NFL Draft Prospect QB Nick Tiano – Unlikely Dual Threat

What’s up everybody? This is Fred Richani of TSC. We have right here via Skype a top NFL draft Prospect to use a quarterback out of the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. We are talking to Nick Tiano. He isn’t ready to take that next step into the pros. Nick. We appreciate taking the time out of your busy day. I know this is probably a whirlwind for you. Now that you’re declaring a GoPro. How’s it going. Hey, thanks so much for having me on. Yeah, it’s been awesome just trying to enjoy the process and kind of make the most in these next few months. So, it’s really exciting.

It is pretty exciting, but you know, something about pressure enough more. I understand based on my research you’re actually also from Chattanooga, right? I am. Yes a Chad nur who’s my hometown. So, it was really cool getting to go back home and play, you know, right there with friends and family how’d you deal with the challenges all the expectations that come with that? Yeah, I mean, it was super cool, you know, transferring back, you know, I was really excited. You know, I really never worried about the pressure, you know, I knew my family my friends would we’ll definitely welcome that opportunity to go. You know, be able to see me play every game right there in town?

They would welcome that with open arms and you know, the coaching staff and the athletic department. They just made me feel right at home, right? At ease about my decision, you know, it was something I was really excited about kind of an opportunity to not many guys get, you know, not a lot of guys gonna go play college football in their hometown. So for me was super cool, you know, to play in a stadium that I mean I played a little league football in playing high school games and they got to play, you know, college football games and it’s just a really cool opportunity for me.

So, you know, the pressure, you know, never really I never really felt that, you know, I felt right at home and really enjoyed my time there. And you did a transfer out of Mississippi State and it’s always tough to make that choice as a young man, you know, going going from a big program to another school and everything taking that risk because you could transfer and you could play and ball out, but there’s other times where you might end up being in the same spot. So, did, you know, ahead of time when you said when you realize okay, I’m not gonna play as much as I’d like in Mississippi State that I’m going right here to Chattanooga or where you kind of weighing your options?

Yeah. So when it came that time, you know, I hated to leave Mississippi State, it really liked it there. But unfortunately, you know, for me like you said to get the chance to play as much as I wanted. That’s what I needed to do. So, you know, I did I weighed my options, you know, when you’re transferring, you know, for me, you know before the transfer portal and all these things the guys have now. So, I really had three options you not go to your college for a year, which I wasn’t wasn’t too interested in my cutting on to an FPS program or gone and played FCS.

So for me going to play FCS was the better choice cuz I could play immediately, you know, I didn’t have to set out that year and lose the year of eligibility. And then have the chance to go play at home in Chattanooga was it was just perfect. You know, they’d won three out of four Congress championships the program was doing great. And I’m, you know, like I mentioned before the opportunity to go home, you know, I just couldn’t beat that do you threw for twenty nine touchdowns last two seasons at Chattanooga, but what if people just look at your quarterbacks and say alright. It’s a pretty good player, but then you look at the rushing stats here nine touchdowns this past season, having to use your legs of the previous season.

You had a couple hundred yards rushing as well where you always kind of a runner. I’m a mobile quarterback or is that something that you kind of had to develop out of necessity to make things happen. Yeah, you know, I’ve always kind of been looked at as more of a pocket passer just, you know, kind of always been a big guy. Don’t really strike you somebody that would run, but you know, back in high school my senior season. I had almost a thousand yards rushing that year. So kind of always felt like I’m a little more athletic than people. Give me credit for but no, you know, I didn’t really run much early my career.

You know, my offense my sophomore and junior seasons was really pro style really didn’t ask me to do much of that. But you know, that coaching staff left and a new staff came in for my senior season. We kind of ran more of the read option zone read kind of stuff and they asked me to run a little bit more and you know, I welcome that and I enjoyed it. You know, any way I can help the team I’m happy to do and kind of took me back to my high school days and I enjoyed it. So, it was cool to do this year. Obviously, you’ve been a college quarterback for quite a while now entering the draft.

But as far as physically and mentally no joy teams to know about you as far as being Pro ready? Yeah, you know, I think you know, for me my biggest strength. I like to think, you know, I try to be the smartest guy in the room, you know, playing quarterback. I think that’s the most important thing, you know, there’s a lot of quarterbacks that are gonna come out this year and every year. They can throw the ball tie spiral throw it a long ways, you know, there’s plenty of those guys. But I think the guys in succeed in the NFL, the smart guys who can kind of digest a playbook kind of understand an offense and a game plan and go execute that on Sunday.

