Max and Marcellus is one of my favorite radio shows. I listen to them after the Mason and Ireland show on my two-hour drive home from UCLA practice almost every day, and I catch Jim Rome and Colin Cowherd on my two-hour morning drive to UCLA. I didn’t catch Hundley this afternoon but I’m glad I found the podcast. It’s one of the funniest interviews you’ll ever hear, and you can tell Hundley had a lot of fun, too. I’ve posted the link for you to listen, but I’ve also transcribed for my friends who would rather read.
Here’s the introduction they gave Hundley:
Imagine you’re a quarterback at UCLA right now. Undefeated. Living in Westwood. Wow, ressurecting a program.The man under center for your UCLA Bruins. No one ever wants to talk to the UCLA quarterback but suddenly UCLA has a real quarterback. A UCLA quarterback hasn’t been interviewed in a public forum in like 15 years, since Troy Aikman.
Finally, the interview begins:
Tell me about the team you’re under center right now:
“We’re keeping our head down and doing what we’re coached to do. We’re a tough-minded team. We’re out here to win some games.”
How did you feel about not playing last year?
“I think everything happens for a reason. Last year I probably still had a little bit more to learn about the college game and still trying to learn everything coming off the injury.”
Were you frustrated by it last year?
“Not really. Ah, yeah I guess actually at first I probably was a little frustrated coming in, but i knew there was a reason behind everything. I wasn’t too frusted. There were some moments where I would have liked to be on the field just to give it a shot to see what the college game is like but I’m gald I got the redshirt year and glad I’m coming in as a freshman.”
Rick Neuheisel recruited you, he’s gone, now Jim Mora is in. What’s the difference?
“Both coaches bring different aspect to the game. Coach Mora is a hard-nosed coach. Hes’ going to get it his way, and he’s a great coach at it for that, and so is coach Neuheisel. Both of them have great techniques when it comes to coaching. Coach Mora just came in and made sure we were focused on everything that we needed to do.”
You talk about the mental toughness. How has that translated in game situations?
“That’s translated a lot. I think it’s a lot better now. If we get in a down situation we don’t just drop from it. We stay level headed and know we can turn any situation into a positive as long as we stay grinding and working.”
USC just lost to Stanford. Not trying to look forward, but what do you think about that USC’s team?
“USC’s a great team. I know they had a tough loss versus Stanford, but right now we’re going to take one game at a time. But when it does come it’s going to be a big game. Every year no matter what the teams have done it’s a huge game. So, I really can’t wait. That’s one of the biggest rivalries in college football.”
Marcellus: Man, I thought Jim Mora was the coach, you sound like you play for Belichick:
Brett: Yeah I know, I know, I know. (laughs).
Max: You were just talking about real locker-room talk versus PC talk. Does that go for college too, Marcellus?
Marcellus: That goes for college, too.
Max: So what’s going on right now with our boy, the UCLA quarterback?
Marcellus: What he’s really saying as soon as SC lost he said, ‘We’re going to smoke them foos this year. That’s what they get for getting 50 on us last year. They can’t even beat Stanford, them nerds.’ That’s what they’re saying over there at UCLA right now.
Max: Is that true yes or no, Brett Hundley?
Brett: Man, I have no comment (laughing).
Ah, that’s my guy! But Brett Hundley you can’t do it by yourself. Talk about your running back Johnathan Franklin:
“Man, my big brother. That’s the man right there. He’s doing his thing out there. God has blessed him with some amazing ability and he’s able to use it. And this line is doing a great job. We have a lot of freshman on this line.”
Can you name your starting five linemen?
“We have Torian (White), left tackle; Xavier (Su’a-Filo), left guard; Jake Brendel, center; (Jeff) Baca, right guard; and Simon (Goines), true freshamn, tackle. Man I have to know them, they’re the ones protecting me so I have to show them some love.”
If you’re football player, what is the pitch that Neuheisel comes in to your living room with that convinces you to sign on the dotted line? How do you wind up at UCLA if you’re a serious football player?
“When he came in he told me he wanted to change UCLA and what happened there previously. All the players wanted to make a change for the better. That’s what I bought into, and talking to the players, that’s one of the reasons that got me here. They all wanted a change, they wanted to be somebody, a big team in college football.
You get to UCLA, you know about the success or lack thereof on the field, and you also get introduced to the culture. What was the one thing that you would tell a someone that’s a confidant of yours, and said, until we change this we wont’ win.
“That’s a hard one. That’s a good question. I can’t say there was anything to change. We just needed to execute the things that needed to be executed. We all just had to do our job and we could have done something.”
You have Oregon State. They beat Wisconsin. Those boys are big. What have you seen on film on Oregon State?
“They’re big and fast. Their D-line is across the board pretty strong, fast and big. And their secondary is really good too. It’s going to be a big challenge for this offense. We just have to come out and execute. We go against big time opponents every week. And Nebraska also had a good defense. When it’s all said and done, football is football, and you just have to come out and play.”
I like the dropping of Nebraska because it’s a little reminder you already beat a ranked team. How long before we wake up and we see in the newspaper and online that UCLA is ranked ahead of USC in the AP poll? It’s only six slots dividing you right now.
“I don’t know. we just have to keep winning one game at a time and hopefully eventually we get up there and past them.”
Marcellus: Man, you pushed him into the Belichick corner. You better stop.
Max: Ok, what’s your favorite movie that you’ve seen recently?
Brett: That’s a good question. I’m telling you we don’t have time to watch …
Max: OK, what’s your favorite TV show?
Brett: Man, we don’t have time for TV. We be watching film. … It’s either ESPN, NFL Network or …
Max: OK, when you got named the starting quarterback did you trade up girlfriends?
Brett: I’m a single man, I’m a single man. Let’s get that straight.
Max: Did you break up with your girlfriend at the time when you got named starting quarterback?
Hundley: Nah, I’ve been a single man since the whole time I’ve been here.
Max: Oh, now you are smart. Round of applause, round of applause.
Marcellus: Damn, I knew UCLA was a good school but they’re teaching well up there.
Max: Whats’ your major, Brett?
Brett: Economics and African-American studies.
Marcellus: Hmmm. How to make black peole money, huh?
Max: He learned that black people never made any money so far.
Marcellus: Whatchu talking about, Obama is the President now.
Max: It’s not like he was rich before he became President.
Marcellus: So what? He is now.
Max: Yeah he will be now, that’s right.
Marcellus: Damn right. … Alright, Brett. I need to know this. This year, right now, is this team for real and should everybody start flocking to Pasadena?
Brett: This team is for real. We’re coming to do some big things this year. We can’t let anybody get in our way. Every week we have to come out and win some games, but this year is different. We have to come out and do some big things.
Can you go undefeated?
“Yeah we can. we have a big opporutnity. Yeah, we can.”
Max: Man I like this kid. We got something out of this kid, finally.
Marcellus: I like you, Brett.
Max: Alright, Brett. We’re going to be checking in with you from time to time. Don’t you give us your high hat as you guys continue to roll.
Brett: Nah, I won’t (laughing)
Marcellus: Keep your pager on, as they say.
Max: There he is ladies and gentlemen, a real quarterback at UCLA right now. Got them undefeated. Got a big game coming up. Oregon State with the win over Wisconsin. Brett Hundley reminds you they already beat ranked Nebraska. Got a good quarterback at UCLA. It’s been a minute.