was?

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What you were doing.

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, It was really special.

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I don't…

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As fans, , we got spoiled real early.

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, The expectation was we're gonna win.

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Nobody was, we never thought there

was a chance that we were gonna

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lose, and there was always fireworks.

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Really the question is, is just we

just need to have the ball one more

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time than, you know, the defense.

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But at the time, could y'all

appreciate, especially as a group,

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as a offensive line group, how truly

dominant and explosive that you were?

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Brandon Carr: Oh yeah.

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I mean, I'm that receiving corps, that

group, um, was a very special group.

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You know what I mean?

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And, , when you go in to watch

film, , you're supposed to be

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watching film to get better.

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But every, every once in a while

you got a peek of, of what's going

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on around you and, um, I mean,

those guys were just making some

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phenomenal catches, making people miss.

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And the guys back there

delivering the ball.

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, Y- you kind of saw like, "Yo, man this

thing is great," , great to watch.

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And, you know, for me having to step

in a role to play center I had to spend

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some time with Coach Scott, um, just to

get a bit, be- a better understanding

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of the offense collectively and

being in that center and focal point.

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So to watch film and see things and

see thi- the moving pieces all come

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together, I was like, "Yeah, man

this is pretty good with the guys

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and the talent that we have outside."

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Mike: All right, so you got to play

at Western Branch, FUMA, and ODU.

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In high school, what kind of

offenses were you, you guys running?

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Some of them.

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Was it preparing you for-

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Brandon Carr: So no, not, not at all.

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We, we ran the wing T

at, at Western Branch.

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Ran the wing T, so you know,

that base rule for offensive

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lineman is gap down backer.

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So I would say that was the best thing

that Fork Union did to- did for me

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is that coming out of Western Branch,

going to Fork Union, the offense was

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a little bit more tailored to what

you were seeing at the next level.

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So it, it, it was a great segue to

get me ready to be at Old Dominion.

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I think the, the beauty in

the wing T for a lineman is

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you still need to be athletic.

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Like, you need to be able

to pull, you need to be able

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to run and things like that.

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So getting into offense at

ODU, it was very much similar.

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Like, you gotta be, you

gotta be able to move.

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You gotta be able to get out and run,

s- a lot of screens, things like that.

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So they…

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It didn't really prepare me, but it did

still prepare me at the same time, so.

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Mike: It got you ready to climb

up to that second level, right?

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Brandon Carr: That second

level, yes, for sure.

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Yeah.

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It's funny 'cause o- one camp, and this

is like when we were installing like Q

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power and um, and some counter stuff,

and we were just pulling on pulling and

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pulling on practice, and the guys were

just like, "Damn," like, "man, you, you

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look like you've really done this before."

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And I'm like, "Yeah, man, that's

all I did in high school was wing T.

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Like, that's all we did was pull."

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I'm like you know what I mean?

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So-

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Aaron: So did you always

know it was gonna be ODU?

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That's the first part of the question,

and then the second part of the

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question is, what was Bobby's pitch

to get you to actually come to ODU?

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Brandon Carr: So I did know

it was always gonna be ODU.

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I think one of the things that

really got me there, um, I had

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already had a relationship with,

uh, Coach West, Coach Chip West.

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From his time at JMU, he had recruited

me when I was at Western Branch, and

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then I had formed a relationship with

Zohn Burden who was there at the time.

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So r- really Zohn would come up…

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Coach Burden would come up to Fort

Union from time to time, um, and

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just really getting to know him

and build a relationship with him.

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Those are, two people who were,

like a pivotal p- reason of why I

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was like, "Hey, I wanna go to ODU."

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Um, just having dealing with

them, knowing them to be good

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men good developer of athletes.

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So that's what really kinda s- said, "Hey,

I think ODU will be a good place for me."

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I know they would hold me accountable

to being the best that I, I could be.

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But yeah, as far as the pitch from

Coach Wilder, um, you know, I think

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for me, being a local guy, um, being

from the 757 you wanna be a part of

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something that's right here being built.

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And, , we were just fortunate

enough to, like you guys said, , be

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fairly, very good early on.

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Um, so it was great to be a

part of something that was right

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here in your backyard, , where

your people and your communities

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could get out here and see you.

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So that's really what he kinda sold, was

just that local com- uh, local piece of

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like, "Hey, let's build something at home.

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Let's make something, worth

having here in Norfolk."

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And, um, the thing on my visit

that's what really sold me, was

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my visit, and it wasn't like…

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Yeah, I don't have, like, a crazy

elaborate, like, wow story like,

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"Oh, this is what pulled me to ODU."

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Um, but it was just a,

it was a, it was a bond.

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Um, at that time they had

lost a, uh, a current player.

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And just to see how the coaching staff,

the players, how they all came together,

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and how they handled it, and how they

took it it was just a brotherhood

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and a bond that was like, "Hey, like,

these are guys who just got here, man,

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and they're ju- they're treated as if

they're a family this close already."

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You know, that's a huge piece for me.

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, That was something that definitely

pulled me into wanting to be at ODU

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Mike: So in preparation for today,

I was doing some Googling on your

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name, and I found this Q&A that the

program did with you when you were

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maybe a, a freshman or sophomore.

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Brandon Carr: Yeah.

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And

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Mike: And they asked you what you

wanted to do in your career, and

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you said you wanted to be in the FBI

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Brandon Carr: Yeah.

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Mike: So w- we know that you got

into coaching, but when did that kind

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of transition in your mind happen

when you're like, "All right, maybe

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I don't wanna do law enforcement.

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Maybe I wanna focus on football

and continue this as a coach"?

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Brandon Carr: So, you know, coming

out of college, I just had a

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lot of nicks, a lot of injuries.

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, Just, my body didn't get through

the way I would have liked to for me

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to have a career, finish my career

the way off that I would like to.

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So that following year I was just like,

"Man, I, I, I'm done with football."

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Just it was a good run, i've always wanted

to be ATF, DEA, FBI, something like that.

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So that year off, just

back into the real world.

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You know what I mean?

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Just trying to figure life out.

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I was just out and about and

the person who I was with at the

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time, they're like you need to get

out the house and do something.

