Fall Camp Q&A: Max Wright

Sophomore Max Wright is the latest feature of our Fall Camp Q&A series, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

The Voice of the Aggies, Andrew Monaco, caught Max after practice this week to discuss the defensive line and the differences between year one and year two under Coach Fisher.
 

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AM: First off, how is camp different this year than last year?
 
MW: I think this year just everybody as a whole team understands what the mood is and what the pace is going to be. Everyone understands their role and everyone understands what we're doing. Last year was the first fall camp with Coach Fisher, and everyone this year…we're snapping. We're moving every drill. We're not looking around sometimes in confusion and trying to figure things out. We've got everything kind of figured out and it's just like, alright, go do this. Y'all know what to do. It's a lot faster than it was last year.
 
AM: How about for you personally, what's different this year?
 
MW: Man, personally I feel more adapted to it. I feel like my body's changed a lot and I've adapted a lot more to my position. Last year I was a little bit light for my position and this year I've definitely molded into what they want me to be. And then also just getting close with the guys up front. I have a really good relationship with all those guys up front. I mean all those guys are my dudes. The chemistry up there is really, really high.
 
I am so excited about this defensive line. I think it's a strength. What about you?
 
MW: Oh, it's a total strength. It's tough losing Keke and losing Landis from last year, but people forget Micheal Clemons was supposed to be our starting defensive end last year, man. That kid, he's got a high motor, he's got a really good engine, he runs hard. Tyree Johnson played in every single game last year. He was a really big-time player. He had a lot of effect in big games. And then the interior guys, you've got Bobby Brown and Justin Madubuike. That's…you look at that front, and it's nice…it's strong. We've got some depth there too, with DeMarvin (Leal) coming in. He's going to help out a lot. And the guys behind him like (Jayden) Peevy and J-Ro (Josh Rogers) and then me at the other end…it's going to help out a lot.
 
AM: That depth becomes so key, especially when you get in the SEC, doesn't it?
 
MW: Yes sir. Especially against those teams that have really strong offensive lines trying to run the ball downhill, like your Alabamas and those teams that really like to pound it out. You're going to have to be able to rotate guys. It's the SEC. You can't be taking plays off. So we're going to have to rotate guys in and keep that elite level of the defensive line up.
 
AM: A lot of people think fall camp is the start of something, but it's really the continuation of what you were doing in the spring and all the lifting in the summer and the offseason work…
 
MW: Yeah. It's just a carryover, the whole entire time. It's kind of funny, in high school you're not really used to starting it from spring. Yeah, you have two weeks of spring or whatever, but in college it's different. After spring ball, you're still working and thinking football through summer. You're thinking hey, remember that play we ran in the spring? And you're out there with your guys and go over stuff with just your unit. It's just a continuation throughout the whole entire spring and summer, and the weeks leading up to fall camp where you're getting a little antsy. It's a grind.
 
AM: Fans sometimes think when they see a team 'Oh, the second year under Coach Fisher, he sets the tone'. But how important is it to have a second year under Coach Elko with what he's done?
 
MW: Oh man. Coach Elko is a mastermind on the defensive side. After every single game we'd go back and look at the film…it wasn't that we were getting beat, it was that we were beating ourselves. With our secondary really grasping that and with a lot of guys returning there, man, they get it. We're not making mistakes like we were last year. It's a strength that we're going to have in understanding the game, being able to communicate and him being able to mix things up more now that we've gotten more adapted to it. It's going to be big.
 
AM: One of the things on my bucket list, and you've gotten to do this, is a Coach Price cookout. Can you give us an idea of what that is like?
 
MW: It's…ahh. I can't. He cooks in huge portions. It's for 20 defensive linemen, so it's not small portions. But man. It's good. The ribs fall off the bone…man, you're getting me excited. It's delicious.
 
AM: When you talk about camaraderie, and the d-line having that bond…something like that is so important isn't it?
 
MW: Yes sir. Especially on the offensive side of the ball, the offensive line. They have to have really good camaraderie with how they're going to pass off blocks and having to deal with switch-ups and things like that. But the D-line, we've gotten really close as a unit. Those cookouts really, really help. They really do. Guys can just come in and hang out as a group and just talking over things. It's really important for all those position groups.