Tag Archives: Shriners Hospital

2019, NCAA FB, Articles

Wise beyond his years

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DraftNasty’s Corey Chavous sat down with former Kansas Jayhawks star defensive lineman Daniel Wise for a Q&A during the week of the 2019 East-West Shrine game to talk about the Wise last name, family lineage and what it meant to be a Jayhawk.

Q&A with Kansas DL Daniel Wise

Corey: What about this week (2019 East-West Shrine Game) and what it represents for you and the Kansas program?

Wise: It’s huge for me to be able to just represent the University of Kansas. Throughout everything I’m doing at the Shrine hospital, on the field, having that Jayhawk on my helmet means a lot to me.

Corey: I know the team success wasn’t what you may have hoped for during your career but individually you’ve been very productive the last three seasons. When you think about how you’ve been able to work the edges of guards and tackles by being slippery. Talk about your technique and what has allowed you to become that type of player.

Wise: My work ethic, my routine in the summer, my workouts, guys I train with, my teammates. Picking up things from them (teammates) and picking up things from my coaches. My dad (former NFL player Deatrich Wise, Sr.), my No. 1 coach, and my older brother (New England Patriots DL Deatrich, Jr.). Always being around football and always watching football.

Daniel’s older brother, Deatrich, Jr. (No. 99 pictured), was a participant in the 2017 East-West Shrine Game and has since gone on to post 9.5 quarterback sacks in two seasons with the New England Patriots.

Corey: We actually spent time with your brother here at the East-West Shrine game a couple of years ago. What has his success meant for you in continuing on that family lineage?

Wise: It’s huge for me to be able to follow his footsteps at the East-West Shrine game and hopefully one day maybe with him or wherever I go. But to be able to enter the league with him, it’s been a journey.

Corey: What type of scheme do you think you fit best in? You’ve been a four-technique, five-technique and three-technique. You can line up in the reduced front over the center. What do you think is your best position to start at?

Wise: Just the experience that I got playing at the University of Kansas in a 4-3 and 3-4, playing all up and down the line. It has given me a lot of experience on the line. Can play just about anywhere on the line confidently. But I think I earn my best money at the three-technique.

Former Kansas defensive lineman Daniel Wise (No. 96 pictured) posted 151 tackles, 18.5 quarterback sacks, 44 tackles for loss (2nd in school history) and blocked three kicks during his time as a Jayhawk.

Corey: It’s funny, when your brother was coming out, we asked him the exact same question. Because at Arkansas he was playing up-and-down the defensive front.

Wise: Yes sir, yes sir. That’s right.

Corey: So I guess the family lineage spreads to positional versatility. Toughest opponent in school?

Wise: My toughest opponent in school I’d say would have to go to No. 55 at West Virginia.

Corey: Cajuste (Yodny).

Wise: Yeah…Cajuste. He was a good athlete. His ability to adjust. His hands and his feet. He was a nice athlete, nice guy to go against.

Corey: If an NFL scout wanted your best game of your career what would it be? I know one game I watched two years ago against Texas (2016)…in Kansas.

Wise: Yeah, when we beat ’em. I feel like that’s one of my best games. Yes sir.

Corey: Give me another one.

Wise: Texas again this year. The West Virginia game (2018). The West Virginia game is kind of what sparked the season for me.

Corey: Best of luck. Enjoyed watching you play and good luck in the NFL.

Wise: Thank you.

NCAA FB, 2018, Articles

Q&A with Army OL Brett Toth: ‘It’s all about the repetitions’

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Army offensive lineman Brett Toth improved his NFL Draft stock this  postseason after receiving invites to both the 2018 East-West Shrine Game and 2018 Senior Bowl.  We talked with Toth about Army’s resurgence during his tenure and the transition from an option-based offense in the postseason.

Army OT Brett Toth (No. 78 pictured) blocking during Day 3 of 2018 Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama.

DN: We’ve had a chance to do a couple of your games the last couple of years. The upset over Temple.

Toth: In 2016.

DN: Yeah, the first game of the season. Some of your fellow offensive linemen, like Rick Kurz, had to be happy for you (getting selected for the East-West Shrine). Army has had some defensive backs that have been in some all-star games (Caleb Campbell-2008 East-West Shrine) but you’re one of the more recent offensive lineman. Talk a little bit about being here in the East-West Shrine.

Toth: Definitely I want to say thank you to the Shrine Game. Big statement here at the Shrine Game is that it’s more than just a game. I love that aspect of it, going out and kind of doing community service. The outreach programs -like with Shriners Hospital- it’s amazing, it’s unbelievable. It’s taken the game itself, which is a game we all love, everyone here you gotta love it, being here. It’s taken that and putting the bigger message out there. I’m here representing my school. If we didn’t have the success we’ve had the past two years, who knows if I’d be here. The senior class, the junior class, as you mentioned Rick Kurz. Up front, our offensive line, we were just determined the past two seasons. We were determined to make Army great again. And I’d like to say that we did that following that last win out in Texas (2017 Armed Forces bowl victory over San Diego State).

DN: You definitely have made Army great again. Let’s talk a little bit about you. Very versatile in terms of your mobility getting up to the second level. You’ve gained weight while you’ve been in school. At one point, you were starting at around the 270-pound range. What is your weight up to now and how has it felt having to pass set so much out here this week (played in an option-based offense at Army)?

Toth: I just weighed in at 305.

DN: Wow, that’s pretty awesome man.

Toth: Yeah, I was 315 over the break.  Got some of my Mom’s home cooking….(laughs). That was nice. Transitioning to the pass set. Again, it’s the raw attributes. It’s the mobility and the kind of stuff that I excelled with.

DN: Well, you’ve seemed pretty comfortable so far.

Toth: I’ve just gotta tweak a few things. Fundamentals. Watching guys like Zach (Crabtree) over there at right tackle from Oklahoma State. He’s unbelievable with the pass set. So I’m trying to learn as much as possible from him. I feel like I’ve already got the run scheme down out here with the zone, it’s just the pass set is just so much of the game. I need to keep reppin’ it, reppin’ it, reppin’ it and get better with it.

DN: We were talking about your mobility and your foot speed, which has always shown up on tape. But it was noticeable when the offensive linemen were racing earlier in practice, that you beat everybody. Do you take that personal, being faster than everybody else (laughs…)?

Toth: (Laughs)…Uh, I would actually say it’s pretty close. You get Greg (Senat) from Wagner, he was giving me a run for my money.

DN: Best of luck man and congratulations on a great career.

Toth: Yes sir, thank you.

DN: Thank you.

-DN Staff reports, East-West Shrine practices, Day 2