So, you know, I think that’s what you see with, you know, Brady Manning and Brees these guys. They got there and they make quick decisions. They get the ball out of their hand and you know, move the chains. I think that’s what it takes to play at the next level and you know, that’s something I take a lot of pride in and I like two things. One of my strengths, being kind of a newfound mobile quarterback now and in some capacity you still have to have the trust your teammates, especially the offensive line. You also have to be the smartest guys in the room er in this case on the field.

Do you stress the people that maybe aren’t that familiar? How important it is to have that relationship with your line? Yeah, I think that’s huge. You know, it’s kind of funny for me since since I guess little leagues, you know, my best friend’s ball has been with my offensive linemen, you know, my best friend my best friend group, you know, my team for the last few years been the o-line, you know, those guys. That’s the most selfless position in sports, you know, they do. They do a whole lot of work, you know, the offense wouldn’t go without them and they don’t get any of the credit.

So I got a ton of respect for what those guys do. It’s selfless the way they play hard they play every snap they play hurt. They’re tough and you know, you got to happen to win. I did a little bit of research on, you know, you talk about respect. They had a lot of respect for you juggling two lives here between being a student being athlete. Now going pro do you really have a 4.0 GPA with a business degree pursuing your masters? Yes, it started grad school there’s this past semester and yeah, I was able to end up with a 4.0. So that’s a good start hopefully I can carry it out for the rest of this the rest of this program.

So, how are you able to keep that balance. Yeah. I mean, it definitely is tough and guys struggle, you know, for me though. It’s, you know, that was my fifth year my fifth season. So I had I’d had four under my belt kind of, you know, I’d messed up I’ve learned from my previous years and my mistakes and kind of found a routine that worked for me kind of balance in school and football find the time to fit it all together. We know worked out. So say, you know, I had a good semester. Like I said need to carry that on though now heard you got invited to a very important game that could help your draft stock you want to tell us about it?

Yeah. So, you know, very thankful to be invited to the NFLPA collegiate Bowl will be playing in the Rose Bowl, you know, it’s a huge opportunity for me kind of going to this senior season. I knew that, you know, I really needed to have the chance to go play in one of these postseason all-star games, you know, planning an FCS program. You don’t always get the exposure that the guys and, you know, the SEC or the Big Ten. They get so for me, I think it’s just a huge opportunity to kind of be in the same stage as some of these these bigger names and cool guys and kind of show everybody that I can play and you know, give these Scouts and these coaches an opportunity to kind of see me in person and show what I can do who are some of your influences growing up.

Was there anybody when you first turn down that TV and that drew you into football. Yeah, you know what I’ve always loved the game I’ve always loved watching guys, you know, Brady Manning. Of course, love those guys. You know, growing up, you know, when I was in middle school Tim Tebow was in college. And man. He was my favorite player, you know, I loved the way he played the game the passion the leadership the toughness he played with I mean, I’ve got a fat head of him in my room back at home. So, I loved playing with him, you know, thankfully and I was able to play with dak Prescott for a year Mississippi State and you know, that’s been been awesome for me, you know, he was a mentor learned a lot from him and he was just a great example for me when I was young is kind of what it takes to be successful.

And you know, that’s just, you know, I like to watch all the great ones that I think you can take something from everybody. You mentioned dak Prescott and you got to work them a little bit gets it get to know him he’s a guy who slipped late in the draft. And he became kinda like a diamond in the rough. I think he’s a pretty damn good quarterback obviously he didn’t have that the best season with this team. The one eight and eight missed the playoffs, but I think he’s a guy that definitely put himself in line for a big contract and could continue to improve under a Mike McCarthy, but can you tell us a little about deck Prescott and maybe we don’t know something we don’t necessarily see just watching him on TV.

Yeah, you know, kind of like I mentioned earlier, you know, there’s a lot of guys who can throw the ball. Well, and dak certainly can, but you know what separates him or be intangible. So, you know, like I mentioned the leadership. I’ve never seen a leader like him, you know, the relationships that he had with every guy on the team every coach in the building every trainer really blew me away the way he played with toughness at the quarterback position. I think that sets the example for the entire team, you know, the way he prepared week to get himself ready to go. You know, physically and mentally with the game plan, you know, preparing for each new defense.