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Like, y- you're driving me crazy."

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Um, so I was like, "Hey, like,

all right, I'm gonna just go,

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like, help coach football."

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And, um, I reached out to several

schools in Chesapeake 'cause I wanted

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to be back in Chesapeake to help with

that well, the Southeastern district.

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And, um, the principal from

Nansemond River reached out to me

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and called me in, interviewed me.

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They had a new coach come on staff.

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I started coaching.

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And on my first day coaching the

car ride home, it was just like a

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different feeling that was just…

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It was so, satisfying to to

work with y- young men be out

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there coaching and developing.

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And it's, it's like a drug.

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Like, you get a…

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you get addicted to it and you're

like, "Hey, like, I just wanna go

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back, do more of it, do more of it."

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Coach this kid, you know what I mean?

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Just help them develop, not only as a

football player, but as a young man.

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So started coaching at Nansemond River

for a, coached there for a year, then

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I got to Indian River in my second

year, and we had a state run, uh,

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:

state semifinals run, and it just…

316

:

Like I s- From there, it just, it just…

317

:

It was hooked.

318

:

Like, I couldn't get off of it.

319

:

, I was like, "Hey, man, maybe I

should try to pursue what I'm…"

320

:

You know, like, this is, this is it.

321

:

This is…

322

:

When they say coaching's

a calling it, it truly is.

323

:

Like, it's, it's not something you find.

324

:

It finds you.

325

:

And that's what I feel,

like, just in it every day.

326

:

Um, I'm going into my 14th year of

coaching, my 5th year as a head coach.

327

:

And is every day pretty?

328

:

No.

329

:

But is every day satisfying?

330

:

Yes.

331

:

Somewhere along the way you have

impacted somebody, and I think that

332

:

was the biggest thing for me was just,

like, seeing that impact and seeing

333

:

how you're changing somebody's life.

334

:

And that's whether it's football,

helping them get off to college or

335

:

just seeing them develop as young men

336

:

Aaron: Before we dive really deep into

the coaching aspect, because that, I think

337

:

that's what the bulk of this interview

from this point out's gonna be, I just

338

:

wanna take a step back for a second.

339

:

When we have the awesome opportunity

to have guys on from those early teams,

340

:

always try to at least look back at, , one

particular game and peel back the curtain

341

:

for the fans who are watching those games.

342

:

So we talked about that

you got recruited by JMU.

343

:

JMU's obviously a, a team that our

fans love to, to cheer against.

344

:

So that JMU game at JMU, I think we

were down 21 to zero, and maybe just

345

:

had a little over 100 yards in the

first half in that particular game.

346

:

At that point, when you guys went in the

locker room, this is a two-part question.

347

:

When you went in the locker

room, were you guys calm?

348

:

Were you angry?

349

:

Or were y'all just like,

second half, Taylor's gonna do

350

:

the things that Taylor does.

351

:

No, no big deal."

352

:

That's the first part of that question.

353

:

The second part is y'all came out and

scored 28 points in that second half.

354

:

You win that game.

355

:

From the offensive lineman's

perspective, when you catch fire

356

:

like that, what does it feel like?

357

:

What does it feel like to have

everything going your way?

358

:

Brandon Carr: From coming into

ODU and Coach Scott, Coach Brian

359

:

Scott, offense coordinator being our

offensive line coach, um, in game,

360

:

in the locker room, he's never,

he's never been like a big yeller.

361

:

So I think him coming in and his demeanor,

like, "Hey," , having those little

362

:

conversations, "Hey, what are we missing?

363

:

What are we not seeing?

364

:

Hey, we gotta be better at this,

we gotta be better at that."

365

:

And just instilling that confidence

like, "Hey, we can score."

366

:

Um, and a lot of times, , just that

staff in general, the offensive staff

367

:

in general, they just instill that, like

that calmness of like, "Hey, when we

368

:

execute, this thing's gonna take off."

369

:

So from that point, I, , I don't think

anyone in the locker room was like

370

:

panicking, like, "Man, what's going…"

371

:

No, it's just like, "Hey, settle down.

372

:

All right.

373

:

Let's get it together, and

then the offense is gonna

374

:

do what they're gonna do."

375

:

I think if I'm not mistaken, that's,

Antonio Vaughn, Larry Pinkard, Nick

376

:

Mayers, th- those guys in that receiving

corps, um, along with, with, um,

377

:

Heinicke, you know, Taylor, there was

no need to panic, you know what I mean?

378

:

They have done it time and time before,

so, you know, just knowing you got some

379

:

guys out there, um, that you can count on,

um, I, I knew the team was very relaxed.

380

:

Mike: All right.

381

:

Uh, talk- when, when we talked to

Robbie last week, , he was kind of more

382

:

like a players' coach, trying to meet

these players their, at their level.

383

:

So I wanna hear about your coaching

philosophy and how you attack the

384

:

job of both teaching and coaching.

385

:

Brandon Carr: F- for me, the big thing is,

is I would say I'm, I'm right with Robbie.

386

:

, Being on their level.

387

:

, It's all about relationships for me.

388

:

Um, it's all about relationships.

389

:

I care.

390

:

You know what I mean?

391

:

Like I, I wanna know, , what

happened in first period today.

392

:

, What happened last night?

393

:

Like, hey let's ta- let's talk about

that so we can get the best you when

394

:

we step in between those white lines.

395

:

And that's what really just drives me to

have that relationships with the kids.

396

:

I…

397

:

, relationships in my opinion

are just, they're huge.

398

:

You have that relationship, you

can get a kid to believe in you.

399

:

You can get a, a kid to

run through a wall for you.

400

:

So they're just very huge.

401

:

, Definitely wanna be that players' coach.

402

:

I'm gonna have conversations with them.

403

:

I'm gonna hear them out.

404

:

Because this thing is all about…

405

:

it's about their growth

and their development.

406

:

And it's not just for me to be

here, uh, running a dictatorship I

407

:

wanna be here to be able to be able

to help them grow as young men.

408

:

Um, and that only happens through

allowing them to fail, coaching

409

:

them up from that failure, um, and

celebrating su- their successes.

410

:

And even in their successes, still being

able to, to coach them and help them

411

:

become better at, out of those situations.

