Catchin' Up with Max Wright

12th Man Productions' Will Johnson caught up with sophomore Max Wright late last week for the department's official radio show, Studio 12.

Max is sporting a new number - 42 - and a new position - tight end - for the 2020 campaign.




All right, let's get to it. We noticed when the 2020 roster was released, you have a new number and a position change. What are your thoughts on moving to tight end?
 
I'm really excited. I talked with Coach Price and Coach Fisher. You know there's a lot of talent at the position with Jalen Wydermyer and a bunch of other guys, so it's kind of cool getting to move to that position and compete with them and also learn from them as we're going through this thing. It's a position I played a little bit in high school, just kind of getting to go back into some old ties. But I'm really excited.
 
That injury in the Clemson game last year essentially cost you the rest of the season. How healthy are you now? How do you feel?
 
I feel really good. I had a little surgery done. It was really minor surgery. They just went in and cleared out some stuff in my neck. Its given me some more mobility and taken off pressure in there, and I feel fantastic. My body feels really rested. I'm starting to lose some weight for the role (of tight end). But I'm feeling really, really good.
 
But how much work are you able to get in these days?
 
It's kind of tough with quarantines and stuff like shelter in place. But actually, my mom keeps quite a bit of workout stuff in the house at home, and I've been able to get some work at home with my mom, which is kind of odd, but it's still good work. Football wise, it is a little difficult having to find somebody to throw, and all that stuff, but it's going pretty well.
 
And as far as this move to tight end what's going to be the biggest challenge for you, what must you work on the most to get yourself into a good feel for the position?
 
Definitely start off with learning the playbook. Coach Fisher runs an amazing, complex, fantastic offense. Coming from the defense side, I have to clear out all that information and put in all new stuff as fast as I can. Talking about Coach Fisher, I want to be a guy that they can utilize in different areas, whether that's fullback or wherever they need me. I want to be a guy who they can use almost as a utility dude. But I would say that and also getting back into the habit of catching, using hands again, route running, all that stuff. I think overall, it's a change to a totally different position. But I just need to make some adjustments to my body. I'm losing weight and getting into a different type of body shape now.
 
So, did you do anything on the offensive side in high school?
 
I did. I played both ways my junior year, and my most of my senior. But then I got hurt from my ACL. I played running back a lot in high school, too. So I have, uh, experience with toting the rock. Obviously, it is completely different from high school to college, but I am really happy that I do have some experience and that I grew up playing offense a lot, so, just having to get back into in the old habits.
 
Also, number 42 now…
 
I had the number 42 in high school playing different sports.  It's a great number. I'm a baseball guy. Jackie Robinson is a stud. Also, it's kind of a gritty number.  Whenever you look at it, that's kind of characteristic of myself, someone who's a tough guy.