TicketsCINCINNATI – Fall camp continues with the University of Cincinnati football team completing their second practice at Higher Ground on Monday.
Sixth-year outside linebacker Daniel Grzesiak is one of 23 transfers welcomed in this fall. The Los Angeles, Calif., native led Utah State in sacks and tackles for loss in 2022, where he totaled 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 52 tackles and two forced fumbles.
He spoke on his Higher Ground experience and the team's progress during fall camp to this point.
How has the first experiences of Higher Ground been like?
"My experience has been great to this point. I have never experienced anything like this before for fall camp. It is really all football and brotherhood bonding out here. I love it."
You are a sixth-year veteran, but this is your first Higher Ground experience. What is some advice that other players have given you?
"Some advice I have received from other players has been to get a good routine out here. I have to get good sleep and eat right because with any fall camp, you can lose a lot of weight. I am focused on finding a good routine out here."
With all of the new faces, how important was this fall camp away from campus to bring the team closer together?
"It's everything right now. We all have to come together and this time out here will play a big role in that. That camaraderie as brothers means a lot on the field. I feel like when you play for your teammates, it means a lot more."
What has been your early favorite parts about Higher Ground?
"My favorite thing about being at Higher Ground is the extra time with my teammates, even guys like Rob Jackson and Jah-Mal Williams who are standing over there. It is great to be able to be around everyone all day. It is only football and bonding out here. Sometimes they get on my nerves, but I love these guys."
What are you most looking forward to in your final season?
"I just want to win. That is why I am here. I want to win with my brothers and for the fan base. I also have a lot of personal goals. I want to put together another productive season and everyone I line up against I want to win every single rep."
What players have stood out on the defense in the first practices of fall camp?
"This defense is full of talent on all levels. Players like Jah-Mal Williams, Dontay Corleone, Jowon Briggs, Deshawn Pace, Jordan Young, Jack Dingle and Rob Jackson have really made an impact in the first few practices. We have a lot of the younger guys that have really come into their own."
With all of the talent on the defensive line, how do you make sure to maximize and get the best out of this depth?
"We have to compete at every position. It will only makes us better across the entire defense. Right now, every player out here is competing like they want to be a starter."
Being from the west coast, what are your favorite things about the city of Cincinnati?
"My favorite thing about Cincinnati is that it doesn't get as hot out here like it does back home. The players from Cincinnati always talk about how great the city is and I have really enjoyed the people and the food. It does have that city atmosphere, but there is also less traffic out here."
What's the craziest way someone's pronounce your last name?
"I have seen some crazy pronunciations on social media. It is pronounced Gresh-Ick, but I have seen even like grizzly. I have heard it all."
What is the DOG position like?
"I have my hand in a lot of different areas. I have to rush the quarterback. I have to play the run and the pass. I have to guard and challenge wide receivers and tight ends in the flats, curl routes and up the seam. I get to do a little bit of everything. I have to be laser focused every time I come out here. It isn't like defensive end where I mostly have to get up field every play. I have to drop in zone and play man now. I have to be a complete football player."
What is your position coach Nate Fuqua like?
"I have had a lot of position coaches. He is tough but very knowledgeable because he was a defensive coordinator at his old school. With this position, he helps me know the entire defense because he does. When a check on defense comes, I know what everyone around me is supposed to do. I have had about seven different position coaches in college and he is one of the best that I have been around both on and off the field."
What is most exciting about new defensive coordinator's Bryan Brown's defense?
"The success that his defenses and players in them have had over the last few seasons is exciting. The aggressiveness of it is crazy. The offense even came up to me earlier today and asked what kind of exotic looks we have for them today. We have players coming from all over that are flying around and making plays. I feel like the players make the defense too and this is a great scheme that works to our talents. It is a great defense."
How did you start playing football?
"I was actually a hooper. I played a lot of basketball. I was overweight so I didn't make the middle school basketball team. The coaches said that I should try out for football, so I did. I am appreciative of that every day."
What are some players in the NFL that you watch film on or work to emulate?
"I've watched a lot of Von Miller. His ability to pass rush from a similar position is impressive. I also watch Hassan Reddick because we have a similar body type. I have watched older players that were very productive at my size like Elvis Dumervil and Jason Pierre Paul. I love watching pure pass rushers."
Do the critiques about your size at this position provide you with a chip on your shoulder?
"I was a walk on coming out of high school. I walked on at Nevada and played tight end there for two years because they didn't have a spot for me on defense. I decided to hit the transfer portal and did not get a lot of offers besides Utah State. I had a great season at Utah State and hit the portal again. I was looking to head closer to home but what I heard from a lot of schools was that I was too short. Cincinnati was one of the first schools that reached out to me. They were loyal to me so I wanted to be loyal back to them. I am happy that I did and that I am here."
Sixth-year outside linebacker Daniel Grzesiak is one of 23 transfers welcomed in this fall. The Los Angeles, Calif., native led Utah State in sacks and tackles for loss in 2022, where he totaled 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 52 tackles and two forced fumbles.
He spoke on his Higher Ground experience and the team's progress during fall camp to this point.
How has the first experiences of Higher Ground been like?
"My experience has been great to this point. I have never experienced anything like this before for fall camp. It is really all football and brotherhood bonding out here. I love it."
You are a sixth-year veteran, but this is your first Higher Ground experience. What is some advice that other players have given you?
"Some advice I have received from other players has been to get a good routine out here. I have to get good sleep and eat right because with any fall camp, you can lose a lot of weight. I am focused on finding a good routine out here."
With all of the new faces, how important was this fall camp away from campus to bring the team closer together?
"It's everything right now. We all have to come together and this time out here will play a big role in that. That camaraderie as brothers means a lot on the field. I feel like when you play for your teammates, it means a lot more."
What has been your early favorite parts about Higher Ground?
"My favorite thing about being at Higher Ground is the extra time with my teammates, even guys like Rob Jackson and Jah-Mal Williams who are standing over there. It is great to be able to be around everyone all day. It is only football and bonding out here. Sometimes they get on my nerves, but I love these guys."
What are you most looking forward to in your final season?
"I just want to win. That is why I am here. I want to win with my brothers and for the fan base. I also have a lot of personal goals. I want to put together another productive season and everyone I line up against I want to win every single rep."
What players have stood out on the defense in the first practices of fall camp?
"This defense is full of talent on all levels. Players like Jah-Mal Williams, Dontay Corleone, Jowon Briggs, Deshawn Pace, Jordan Young, Jack Dingle and Rob Jackson have really made an impact in the first few practices. We have a lot of the younger guys that have really come into their own."
With all of the talent on the defensive line, how do you make sure to maximize and get the best out of this depth?
"We have to compete at every position. It will only makes us better across the entire defense. Right now, every player out here is competing like they want to be a starter."
Being from the west coast, what are your favorite things about the city of Cincinnati?
"My favorite thing about Cincinnati is that it doesn't get as hot out here like it does back home. The players from Cincinnati always talk about how great the city is and I have really enjoyed the people and the food. It does have that city atmosphere, but there is also less traffic out here."
What's the craziest way someone's pronounce your last name?
"I have seen some crazy pronunciations on social media. It is pronounced Gresh-Ick, but I have seen even like grizzly. I have heard it all."
What is the DOG position like?
"I have my hand in a lot of different areas. I have to rush the quarterback. I have to play the run and the pass. I have to guard and challenge wide receivers and tight ends in the flats, curl routes and up the seam. I get to do a little bit of everything. I have to be laser focused every time I come out here. It isn't like defensive end where I mostly have to get up field every play. I have to drop in zone and play man now. I have to be a complete football player."
What is your position coach Nate Fuqua like?
"I have had a lot of position coaches. He is tough but very knowledgeable because he was a defensive coordinator at his old school. With this position, he helps me know the entire defense because he does. When a check on defense comes, I know what everyone around me is supposed to do. I have had about seven different position coaches in college and he is one of the best that I have been around both on and off the field."
What is most exciting about new defensive coordinator's Bryan Brown's defense?
"The success that his defenses and players in them have had over the last few seasons is exciting. The aggressiveness of it is crazy. The offense even came up to me earlier today and asked what kind of exotic looks we have for them today. We have players coming from all over that are flying around and making plays. I feel like the players make the defense too and this is a great scheme that works to our talents. It is a great defense."
How did you start playing football?
"I was actually a hooper. I played a lot of basketball. I was overweight so I didn't make the middle school basketball team. The coaches said that I should try out for football, so I did. I am appreciative of that every day."
What are some players in the NFL that you watch film on or work to emulate?
"I've watched a lot of Von Miller. His ability to pass rush from a similar position is impressive. I also watch Hassan Reddick because we have a similar body type. I have watched older players that were very productive at my size like Elvis Dumervil and Jason Pierre Paul. I love watching pure pass rushers."
Do the critiques about your size at this position provide you with a chip on your shoulder?
"I was a walk on coming out of high school. I walked on at Nevada and played tight end there for two years because they didn't have a spot for me on defense. I decided to hit the transfer portal and did not get a lot of offers besides Utah State. I had a great season at Utah State and hit the portal again. I was looking to head closer to home but what I heard from a lot of schools was that I was too short. Cincinnati was one of the first schools that reached out to me. They were loyal to me so I wanted to be loyal back to them. I am happy that I did and that I am here."