412

:

So for me, that's, that's where I'm at.

413

:

I'm very hands-on.

414

:

Being at their level, being a players'

coach and just developing them a- as

415

:

a whole, not just a football player

416

:

Aaron: So when you do that, there seems

like there's a mix of kind of old school

417

:

accountability, but a more modern take

on meeting student athletes where they,

418

:

they are and being able to, to relate.

419

:

How do you balance the two?

420

:

Because it seems like folks

are stronger when they ha- when

421

:

they have a little bit of both.

422

:

Brandon Carr: Oh yeah, I definitely agree.

423

:

You, you need both.

424

:

Um, and I think every coach

that I've had growing up showed

425

:

me the right way to do that.

426

:

But , in this profession, this is why

we go out and we go to these clinics

427

:

and we listen to hea- other head coaches

talk so that you can learn the piece

428

:

that you need to evolve as a coach.

429

:

You don't necessarily have to change

yourself from what you know and

430

:

what you were brought up on that

made you successful and made you

431

:

into the coach that you are today.

432

:

Uh, but you need to evolve and you

need to evolve with the time of

433

:

the kids and be where they're at.

434

:

, Listen to guys like Tony Elliott,

things like at UVA, hearing him

435

:

speak Fran Brown most recently.

436

:

, Just hearing those guys talk and how they

handle their things with, uh, coaches.

437

:

But more so like just saw, just

seeing how Coach Burden, Coach, uh,

438

:

Tip West, uh, Coach Malloy, all those

coaches at ODU, how they had their old

439

:

school, , way of things, but at the same

time they were evolving and they were

440

:

player coaches, you know what I mean?

441

:

They were…

442

:

Our door was always al- open, willing

to talk and growing and developing us

443

:

through our failures and our successes.

444

:

, For me, I think having those guys

in college to see how they kind

445

:

of maneuvered and did it, um, is

where I pull from a lot as well.

446

:

Mike: All right, so like you

said, a few years ago you got the

447

:

special opportunity to be named

the head coach at Indian River.

448

:

Leading up to that moment, what do you

think, in your coaching development,

449

:

your development of you as a coach,

what do you think was the biggest

450

:

part of that that led to you getting

that opportunity to be a head coach?

451

:

Brandon Carr: I think for me it was

developing, A, a name for myself a brand.

452

:

And I think by, you know, being so

passionate about the offensive line

453

:

holding us to a high standard I think

people kinda got an idea of who I

454

:

was without knowing me, but just

seeing the way that my group played.

455

:

Very sound, disciplined.

456

:

And , when you develop a group

like that then people's like,

457

:

"Man, well, who's the coach?"

458

:

And then that kinda helps you.

459

:

People get to know you without

really even knowing you.

460

:

And then, , just being able to,

uh, work the sidelines and build

461

:

those relationships with the kids.

462

:

I think that was one of the things

that definitely helped me to get

463

:

the position here at Indian River.

464

:

I think also too, for, , young

coaches coming out, it's not showing

465

:

up and thinking that you always

need to have a voice or speak.

466

:

Sometimes it's about

sitting back and learning.

467

:

And, um, I think that was the thing for

me , being here under Glenwood Ferebee

468

:

Cadillac Harris, longtime legendary

coach around here at, um … He was

469

:

still around here at Indian River.

470

:

Um, and then going under a coach

like Marty Aspy at Grassfield.

471

:

Those are just guys who have a lot

of skin in the game and you get to--

472

:

If you sit back and just listen,

you don't have to take everything,

473

:

but you can grab a couple things.

474

:

You can say, "Hey, I

wouldn't do it like that.

475

:

Maybe I would try it this

way," or, "Hey, I like that.

476

:

I need to apply that."

477

:

But just sitting back and

observing and learning and just

478

:

stealing something from everybody.

479

:

And it, for me, it's not

always the coaches I work with.

480

:

It may be a, a coach that I'm

just, I'm watching their team

481

:

play or, or I'm listening to him

talk, um, somewhere at a clinic.

482

:

So it's just always about grabbing things.

483

:

And I think that's the thing

that helped me the most to get

484

:

in the position of a head coach,

especially here at Indian River

485

:

Aaron: And Brandon,

you're making me feel old.

486

:

You mentioned the name Glenwood Ferebee.

487

:

I think Glenwood was a freshman

quarterback at Green Run my

488

:

senior year of high school.

489

:

And then- Yeah … Plaxico

Burress was the receiver.

490

:

He might've been a year older than

Glenwood, maybe a sophomore, but

491

:

man, I gotta start covering up

my gray and my bald spot . Yeah.

492

:

Um, you know, it doesn't matter

how good of a coach you are if you

493

:

can't get your players to buy in.

494

:

So how do you get players to buy in day

to day as a coach or as a football coach?

495

:

Brandon Carr: Consistency.

496

:

Consistency.

497

:

Staying consistent in who you are, what

you expect, what you demand from them

498

:

and then being, being in it with them.

499

:

, Starting off early when I first got out,

I u- you know, I used to love to jump

500

:

in the weight room with the kids and

get out there and run around with them.

501

:

Um, obviously, times have changed, so

it's not too much of that going on, but,

502

:

, just being in there with them to let them

know like, "Hey, I'm in it with you."

503

:

You know what I mean?

504

:

And being consistent of what you expect

from them from day to day because

505

:

if they know who you are it makes

it easier for them to buy into you.

506

:

If they don't know what they're

getting from you from day

507

:

to day how can they buy in?

508

:

They don't know what the standard is,

they don't know what the expectation is.

509

:

So for me, , that's just the thing for

me, is just being consistent day to day

510

:

of who I am and being in it with them.

511

:

If it's gonna be a…

512

:

If it's hot out, , we just left team

camp first day, , it's hot out, hey, I'm,

513

:

I'm gonna be in a full sweatsuit with

you, you're in pad- you're in helmet,

514

:

shoulder pads, I'll be in a sweatsuit.

515

:

I'm in the heat with you.

516

:

So what so what are we talking about,

so when you do things like that, little,

517

:

just little things like that, that

they buy into it and they buy into you

518

:

Mike: Well, that seems like a huge part

of success as a coach these days, 'cause

519

:

we're talking about an era where there's

not as many kids playing football.

