Sunday Sit-down with Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones brought on Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith in this week's edition of Sunday Sit-down.

You can watch their full conversation in the video player above.

You can also find the full transcription of the interview with Coach Smith below.

NATHALIE: WELCOME BACK EVERYONE, IT IS A SPECIAL EDITION OF SUNDAY SIT-DOWN. WE'RE JOINED BY MIZZOU WRESTLING COACH BRIAN SMITH. BRIAN, THANKS FOR JOINING US. HOW'S THE OFF SEASON BEEN FOR YOU TO RELAX AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT?

BRIAN: WHAT'S THE OFFSEASON? RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN GOING, GUYS WERE HERE ALL SUMMER TRAINING, ALL THE NEWCOMERS TOO. AND HERE WE ARE IN THE FALL, GETTING READY, AND MONTH OUT FROM OUR FIRST COMPETITION. 

NATHALIE: YEAH, WE WERE TALKING. I MEAN, EVERY YEAR I FEEL LIKE IT COMES UP, AND IT JUST SURPRISES ME HOW QUICKLY IT COMES UP EVERY YEAR, TELL US ABOUT THIS YEAR'S TEAM. YOU KNOW, HELP PEOPLE GET TO KNOW THIS YEAR'S TIGER STYLE. 

BRIAN: WE'LL BE A LOT OF NEW FACES IN THE STARTING LINEUP, BUT THEN YOU'LL HAVE YOUR SOME OF THEM COMING BACK, LIKE ALL AMERICAN CAM STEED JOSH EDMOND. BUT THEN A LOT, SOME NEWCOMERS THAT'LL BE WE MAY HAVE A TRUE FRESHMAN IN THE LINEUP, SETH MENDOZA. THERE'S A LOT OF GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE ROOM THAT SHOULD HAVE SOME BREAKOUT SEASONS. I THINK ALL 10 WAITS COULD BE RANKED SOMEWHERE IN THE TOP 30 IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEN WE HAD TWO TRANSFERS COME IN THROUGH THE PORTAL, BOTH FROM NORTHWESTERN. THAT ARE 165, AND 97 THAT WILL MAKE AN IMPACT TO THE TEAM.

NATHALIE:  WELL, YOU HAVE RETURNERS LIKE YOU MENTIONED, LIKE CAM STEEDAND JOSH EDMOND. WHEN YOU DO HAVE NEW FACES, HOW HELPFUL IS IT TO HAVE KIND OF THOSE VETERANS WHO KNOWS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE AT MIZZOU? 

BRIAN: YOU GOT TO HAVE THEM, AND THEN YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD THE WAY. AND ANOTHER, ANOTHER ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY SPECIAL IN THE PROGRAM THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW THAT IS AIDAN SINCLAIR. WE REDSHIRTED HIM LAST YEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE HAD BEEN ON THE PAN AM TEAM AND WON IT, AND HE'S BEEN ON WORLD TEAMS, HE'S BEEN IN THE FINALS OF THE US OPEN. I MEAN, HE'S, HE'S SPECIAL, AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE A GREAT BREAKOUT SEASON THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. BUT HAVING GUYS LIKE THAT THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE YOUNG, THEY'VE BECOME THE LEADERS OF THE PROGRAM, IT MAKES FOR SOME GOOD YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD GUYS LIKE KEEGAN O'TOOLE AND GUYS LIKE THAT IN THE PROGRAM FOR A LONG TIME THAT NOW HE'S STILL HERE COACHING, BUT THESE NEWCOMERS HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE PROGRAM, AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE SEASON.

NATHALIE: TO HAVE THE NATIONAL CHAMP HIMSELF HERE, KEEGAN O'TOOLE, YOU KNOW, PASSING ON WHAT HE KNOWS TO THESE GUYS. HOW SPECIAL WAS IT TO BRING HIM ON TO YOUR COACHING STAFF AND HAVE HIM STICK AROUND? 