You know, you really blew me away, you know, he just all those little things that it takes to be successful. He does all of them. So, you know, his success has been no surprise to me. And those that know him and I’m sure he’ll carry that out for the rest of his career when you told your parents. So you told your family. Hey, you know what? I’m gonna take this football thing a little more seriously, I’m gonna go, you know, I’m gonna take it a step further in high school, I’m gonna go play college. I really want to try and be a starting quarterback and now going go and pro.

I mean, we’re they initially supportive say, hey, Manuel, maybe try to lean more into that business side ya know my parents have been great. You know, both of them. They’ve always pushed me and they’ve always supported me with everything that I do, you know, my dad’s been, you know since I was 7 years old, you know, pushing me out in the front yard, you know, working on my three-step drop. And those kind of things, you know, he kind of instilled that work ethic gave me from an early age and, you know, my mom’s always been my biggest fan. She know she tells people’s stories all the time when I was in sixth or seventh grade, you know, she used to take me down to school.

It’s 7:00 a.m and the summer is just so I could get a workout in and they’d have to drive back and pick me up at 8:30, you know, just because you know, that’s what I saw the pros. We’re doing. So, that’s what I wanted to do. So she you know, she still laughs about that. But now they’ve always been, you know, my biggest fans and you know, I’m so thankful to have them both who was the first person that noticed you were different from the other kids in a sense that they pointed you out and said, hey, man. If you keep this up you could go somewhere with it.

Yeah, you know, that’s you know, definitely my parents they were both huge with that, you know, when I got into high school. I had a couple coaches, you know that really big impacts on me and you know, they both. You know, there’s two guys really and I got to be really close with them and they kind of just showed me like, hey, man. You put the work into this, you know, you can really go places and that meant a lot to me. You know, 13 14 year old kid, you know, when you have somebody tell you that it means. A lot to it, you know, that kind of pushed me and showed me that, you know, if I put the time in, you know, do my due diligence over these next four years.

Hopefully I have a chance to play in college, which, you know, was a dream of mine. So, you know, thankfully that came true. What’s the biggest misconception about playing the quarterback position. That’s tough. You know, I think people. You know, a lot of people think we’re kind of prima donnas and you know, you just got to show up when you throw a pretty ball and you throw touchdowns and you’re on the front page of the paper, but you know, I think if you asked any quarterback and a lot of people to know football. It’s probably the hardest position in sports, you know, you kind of got to understand where eleven guys are on the defensive side of the ball and then understand the scheme that you’re implementing on your side and kind of how all that works together and be able to go execute a game plan and you know, you got to be a coach on the field.

You imagine the time. You mentioned the clock management, you know, down a distance all those kind of things, you know, it truly is a challenge. Every down, you got to be you got to prepare every week because, you know, every Sunday or Saturday, whatever it is, you know, it’s like taking the test a great conversation, but I want to get to know a little bit more about Nick. So, we got some quick hits here you ready? All right, let’s do it. What’s your favorite cheat meal? Pizza, no doubt good, man. Italian, right? Oh, yeah. Okay, I’m not Italian, but I have a lot of time friends being for being from New Jersey.

And knock, you know, matic the pizza. No doubt. What is the weirdest question you’ve ever been asked by a scout or media member. Weirdest question. This isn’t a question, but we had a scout come through this past fall, and he asked me to strip down to my underwear. So he could take a picture on his phone of me. I thought that was pretty strange, but I was probably weird. Yeah, biggest life lesson you’ve learned from football so far. Yeah, biggest life lesson, you know, for me, you know, when I went to Mississippi State our redshirted and you know that next season competing for the job.

You know, 19 years old. I thought I was gonna go win the Heisman Trophy. So to kind of go through that. Yeah, you know, not necessarily a failure, but not to win the starting job and kinda have to go through the adversity of that. And having to transfer kind of force me to grow up and kind of show me. You know, you sometimes you do put all the work in and still doesn’t go your way, but that’s okay. You can. So learn from it. Pick yourself back up and go chase the next opportunity. And you know, that’s what I was able to do thankfully. I learn from that situation and you know, I think it made me better and maybe maybe Who I am today who’s the most talented guy.