520

:

Um, they have more distractions than ever.

521

:

I mean, everyone's walking around

with the biggest piece of distraction

522

:

in their pocket, in their cellphone.

523

:

Um, you get those constant dopamine

hits from the, the cellphone, and

524

:

you're trying to get them to just kinda

put that away for a minute and just

525

:

focus on the game and getting better.

526

:

So it seems really important

that you make sure that they

527

:

kinda see the vision and buy in.

528

:

Brandon Carr: I think that's one of the

things that is, is a bit challenging.

529

:

But like I said, when you can get

the kids to buy into you and to the

530

:

program and to the things that you're

doing to prepare them for those

531

:

opportunities I, I think you'll be fine.

532

:

But that, that is a bit of a

challenge that I think, you know,

533

:

we face here as k- as coaches.

534

:

Mike: Now, I don't know if this is just

from my perspective, but from playing

535

:

football at two different programs, I

thought from what I saw was it's easy

536

:

to keep the players motivated on game

week 'cause everyone wants to be on

537

:

the team when you have an actual game.

538

:

It's those off-season workouts, the

off-season lifts, those two-a-days,

539

:

that's the hardest time to keep them

kind of focused on the bigger picture.

540

:

Uh, is that still true to

this day, or am I off there?

541

:

Brandon Carr: That, that may

be true in some other places.

542

:

Um, I think we've done a good job in our

culture to where the kids are falling in

543

:

love with the work, falling in love with

the process, and they're understanding

544

:

how important those days are.

545

:

Um, you don't win in the fall without

these days , I won't speak to,

546

:

to, to anyone else's program or…

547

:

but I think our kids here at Indian River

have a good understanding of how important

548

:

it is and what they can get out of it

549

:

Aaron: Part of being a coach is being

a great teacher, and it seems like from

550

:

the, the early offensive line, there are

a bunch of guys who are great teachers.

551

:

Ryan Jensen's one of those guys

we've talked about who's got

552

:

his academy, very good teacher.

553

:

Robbie Duncan, who was on the show

before, very good teacher, especially,

554

:

from an offensive line perspective.

555

:

You recognize in the area as an

awesome teacher, particularly with

556

:

regards to the, the offensive line.

557

:

So when , a young guy walks in,

as a young lineman walks in,

558

:

what's the first thing that you're

looking at with him in evaluating,

559

:

uh, what kind of a player he is?

560

:

Brandon Carr: Just his work ethic.

561

:

I'm just gonna-- We're gonna get in

the weight room, we're gonna go run.

562

:

We just gonna-- I, I just wanna see

where your mental is at because that's

563

:

a huge part of being an offensive line.

564

:

You see just how mentally strong you are.

565

:

So that's, that's the first

evaluation piece for me when it's,

566

:

when it comes to working with young

linemen because we gotta develop

567

:

the mindset first and you gotta,

gotta be the toughest guy out there.

568

:

You gotta believe you're the toughest

guy, even if you're, if you're

569

:

not the toughest guy, but for me,

that's, that's the big thing that

570

:

I, I first see and I wanna work on.

571

:

Even if it's here out i-in Indian River

or if I'm training some kid, I just

572

:

wanna build that mental first because

once we get past that mental threshold

573

:

then we can really go to work and

focus on the, on all the other things.

574

:

'Cause there's, there's gonna be a

lot of uncomfortable things that you

575

:

gotta do to be a good lineman and

they're, they're a little outside of

576

:

what you normally do from day to day.

577

:

So if you're not mentally

there and focused it's gonna

578

:

be hard to de- to develop you

579

:

Mike: Continuing on that teaching

aspect, you and your friend, uh,

580

:

Eli Harold, uh, who most people

might remember from his playing

581

:

days at UVA, uh, run a big man camp.

582

:

Talk to us about the camp and the

opportunities that's brought you

583

:

, Brandon Carr: I started training offensive

linemen pr- like right in COVID, like

584

:

right at the end of COVID , just kind

of keeping all the linemen going.

585

:

Started off with a few guys.

586

:

And then, , with talking to, uh, Zohn

Burden and Ron Wickham, they just kind of

587

:

like, "Hey," , , "really dive into it."

588

:

Like, "Hey," like, "get in

there and really do it."

589

:

And then me and Eli just

kept crossing paths.

590

:

And the vision was like, hey,

like we just wanna build and

591

:

develop big men in the 757.

592

:

Because, I mean, what

is this area known for?

593

:

The skill guys.

594

:

You know what I mean?

595

:

So me being a, a big man from the area,

I was like, "Hey, we gotta change the

596

:

narrative," because we do, we do have

big men here that can play up front.

597

:

So that's when the camp baby was birthed

and, , it's just, it's really taken

598

:

off and, , we had one this past summer.

599

:

, We got guys coming down from Northern

Virginia to c- to come down and camp

600

:

O-line, D-line and just get better.

601

:

So it's, it's a honor, it's

a privilege to work with Eli.

602

:

He's awesome to work with.

603

:

Um, we feed off of each other.

604

:

But yeah, it's just a real great

deal to just help develop the bigs

605

:

and give an avenue for the b- the

bigs to be developed in the area.

606

:

Do I know it all?

607

:

No.

608

:

But, , if I can help them get a

solid foundation and, um, get those

609

:

tools to become better, um, then I,

I definitely wanna give them that

610

:

Aaron: All right, you used the phrase,

"Doing simple great," in your lineman

611

:

training description, building upon this.

612

:

I know what that means to me,

but what does doing simple

613

:

great mean to Brandon Carr?

614

:

Brandon Carr: It's, it's just doing…

615

:

, it's what it says.

616

:

You know what I mean?

617

:

It's just, I think people

overthink lineman play.

618

:

, It's falling in love with the

fundamentals, like just the day-to-day.

619

:

Uh, what's the Bruce Lee, uh, saying?

620

:

, "I don't fear the man

who knows 1,000 kicks.

621

:

I, I fear the man that - that

practices one kick 1,000 times,"

622

:

'cause y- y- you've perfected it.

623

:

And that's, when it comes to training,

when it comes to coaching hey,

624

:

just get good at the great stuff.

625

:

I mean, get great at the stuff you know.

626

:

If you can get great at that, the

rest'll it'll become muscle memory.

627

:

Don't overcomplicate things, um,

because when, , you run into a

628

:

stressful situation, you should be

able to revert back to your training.

629

:

And if you've done the simple things

very great and mastered them, it, it,

630

:

it'll be there as a support every time.

631

:

So just that's what that means

to me is just doing the simple

632

:

things, you know, great.

633

:

It'll be a great foundation for you

634

:

Mike: All right, so we know line

play requires a mean streak, but

635

:

it does require good technique.

636

:

Yes.

637

:

So when you're teaching these high

schoolers, how do you keep that

638

:

balance of trying to get that mean

streak out of them while keeping them

639

:

under control with good technique?

640

:

Brandon Carr: Um, I th- I think

it's just, like, just fundamentals.

641

:

Fundamentals, moving fast, being athletes.

642

:

Whene- whenever I train a lineman,

I coach a lineman, y- you-

643

:

you're not this 400-pound big kid

that everybody thinks you are.

644

:

No, you are a premier athlete.

645

:

You know what I mean?

646

:

So you're gonna be fundamentally

sound, and you're gonna move

647

:

very fast and be athletic.

648

:

And with that equation,

you'll become a nasty player.

649

:

If you believe in what your training

is, you're sound in what you're

650

:

doing, you do it at a high speed,

you're gonna be a violent player.

651

:

You're gonna be a nasty player.

652

:

There's a lot of people out here, there's

a lot of linemen out here who, they had…

653

:

they play the game nasty but, that

doesn't always equate to a good

654

:

outcome because you're not playing

within your technique or the scheme.

655

:

So for me, it's just about drilling the

fundamentals, being the athlete you are,

656

:

and you're gonna do it at a high speed.

657

:

That's gonna make you

the nasty player you are.

658

:

You know what I mean?

659

:

And for me, that's Tobin

Cameron and Jeremy Hensley, two

660

:

linemen at ODU when I was there.

661

:

But those were two guys, like, I sat

back and I just watched and I studied.

662

:

And, like, Tobin, technician.

663

:

You know what I mean?

664

:

Just freaking technician.

665

:

Jeremy was a technical guy,

and then he just was a mauler.

666

:

So those are guys I sat back that

I was like, "Man they're as good

667

:

as they are because they have

finished-- they have mastered their

668

:

fundamentals and their technique.

669

:

Now they're doing it at a high rate, and

now they're getting to have fun with it."

670

:

So that's when I sit back and I say,

"Hey, like, that's what I gotta build.

671

:

I gotta build a solid foundation.

672

:

I gotta make sure you know

how to play this position.

673

:

You know how to play it so well

that you can do it in your sleep

674

:

and be confident with it, 'cause

now when you're confident with it,

675

:

you're gonna play that much faster."

676

:

So those are two guys that just

helped me get that mindset.

677

:

It's like, "Hey, this is how we're

gonna develop and build them."

678

:

Aaron: So you've had the opportunity

to play the game at a very

679

:

successful level, and now you're

coaching and having great success.

680

:

From a coach's perspective, what

would you say has changed the most

681

:

from, from an offensive perspective,

the game of football from when you

682

:

were playing and what offenses looked

like to what you're coaching now?

683

:

Has there been a big change, and

if so, what would you say it is?

684

:

Brandon Carr: Uh, no, I think, uh,

I think I came into college football

685

:

right when the game was shifting,

when the, you know, a lot of people

686

:

were going for wi- for widespread.

687

:

I think the only thing that's changed

now, I think the offensive linemen have

688

:

got a lot l- they're a lot leaner and

they're, , they're a lot more athletic.

689

:

We've had some good

linemen come through here.

690

:

And I'm like, man, , defensive lineman,

I'm just like, man, like if I was still

691

:

playing, like shoot, like these guys might

give me a little fit, , for a full game.

692

:

, Guys like Ben Smiley who

played at UVA Antwan Powell Jr.

693

:

played here at Indian River but finished

up at Virginia Tech, and I'm just seeing

694

:

how they evolved and, that, that shows

why the offensive linemen and their style

695

:

has evolved as well, just being more

athletic, uh, leaner guys being able to

696

:

move, keep up with those athletic guys.

697

:

So f- I think that's the probably

the biggest thing you've seen

698

:

change in my perspective.

699

:

But yeah, I think I came

in right when the, the…

700

:

it was kind of swinging more

so to that, , spread concept.

701

:

So I think it's just normal for me now.

702

:

Mike: All right, so we know

tape is an important part of

703

:

football especially for a coach.

704

:

But when you're watching tape with these

young men who might not kinda get the full

705

:

picture of what they're trying to do, and

you're trying to point out, "Hey, you're,

706

:

you're getting over your feet here.

707

:

You're getting off balance."

708

:

You try to help them

out with their technique

709

:

How much, I guess what I'm trying to say

is how hard is that to kind of get it to

710

:

their level where they kind of understand

that, what you're trying to teach?

711

:

Brandon Carr: Um, for me, I don't

think, you know, I don't think it's,

712

:

it hasn't been that hard for me.

713

:

Um, I think you keep it

as simple as possible.

714

:

Um, you don't try to use verbiage

that's outside of their vocabulary.

715

:

Some coaches like to show how

much football they know, , by

716

:

talking above their kids.

717

:

No, you give it to them on their level.

718

:

I think the other thing for

me is being an active coach.

719

:

This is what I'm saying, now I'm gonna

show you what you're doing, um, and

720

:

this is how we're gonna correct it.

721

:

So still being able to get out there

and move around with the kids, for me,

722

:

I think that's what's been beneficial

in getting them to understand, um,

723

:

what they need to see and, and,

and whatever they need to learn.

724

:

And also, , just spending

a lot of time on the board.

725

:

We do a lot of classroom time here.

726

:

We get on the board a lot.

727

:

We talk…

728

:

I talk to them as if I were

talking to a kid headed off to

729

:

college or a kid in college.

