Malachi Toney on Leonard Moore, Notre Dame Defense, and Improving His Game

Oh, North Carolina was trying to cover you versus previous games. And then also, do you think the Notre Dame secondary poses a different challenge for you personally than what you've seen to this point? Like, what do you mean by like a... By the North Carolina one or the Notre Dame part? Both. Okay, so we'll start with North Carolina. Were they doing anything different to you? Because, you know, Bill Belichick's known as this defensive mastermind, and you obviously had the four catches on the first series, then did really well in the second half. Did you notice them trying to do some different things to you that you had to adjust to? Let's start with that. No, not really. They played great within their scheme, a great coach. They did the same thing the majority of the game. Okay, and then the Notre Dame part, sorry if it was confusing before. So the Notre Dame part, obviously they have a top secondary. They've got the top cover corner in the country, people say. I don't know if they'll match up with you personally, but that's what people say. Do you see Notre Dame's secondary in general as a different challenge for you, therefore, than what you guys have faced to this point? I don't like. I'm not too sure, like, what you mean by the different talent, but this is a great chance for us to go out there and go against a great secondary. They're a great secondary. Got a lot of great players. It's going to be a good game. That's perfect. Thank you. All right, next we're going to Jordan. Hey, Malachi. Notre Dame, that was your first game in college last year. Just, I was curious. If you can just take us back to the lead up to that game, just what were the emotions like for you? Big matchup going into your first game in college were, were the nerves, excitement, anxiousness, just what was the lead up like for you to that game? I really think it was majority of excitement or like too much excitement. I just was ready to get out there and play. C.J. Daniels did a great job of, like, C.J. Daniels, Keelan, them guys did a great job of, like, mentoring me, going into that type of game. C.J. just said, go out there and be you. Like, they can't do nothing. Like, it's up to you at the end of the day. You still got to go out there and play football, play with your technique, and God bless you with a special ability. Just go out there and be yourself. And what was it like to show that ability in that game? You get the first touchdown, and then obviously the rest has been history over the last year and a half. I'm sorry, you had to say that again? Yeah, so you said that, again, CJ telling you, be you, you have the God-given talent, all of that. What was it like to actually show it in that game, your first game, and then just have it carry on to what has unfolded over the last year and a half? Well, I mean, it was amazing. It was a blessing to just go out there and showcase the talent. God bless me with it. Adam? Hey, Mally. Thanks for taking the time today. I got two questions for you. The first, you're going up against probably Leonard Moore, the Notre Dame cornerback. He's, you know, considered one of the best corners in the country. Thank How much do you enjoy those kind of challenges? You know, you went up against Ashton Hampton a lot in the Clemson game. How much do you enjoy getting a chance to go up against, you you know, some of the best corners in the country? I enjoy it a lot. It's just another opportunity to go out there and get better. very And then my second question is about Mark. Obviously, you played with him in high school. He was a senior. much. You were a freshman. He goes off to college. You're still in high school for a couple of years. Then you get to UM. He's a junior. He's already an upperclassman, already one of the leaders on the team. How has he maybe changed since, you know, when you knew him in high school versus, you know, the kind of man he is today? Or has he changed? Is he still or is he still kind of the same guy? Nah, that's still the same Mark. Big foe. That's the same Mark. Mark has been mentoring me since I was 13. That's my big brother. Besides my actual real big brother, Morrow, Mark is one of my big brothers because he's been mentoring me since I was 13. I was at his dorms when I was in high school. It was days where I was coming here on recruiting visits, and I slept at his actual house. So Mark will forever be my big brother. He hasn't changed not one bit. And what do you think maybe is the biggest thing you learned from him over the years? Just knowing how to stay the same and just even if you're going through something, don't let that affect everyone else around you because I'm pretty sure everyone knows about his dad passing, but he still don't let that affect how he acts on a daily basis. And he taught me a lot just with that process right there, how to act in certain situations when you face adversity, just relying on God, just a lot of things Mark taught me how to do as a young man. Thank you. All right, next we'll go to Andrea, and then Jordan, you'll wrap us up. Hey, Mally, thanks for doing this. You talked about the emotions before last year's game because it was your first game in college. I'm wondering how you feel the emotions will be now getting to play them again with all the experience that you've already had. Will they feel any different? I wouldn't say I wouldn't feel any different. I'm excited before each and every game. It don't matter who we play. So just another opportunity to go out there and get better. And when you watch Leonard on tape and just the experience of going against him last year as well, what are the things that you feel like make him effective and what are the things you feel like you can do to make some plays on him? He's just a great corner. He plays good within his technique. He trusts in his technique. He trusts in himself. He's very confident. So that's the best part about him. All right, Jordan, you wrap this up? Yeah. Hey again, Mally. Just wanted to ask you about just the receiving room as a whole. We've seen Cooper starting to get a little bit more involved. We've seen Elijah. I know he's a tight end, but him getting more involved in the passing game, uh, just, and obviously Galen has been consistent throughout the year. Just how do you feel the depth has been started to do started to showcase over the last few weeks? It's been showcasing great on those guys that have been stepping up when we needed them to. And that's the most important part about having great guys When they think they can try to do stuff to me, we got other players that can step up and take advantage of those opportunities that come their way.