BRIAN: YEAH, I WASN'T EARLY IN HIS CAREER. YOU KNOW, HE WAS A BUSINESS STUDENT. WASN'T SURE HE WAS GOING TO STICK AROUND. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN BUSINESS AND INVESTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO WHEN HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT COACHING AND STICKING AROUND A TRAIN, SEEING HIM IN THE ROOM, AND HOW HE RELATES WITH THE ATHLETES AND WAS HELPING THEM AND COACHING THEM, I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE A SPECIAL COACH. SO, WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HIM HIS SENIOR YEAR THAT IF THIS OPENS UP, WILL YOU STICK AROUND? AND HE WAS LIKE, MAN, I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT, AND HE'S BEEN GREAT. YOU KNOW, THE FEW MONTHS WE'VE HAD HIM ALREADY, THE KIDS LOVE HIM. HE'S TOUGH ON 'EM TOO, BUT HE'S ALSO SO KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAS THAT CONFIDENCE ALREADY. THE GUYS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM BECAUSE THEY'VE SEEN HIM SUCCEED. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, HAVING A COACH LIKE THAT. 

NATHALIE: WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY THAT BROUGHT THAT SO MUCH CONSISTENCY TO THIS TEAM, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT KIND OF REPLACING THAT WHEN YOU GO INTO A NEW SEASON?

BRIAN:  WELL I MEAN, TO BE GREAT, YOU GOT TO HAVE MENTORS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND HE'S ONE OF THOSE. AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT, THAT THEY WATCHED THE WAY HE LIVED AND DID THINGS. YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALSO FOUR OR FIVE TIME ACADEMIC ALL AMERICAN. THAT THE WAY HE DID THINGS FOLLOW THAT. AND I KNOW THAT'S A PART OF OUR CULTURE THAT LEARN FROM THE GREATS, LEARN FROM THE ONES THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL. SO THAT'S WHAT HE BRINGS, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL TO THIS YOUNGER TEAM. THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE SOME OLDER GUYS IN THE LINEUP, BUT THIS IS A YOUNG IN WHAT OUR FAN BASE IS USED TO SEEING. 

NATHALIE: YOU GUYS OVERCAME A LOT OF INJURY LAST YEAR. HOW MUCH, THOUGH, WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE GRAND SCHEME, THESE LIKE GUYS, GOT TO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE, HOW MUCH DOES THAT HELP THIS YOUNGER GROUP? MOVING FORWARD? 

BRIAN: IT HELPS A LOT. YOU KNOW ALSO THE RULE WHERE KIDS CAN COMPETE FIVE TIMES. AIDEN GOT TO COMPETE IN SOME BIG DUELS. MACK MAUGER AT 125 WHO'S GOING TO START FOR US GOT TO COMPETE A BUNCH OF TOURNAMENTS. SO, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. AND THEN YOU RETURN SOME GUYS THAT YOU KNOW, KADE MOORE, WHO'S A TWO TIME NATIONAL QUALIFIER, BACK IN THE LINEUP FOR HIS JUNIOR YEAR. THERE'S JUST, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE LINEUP, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, THAT I JUST THINK IS GOING TO THEY'RE HUNGRY TOO. WE HAD OUR FIRST LOSING SEASON IN LIKE, 25 YEARS. SO WHEN THAT HAPPENED, A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO WITH INJURY, BUT IT STILL IT HAPPENED. AND WE DIDN'T LIKE GOING THROUGH IT, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO REPEAT HISTORY, AND THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND THAT WAS THEIR COMMITMENT THIS SUMMER ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AS A TEAM AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THINGS AND GET BETTER. AND I LOVED IT. THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS TEAM IS WAY ABOVE OF WHAT YOU KNOW, OUR EXPECT, EXPECTATIONS. THEY, THEY WANT TO DO GREAT THINGS.

NATHALIE: YOU JUST TOUCHED ON IT. IS THERE A DIFFERENT FIRE? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS, BUT IS THERE, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENT FIRE WHEN YOU DO COME OFF YOUR FIRST LOSING SEASON IN QUITE SOME TIME? 

BRIAN: IT HAS TO COME FROM THEM. I CAN COME OUT HERE AND SCREAM AND YOU. I'LL ADD THEM, MAKE THEM WORK, BUT IT HAS TO BE FROM THEM. AND I MET WITH THE SENIOR, NOT THE SENIORS, THE LEADERSHIP GROUP. I HAVE SEVEN GUYS IN A LEADERSHIP GROUP, AND EVERY WEDNESDAY THIS SUMMER, THEY CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE. WE HUNG OUT, WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS, WE READ A BOOK TOGETHER ON LEADERSHIP, AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING. THEN THEY HAD TO BRING THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. THEY MET AS A TEAM OFF CAMPUS TOGETHER, ALL 30 OF THEM, AND DID THINGS TOGETHER AND GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER, PUSHED EACH OTHER, TALKED ABOUT STANDARDS AND WHAT THEY THE EXPECTATIONS WERE GOING TO BE, AND THE VIBE OF THE PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER AND EVEN UP TO THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, IS GREAT. THEY'RE HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE AND LIVING TO THE STANDARD. 