730

:

Like, they, you wanna play at that level,

you- we're gonna treat you that way.

731

:

We're gonna give you that information

so that when you do show up to

732

:

a college you're not lost in

what's being talked, talked about.

733

:

… We keep it simple but we keep it to a

point where they're still learning and

734

:

understanding what they need to learn to

the point if they got to the next level

735

:

Aaron: Are there things or is there

a thing that you learned during

736

:

your recruiting process going

from high school to college that

737

:

that you offer to your players

now, guidance that you give them,

738

:

something, things that you didn't

know that you wish that you did

739

:

to help them in their process?

740

:

Brandon Carr: Um, the one thing that

I give and this is to any kid and

741

:

it's, it's, you know, it's gonna sound

cliche, but man, lo- love who loves you.

742

:

That's the biggest thing

that I give to all the kids.

743

:

Don't get caught up in, what jersey

combination they got , how many jersey

744

:

sets they have what, w- what restaurants

they had, and when you went and visit

745

:

in the ca- in the, in the co- caf area.

746

:

Like, don't…

747

:

Pay attention to the football, pay

attention to the coaches, pay attention

748

:

to the people and how they spending

time with you and your family,

749

:

and how they interact with you.

750

:

That's gonna tell you a lot, , 'cause

those are the people you're

751

:

gonna spend all your time with.

752

:

You know what I mean?

753

:

Those are the people gonna

determine if you're on the field

754

:

or or if you're not on the field.

755

:

So you always wanna have

relationships with them.

756

:

So that's the biggest

thing that I give to kids.

757

:

Like, "Hey, don't like, don't

fall in love with the logo.

758

:

Get in there, learn it,

and love who loves you."

759

:

Because there's a lot of people

that make some bad decisions, or…

760

:

I don't know, s- or don't

wanna say bad decisions.

761

:

There's some people who make some,

some decisions based off what the logo

762

:

looks like, um, instead of getting in

there and really breaking it down and

763

:

evaluating and saying, "Hey, like, no.

764

:

Okay, this person is for me.

765

:

This place is for me."

766

:

So that's the biggest the information

that I give , a tip that I give.

767

:

And even, with all this NIL stuff, , I

get it, but, , relationships still matter.

768

:

You know what I mean?

769

:

So, that's the one thing

that I stress to all of them.

770

:

"Hey, I don't care if it's D2, D- D3, D1,

771

:

fall in love with who

falls in love with you."

772

:

Because if you got that relationship,

you're, you're probably more

773

:

inclined to have a successful career

774

:

Mike: And I think these last few

weeks of interviews have shown how

775

:

important relationships really are.

776

:

Charles Walls talked extensively

about how relationships have gotten to

777

:

where he is today just for an example.

778

:

But, uh, I guess I wanna

talk to you about what…

779

:

You've been doing this for a while now.

780

:

You said 13 years.

781

:

If you could give that young

Brandon Carr who's just starting

782

:

out in coaching one piece of advice

for coaching, what would it be?

783

:

Brandon Carr: That's a good question.

784

:

Just go for it.

785

:

Go for it.

786

:

Don't limit yourself.

787

:

Don't think that you can't.

788

:

Just go for it.

789

:

You know what I mean?

790

:

Um, and that's funny to say because it's

opposite of what, as a player, like,

791

:

as a player, you never doubt yourself.

792

:

You never look back.

793

:

Y- you're sure of who you are as a player.

794

:

, But then when you step into

a new arena, you're kinda

795

:

like, "Hey, am I good at this?

796

:

Am I…

797

:

Like, am I doing this the right way?"

798

:

And I think that…

799

:

And I think that's what I

would say to my younger self.

800

:

Like, "Hey, don't think this.

801

:

Just go.

802

:

Just go.

803

:

If you fail, stand back up."

804

:

If you fall, get back up.

805

:

It's, it's all good.

806

:

You know what I mean?

807

:

You'll make some mistakes along

the way, learn along the way.

808

:

Continue to develop yourself, but just go.

809

:

Just go.

810

:

And be confident in who

you are and what you do.

811

:

, 'Cause sometimes, , when you stepping

into a new arena, you're like, "Wow

812

:

like, I play, but I do, do I really

know how to give it the information?

813

:

Do I really know how to develop?

814

:

Do I, should I take that shot?"

815

:

No, just go.

816

:

Just go.

817

:

Trust in yourself, believe in who you are

818

:

Aaron: All right, Mike, so we're

starting to run out of time.

819

:

How many you got left in the queue?

820

:

'Cause I always like to make sure.

821

:

You always got a couple extra than I do.

822

:

Mike: Just a couple.

823

:

Aaron: Okay.

824

:

Why don't you ask her a couple,

and then we end on with some

825

:

fun questions once you're done.

826

:

Mike: Well, Brandon, we're- you're

preparing for the:

827

:

Talk to us a little bit about this team

you have for Indian River coming up.

828

:

Brandon Carr: Um, I'm

excited about this team.

829

:

, Last year we made us a deep

playoff run with a young group.

830

:

Freshman quarterback.

831

:

We, we played quite a few sophomores

who were big contributors.

832

:

We didn't lose too many d- from seniors.

833

:

So I'm excited in the sense of, you

know, the kids have now been there.

834

:

They know what it takes.

835

:

They've seen.

836

:

They've been in that environment.

837

:

So I'm excited the way they've

approached to the off-season, , with

838

:

a chip on their shoulder like,

"Hey," , "let's go to work now."

839

:

So I, I, I'm, I'm loving the work that

they're putting in the weight room.

840

:

I love the way their bodies

are changing right now.

841

:

And it's showing up in the way they're

moving around, so definitely excited to

842

:

see them see us take the field this fall.

843

:

Mike: All right, and then this will be my

last question on this year's team, but,

844

:

uh, we can move on to the fun stuff after.

845

:

So if you were cir- if there's one game

circled on your calendar that fans should

846

:

keep an eye out for, what game is it?

847

:

Brandon Carr: Oh, you know, it's, we're

in Indian River, so every- everyone's

848

:

always gonna want that Oscar Smith game.

849

:

You know what I mean?

850

:

Um, that's the one that,

um- That's the first

851

:

Aaron: game too, isn't it?

852

:

That's your opener.

853

:

Brandon Carr: Oh, no, it's the third game.

854

:

We have, we start off with-

855

:

Aaron: Is it?

856

:

… Brandon Carr: Play at Great Bridge.

857

:

Yeah.

858

:

But no, that's, that's, that's the

game that, you know, everyone in

859

:

the community looks forward to.

860

:

So, we're always gonna

circle it on the calendar.

861

:

But we look, we look

forward to all of them.

862

:

Mike: Well, I'm looking forward to that

Great Bridge game just because of the

863

:

quarterback combination we got going on.

864

:

Aaron: Mike, I think we're gonna have

to make a trip out there for that one.

865

:

Brandon Carr: It's here at

Indian River, so come on by.

866

:

You let me know.

867

:

Come on by.

868

:

Mike: We'll be

869

:

there.

870

:

Aaron: Okay, we will be.,

871

:

So this is just gonna be rapid fire.

872

:

Don't think too much.

873

:

Just first thing that comes

to your head, Brandon.

874

:

All right.

875

:

What is the worst thing about

being an offensive lineman?

876

:

Brandon Carr: Practice field location.

877

:

They always throw us in the corner.

878

:

We're probably the furthest

away from everybody.

879

:

They'll have a team period down

at the other end, and we gotta

880

:

take the long haul, so the linemen

never get the prime real estate.

881

:

We all get shoved in the corner somewhere

882

:

Mike: ODU's no different.

883

:

I mean, he's still doing it to this day.

884

:

We gotta walk all the way

to the end 'cause that's the

885

:

one group we wanna watch.

886

:

Brandon Carr: Yeah.

887

:

Mike: All right.

888

:

So I, I like to highlight the O linemen.

889

:

Why are, why is the O line group the

smartest group on the, on every roster?

890

:

Brandon Carr: Are you, like, you

mean on, just on the football field?

891

:

Mike: Yeah, 'cause it, it seems like every

team I've played with, every team I've

892

:

talked to, it's c- pretty consistent.

893

:

The O linemen are usually the

most cerebral players on the team

894

:

Brandon Carr: You got to.

895

:

It's, you gotta c- you have to dissect

a lot of things at a, at a fast rate.

896

:

You know what I mean?

897

:

You break the huddle or you get set

at the line, defense gonna get set.

898

:

You gotta talk it out, figure it

out, set a mic, boom, get set,

899

:

we're rolling, ball's playing.

900

:

Especially at ODU early on high tempo.

901

:

Hey, you gotta see the front,

set the front, call the mic.

902

:

Hey, is the blitz coming?

903

:

You know what I mean?

904

:

It's just a lot of processing things.

905

:

So you spend a lot of time together, you

watch a lot of film, a lot of preparation.

906

:

So I think that's what makes them the, the

group on the field that's the smartest.

907

:

Aaron: Pre-game speech,

which one's more energetic?

908

:

Coach Bobby Wilder or Coach Brandon Carr?

909

:

Brandon Carr: Oh, it's Coach

Bobb- it's, it's Coach Wilder.

910

:

You know, I'm not a big rah-rah guy.

911

:

I'm a, "Hey, buckle it up, let's go play.

912

:

We know why we here tonight."

913

:

So you know he, he can have that category.

914

:

Um, you know, he g- he

get the boys fired up.

915

:

Um, I'm more like, "Hey, let's

buckle it up, you know, let's go.

916

:

Let's go win a game."

917

:

Mike: All right.

918

:

… Did you have any pre-game rituals as a

player, and do you have any as a coach?

919

:

Brandon Carr: No, not really.

920

:

Not really.

921

:

I just, I don't talk a

lot, you know what I mean?

922

:

I'm, I'm … I gotta get my DMX in.

923

:

Gotta get my DMX in the headphones, um,

and just kinda get in my own world and

924

:

get me ready to go, but that's about it.

925

:

Um, long as I can get the couple DMX

songs in me then we're ready to roll

926

:

Aaron: All right.

927

:

If you could steal one ODU player from

your era and put him on your Indian River

928

:

team this year, who would it be and why?

929

:

Brandon Carr: Oh man it's

gotta be Nick Mayers.

930

:

Gotta be Nick Mayers.

931

:

It's gotta be Nick.

932

:

Just what he does with

the ball in his hands.

933

:

He's just an athlete, he step

between those lines, he's gonna go.

934

:

And, um, yeah, so what we do offensively,

I know that's the guy we give the ball to.

935

:

Hey, it's gonna look good.

936

:

Mike: All right.

937

:

Just, uh, most rewarding

thing about coaching?

938

:

Brandon Carr: See- s-

seeing the kids succeed.

939

:

And success doesn't have to be

getting a full football scholarship.

940

:

The biggest thing I love, I love

when kids come back here and they may

941

:

bring their little ones or they may

come up here in their work clothes

942

:

or they may come back from college.

943

:

It's, those are the things

that just make me excited.

944

:

That hey, you came through this program,

you were coached by me, you're just

945

:

off being just an amazing person.

946

:

You, you're j- you're winning in life.

947

:

So th- th- that's the

happiest thing for me.

948

:

Aaron: And my last one's gonna be, I

asked you earlier what the worst thing

949

:

about being an offensive lineman was.

950

:

What's the best thing about

being an offensive lineman?

951

:

Brandon Carr: The brotherhood,

you know what I mean?

952

:

Like, I think, just the, the…

953

:

If you go to any college room, there's

no room like the offensive line room.

954

:

You go to the, you go to the O-line

alley, there's no, there's no set

955

:

of lockers like the O-line group.

956

:

You know what I mean?

957

:

And I, I think that's just a, a u-

a unity and a bond that no other

958

:

group in the locker room has than

those guys up there in that room

959

:

Mike: All right, Coach Carr, I wanna first

thank you so much for joining us tonight.

960

:

Uh, it's been a pleasure talking to you

about your career, what you're doing

961

:

at Indian River, and the impact you're

having on these young kids' lives.

962

:

Do you have a message for

Monarch Nation and anyone that's

963

:

considering sending their kids to

play football for Indian River?

964

:

Brandon Carr: As far as ODU, you

know, let's just keep building it.