You’ve played with or against let’s see most talented guy. There’s a handful. I don’t want to leave anybody hanging I see an easy one just cuz I watched him in the playoffs, man. Played with Jeffrey Simmons for your D tackle for the Titans now, man. Jeffrey came in when I was at Mississippi State and you know, we didn’t have anybody they could block him and it looks like guys in the NFL are having a hard times too. So he’s pretty awesome. You know, obviously back was pretty good, you know, I’ve played with a plenty of the handful of guys in Chattanooga they were great to us.

That’s a tough question. I heard that you have a love of your life. Well, actually – congratulations, I heard you just got engaged I did. Yeah, thank you so much from I understand your wife-to-be chloe played soccer Alabama she did. Yes. She played for four years of Alabama. So, she’s probably worth letting than me. Is there a rivalry between you two, you know, you’ve been in Chattanooga to her in Alabama. No, you know, she’s from Chattanooga she loves UTC, you know, I give her a hard time about Alabama football all the time, but she has it pretty well. And then your other love of your life from what I heard is a gentleman named Hank actually he’s your dog.

Oh, he’s definitely. Yeah, man Hank is Hanks the man. Yes. So he’s my two-year-old Goldendoodle. He’s what gets me out of bed in the morning man. He’s been great. We, you know, me and Chloe got him a couple years ago and he’s awesome. He’s an amazing dog. We have so much fun with him every day take him to the park he lightens up the room when he’s around. So, we love having a man. He’s awesome. Besides going to a football or basketball game. What’s the most fun thing to do in Chattanooga? Let’s see. Well, Chattanooga is great, man. If you haven’t been you need to visit, but you know, I love to play golf chattin exact.

Awesome golf courses super outdoorsy town rock climbing, you know, kayaking all those kind of things going on the lake the tennessee river is great the downtown areas. Awesome. Got great restaurants. It’s a super cool town, man. I would recommend anybody to go visit who’s the funniest player you’ve played with ooh funniest player that I’ve played with that is a tough question. I would probably have to say my Center from this past season since Kyle Misskelley, you know, back in Chattanooga man. He’s one of the funniest dudes who ever met from Alabama just a funny guy and everything about him. Is there any story you’re allowed to tell about it.

I don’t know. I don’t know that I should what do you like to do for fun? Besides football, yeah. So like I said golf. I love to play golf and I get the chance, you know, take take Hank to the dog park, you know, love going the movies man. I love going to get a popcorn and a coke. I think that’s I think that’s a great way to spend your Friday night? No, I like that. Yeah. No doubt. What’s your favorite movie ooh favorite movie? Yes tough, let’s see. I love the Dark Knight the, you know, Batman the Joker all that love the godfather that’s one that, you know, my dad’s made me watch themselves a little just being Italian, you know, Remember the Titans is a great one.

That’s a classic see I got it those are a handful of my favorites you watch the Irishmen I have not seen it somebody just told me recently that’s a great movie. I need to go watch it is a great movie, but it is longer than a football game. So just it is three hours or closer, you know, three and a half hours. Oh man. Yeah, I’m gonna have to waste a Saturday away on that listen if you get through that I think you get through the combine. So, I think you’ll be right there. All right. Before we let you go, man. We do appreciate the time.

What’s the best piece of advice you give anybody that’s planar in on middle school high school, maybe even in college right now that has any inkling of wanting to go pro one day. Yeah, you know, obviously everybody’s gonna tell you to put the work in what I would tell those guys though is just enjoy it max it flies by, you know, high school and college football. It’s the time of your life. And I know everybody tells you this and people told me that. So I didn’t listen to them, but it’s really over in the blink of an eye and I think enjoying the process the work.

The good times, the bad the winds the losses whether you learn from everything you grow from everything. You can have a ton of fun and prepare and hopefully give yourself a chance to keep on playing. So, man, that would be my biggest piece of advice for anybody. Well, Nick goes, a pleasure getting to know you a little bit more, man. I wish you the very best in the NFL, draft process. I know it’s a whole new world for you. We hope to see your name and see you called on draft night, where can fans find you online? Yes. You can find me on Twitter Instagram my handle is just my name just at Nick Tiano got facebook.

So, yeah, anywhere man. And thanks so much again for having me on. I really enjoyed it. And I appreciate you taking the time. So hopefully we’ll get to do it again for sure. Look, when you get drafted or you sign with the team. Okay, I you better promise us an interview. We don’t leave. No doubt. No, doubt. We’ll do it for sure.