With the Rams getting a bye week after their shutout of Arizona in London, Tanzel Smart stopped by Tulane's practice today. It was good timing being away from Los Angeles with the temperature soaring above 100 degrees there. After it was over, he talked to us.
"I was just laughing and joking with everybody," he said. "It really was good to see everybody."
What has it been like for you so far with the Rams?
"It's been a blessing. Beautiful weather, just playing football every day, learning every day from the older guys. It's been so much fun, man, I can't even explain it."
Has it been what you expected?
"It's pretty much what I expected. To go in there and to be in my playbook and watching film, I've watched film like I never did before just to try to get the concepts of the other teams. It's been fun."
In the preseason the coaches there were saying the same thing about your work ethic that your coaches here have said. Did you impress them pretty quickly?
"I went in and wasn't really trying to impress anybody. I was just doing what I do. That's the only way I know how to get better, and I've got to continue doing that and there it was."
What have you had to put the most work in?
"It wasn't anything really difficult, but I just had to do everything more. I had to work harder, study film harder, get in my playbook harder. I just had to do everything from college and bring it up another notch."
What's been your most memorable moment there?
"It's hard to see. I've got a lot of memories right now. I guess all the wins we've had. I like the feeling of the wins and just coming back in the locker room and the bond you share with the teams. It's just a beautiful sight in the locker room after a win."
What was it like going to London?
"London was fun. Seeing the beautiful city and then going and winning, it was perfect. That was my first time being out the country. It was a blessing. I loved it."
How closely have you followed Tulane's season?
"Actually I shoot the group texts before every game or after the game. When I was in London, it was probably like 1 o'clock (in the morning when Tulane kicked off against USF) and I was getting the feeds on my phone. I follow them every weekend."
Sean Wilson has had a good year for Tulane. I guess that doesn't surprise you.
"Yeah, I see him. He's gotten bigger and stouter. I was like, I like what you're doing right now."
"I was just laughing and joking with everybody," he said. "It really was good to see everybody."
What has it been like for you so far with the Rams?
"It's been a blessing. Beautiful weather, just playing football every day, learning every day from the older guys. It's been so much fun, man, I can't even explain it."
Has it been what you expected?
"It's pretty much what I expected. To go in there and to be in my playbook and watching film, I've watched film like I never did before just to try to get the concepts of the other teams. It's been fun."
In the preseason the coaches there were saying the same thing about your work ethic that your coaches here have said. Did you impress them pretty quickly?
"I went in and wasn't really trying to impress anybody. I was just doing what I do. That's the only way I know how to get better, and I've got to continue doing that and there it was."
What have you had to put the most work in?
"It wasn't anything really difficult, but I just had to do everything more. I had to work harder, study film harder, get in my playbook harder. I just had to do everything from college and bring it up another notch."
What's been your most memorable moment there?
"It's hard to see. I've got a lot of memories right now. I guess all the wins we've had. I like the feeling of the wins and just coming back in the locker room and the bond you share with the teams. It's just a beautiful sight in the locker room after a win."
What was it like going to London?
"London was fun. Seeing the beautiful city and then going and winning, it was perfect. That was my first time being out the country. It was a blessing. I loved it."
How closely have you followed Tulane's season?
"Actually I shoot the group texts before every game or after the game. When I was in London, it was probably like 1 o'clock (in the morning when Tulane kicked off against USF) and I was getting the feeds on my phone. I follow them every weekend."
Sean Wilson has had a good year for Tulane. I guess that doesn't surprise you.
"Yeah, I see him. He's gotten bigger and stouter. I was like, I like what you're doing right now."