965

:

It's a special place.

966

:

It ha- we, we haven't seen the

best days of, of ODU football yet.

967

:

And we've had some pretty decent

ones, but we, we haven't seen the

968

:

best and it's it's still to come.

969

:

And for anybody, you know-

970

:

To come to Indian River, you

want your child to be developed

971

:

not only as a football player,

but as a man, as a person.

972

:

, This is the place you wanna be.

973

:

We're gonna do things the right way.

974

:

We're gonna help them in, in, in

every facet of life to be successful.

975

:

So that's what I got

976

:

Mike: All right.

977

:

Thanks again, coach.

978

:

Go Monarchs

979

:

Aaron: Go Monarchs.

980

:

Brandon Carr: Go Monarch

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71. Episode 71 - Scoot, Boot & Boogie!
00:58:13
70. Episode 70 - Throw the Kitchen Sink in Statesboro!
00:49:58
69. Episode 69 - Chicken 'n Flames
01:02:17
68. Episode 68 - Royal Rumble
00:55:24
67. Episode 67 - The View From the Top of the Mountain is Sweet
01:06:18
66. Episode 66 - Oyster Bowl Prep
00:58:17
65. Episode 65 - The D in ODU Stands for DEFENSE
00:55:07
64. Episode 64 - Hello World, My Name is Kadarius!
01:21:25
63. Episode 63 - It's Not How You Drive, It's How You Arrive
01:04:30
62. Episode 62 - Day of the Demon Deacons
01:01:21
61. Episode 61 - Mea Culpa Season!
00:57:49
60. Episode 60 - Hokies Recap and Cajuns Preview
00:46:52
59. Episode 59 - President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
00:31:21
58. Episode 58 - Hunting Turkeys (VT Preview)
00:56:25
57. Episode 57 - Greg Tomchick
01:02:20
56. Episode 56 - Dr. Wood Selig
00:34:41
55. Episode 55 - Isaac Weaver (ODU Football/LA Chargers)
00:44:06
54. Episode 54 - CB Wilkins | ODU Baseball 2023 Recap
00:56:26
53. Episode 53 - Thomas Wheeler
00:31:40
52. Episode 52 - Jake Ticer
00:34:09
51. Episode 51 - Hunter Fitz-Gerald
00:23:49
50. Episode 50 - Jay Ingram & Wayne Parks
00:41:11
49. Episode 49 - Ricky Rahne
00:29:31
48. Episode 48 - Blaine Taylor
00:48:42
47. Episode 47 - CB Wilkins
00:35:35
46. Episode 46 - Rick French & Billy Swoope
01:03:02
45. Episode 45 - DeLisha Milton-Jones (Redemption Week)
00:34:03
44. Episode 44 -Chris Finwood (Baseball Week 2023)
00:42:31
43. Episode 43 - NIL Discussion w/ Matt Brown
00:26:35
42. Episode 42 - South Alabama Review, Offseason Focus, & ODAF Giving
00:43:39
41. Episode 41 - App State Review, South Alabama Preview w/ Doug Konkel
01:07:02
40. Episode 40 - Alex Johnson, App State Podcaster
00:33:41
39. Episode 39 - JMU Review & Look Ahead w/ Craig Wilkins
00:56:59
38. Episode 38 - Shane Mettlen, JMU beat reporter
00:15:47
37. Episode 37 - Marshall Review & JMU Look Ahead
00:54:39
36. Episode 36 - Rus Livingood of Thundercast
00:40:57
35. Episode 35 - Georgia State Review & Marshall Look Ahead
00:35:53
34. Episode 34 - Ben Moore, Georgia State Beat Writer
00:32:59
33. Episode 33 - Georgia Southern Review & Georgia State Look Ahead
00:39:26
32. Episode 32 - Nathan Dominitz, Georgia Southern Beat Writer
00:41:37
31. Episode 31 - Coastal Destruction & GA Southern Look Ahead
01:07:04
30. Episode 30 - Alan Blondin, Coastal Carolina Beat Reporter
00:21:50
29. Episode 29 - Sun Belt Chat & Coastal Carolina Look Ahead
00:41:42
28. Episode 28 - Nancy "Lady Magic" Lieberman
00:45:40
27. Episode 27 - DeLisha Milton-Jones
00:56:24
26. Episode 26 - Hudson & Brooke Corson - Mutts With A Mission
00:24:45
25. Episode 25 - Liberty vs ODU Recap with Gary
00:45:31
24. Episode 24 - Damien Sordelett, Liberty Beat Reporter
00:45:52
23. Episode 23 - A-State Post Game & Liberty Look Ahead
00:43:45
22. Episode 22 - Kara Richey, A-State Radio Host
00:48:11
21. Episode 21 - UVA, Hudson, & A-State with Gary
00:52:42
20. Episode 20 - Greg Madia, UVA Beat Writer
00:37:14
19. Episode 19 - ECU Post Game & UVA Look Ahead
01:04:10
18. Episode 18- Stephen Igoe of Hoist The Colours
00:38:15
17. Episode 17 - Hokies Post Mortem & Pirates Look Ahead
01:03:55
16. Episode 16 - ODU vs. VT Preview - Andy Bitter & Gary Williams
01:11:31
15. Episode 15 - Fred Chao
01:08:29
14. Episode 14 - Phil Steele
00:21:22
13. Episode 13 - Isaac Weaver
01:00:42
12. Episode 12 - Keith Gill
00:23:54
11. Episode 11 - Dr. Wood Selig
00:24:33
10. Episode 10 - Dominic Manilla
01:06:49
9. Episode 9 - Jeff Jones
01:00:03
8. Episode 8 - Mallory Kane
01:04:43
7. Episode 7 - The Mega Huge Baseball Episode w/ CB Wilkins
01:26:31
6. Episode 6 - Jay Harris
00:55:18
5. Episode 5 - Ricky Rahne
01:02:41
4. Episode 4 - Kyle Battle
00:40:54
3. Episode 3 - Coach Chris Finwood & John Vellines
00:54:07
2. Episode 2 - Scott Jackson
01:02:27
1. Episode 1 - AJ Oliver
01:05:22