NATHALIE: HOW DO YOU LIKE HOW THE BIG 12 LAYS OUT FOR YOU THIS YEAR? YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN IT, BACK IN IT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. HOW DOES IT GET BETTER? EACH AND EVERY YEAR, IT FEELS LIKE?

BRIAN: I MEAN, IT IS. IT'S VERY TOUGH WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OKLAHOMA STATE'S DOING. AND THEN NORTHERN IOWA HAD A GREAT SEASON LAST YEAR. IOWA STATE RETURNS AN AMAZING TEAM THIS YEAR, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE SECOND YEAR OF ARIZONA STATE BEING IN IT, THAT IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE CONFERENCE THAT YOU GOT TO BE READY. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY EASY DUELS. AND I THINK THIS YEAR WE ADDED WITH THE NATIONAL DUELS WE JUST FOUND OUT WE OPEN UP WITH IOWA, WHO'S THE NUMBER ONE SEED AT THE NATIONAL DUEL. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE BIG 10, BESIDES NEBRASKA, WHO'S ON OUR SCHEDULE. WE HAVE ILLINOIS ON OUR SCHEDULE, SO WE HAVE A VERY TOUGH SCHEDULE, CHALLENGING SCHEDULE, BUT THIS TEAM'S UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. 

NATHALIE: WELL, I OBVIOUSLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEN ASKREN AND EVERYTHING HE WENT THROUGH THIS SUMMER. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT EVERY HE CAME OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING. OKAY, BUT WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU GIVE TO YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU SEE WHAT BEN WENT THROUGH THIS SUMMER, AND KIND OF HOW HE HANDLED IT SO GRACEFULLY AS WELL?

BRIAN: IT'S JUST HIS DAY TO DAY, HOW HE CONTINUES TO, YOU KNOW, BATTLE. HE'S IN A BATTLE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HAVING TWO NEW LUNGS, AND HOW HE DOESN'T LET THAT PULL HIM DOWN, AND HOW HE'S MOTIVATING PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU KNOW, HE GETS ON AND DOES HIS MENTAL MONDAYS EVERY WEEK, AND HE'S TALKING PEOPLE AND BRINGING PEOPLE UP, LIKE, DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR ME. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT HAVE IT TOUGHER, AND BEN'S JUST ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY, HOW HE WILL BRING PEOPLE UP. HE BROUGHT HIS TEAMSUP WHEN HE WAS HERE, AND HE'S NOT GOING TO LET THIS HOLD HIM BACK. HE'S FINDING WAYS TO HELP HIS CLUBS OUT, HELP HIS YOUNG MEN OUT, AND HE TEXTED ME THIS MORNING ALREADY JUST, HOW'S THE TEAM PRACTICING? I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE IOWA DUEL, AND HE'S ALREADY FIRED UP ABOUT THINGS AND SENDING POSITIVE MESSAGES. NEVER SAID ONE THING ABOUT HIS HEALTH. AND I'M ALWAYS LIKE, HEY, HOW YOU FEELING? AND HE'LL JUST BE HEY, I'VE HIT A PLATEAU, BUT I KNOW THAT'S PART OF GROWING. I'M GOING TO GET BETTER. I'M WORKING AT THINGS. I'M WALKING BETTER, I'M DOING THIS. AND HE GETS ME IN A POSITIVE MOOD BECAUSE MAN, IF HE HE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE DOWN ABOUT LIFE, AND HE'S SO UP. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT MADE BEN SPECIAL. 

NATHALIE: WELL, BRIAN, WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE SEASON. I APPRECIATE YOU SITTING DOWN WITH US AS ALWAYS.

BRIAN: IT'S BEEN GREAT. THANKS, NATHALIE. 

NATHALIE: FOR THE REST OF YOU GUYS, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK.