El HuddleEl Huddle: Louisville Running back Isaac Guerendo
Will Selva and MJ Acosta-Ruiz are back for another episode of El Huddle!
This week we're joined by Louisville Running back draft prospect Isaac Guerendo! First, Isaac shares his experience at the NFL combine and what it was like to change from Wisconsin to Louisville.
Next, Isaac talks about his relationship with Wisconsin alumni and star RB Jonathan Taylor.
And finally, Isaac shares with us what he does on his down time and his experience with reality tv.
El Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio.
Oh look at dal What is good?
Everybody?
Hope you're all doing well? This is the l Huddle Podcast. My name is Will Saba, Along time, my Ermana, my Brima, Brima Ermana, Mjakta Ruiz and MJ. This is the season now where we are meeting future prospects, future stars potentially here on the l Hudle Podcast. Love this season, love this time of year, and we are gonna love our next guest. This guy is an absolute stud. He was a running back at Louisville and the man had I popping numbers at the combine in Indianapolis. How about this four three three in the four yard dash? Come on, that's not enough to impress you. How about a vertical up of forty one and a half inches?
Yes, let's give it up.
The one, the only running back, Isaac Gerendo. Let's go, what's up Isaac?
How are you guys doing?
Oh we're great, Yeah, a lot better now that we have you.
And I appreciate you guys having me on for sure.
Yeah, absolutely, So what has your time been spent right now? After you did that impressive performance in Indianapolis.
So for me, you know, after that especially, you know, just talking over with my agent and everything, just kind of just giving myself a little little mental and physical break.
You know.
That that all two months, two and a half months, you know period you talk about you know, training and then you know, going.
To a to an All Star Game, and then you know, obviously the Combine on top of that. You know, it was it was a pretty hectic two months.
But you know, I mean there was a lot of people that were kind of stressed, but I just I just try to embrace all of it, you know, take it all in.
You know.
You know, one thing I've heard and I've learned a lot through this process is like you only get to do it once, so you know, just just staying in the moment, you know, and join everything, and you know, just really understanding that, you know, not everybody gets this opportunity, so really just trying to trying to embrace that and you know, just really cherish it, honestly, Isaac.
Okay, We've had former players come on here a ton talk about the combine, their experiences of the Combine, and every time we talk about the next generation, the new guys coming through, it's always the same, the same markers, right, like you guys were just built different. I feel like the new standard of the forty is four sub four four four three and below that right where years ago that was like, oh my god, this is the fastest man on the planet. Like, you guys really are setting the new standard for the NFL. What do you think think about the collegiate experience now has shifted or evolved that makes you guys these hybrid crazy fast yet super strong athletes.
Honestly, you know, I think it's a combination of a lot of things. But you know, I think most importantly just you know, just understanding like training and you know, continuing to to to build and develop as far as you know, recovery and stuff goes. So it's like as we continue to learn more, you know, about our bodies and then about training and kind of you know, what things work best, you know, I think, you know, that's kind of when when we're able to continue to make progress and make jumps and strides and as far as you know, improving times, improving jumps and stuff like that.
Uh.
One thing, Isaac is we've had guests come on talk about their combine experience about how the nerves really got to them the day of or the night before. How were you feeling heading into the day when you had those amazing numbers recorded.
Uh yeah, So for me, you know, fortunately I was able to you know, obviously, you talk about playing you know, at a high level, you know, playing college football, you know, you're kind of in that environment.
But but for me, it was you.
Know, I felt like I had been there before, you know, being being a track guy. You know, you know there's not as many people on the track, you know, when you're when you're running, you know, versus on the football field. So you know, feeling that I have been in that position before, you know, I really just tried to kind of just stay stay in the moment and stay locked in, and you know, I think that allowed me to be you know, just kind of stress free in that situation. So you know, I really just kind of blocked everything out. You know, obviously with the combine. Now, like I went in twenty eighteen in high school, and you know, they're was probably you know, there's a few people scattered here and there, but you know, now like a lot of people actually go to.
The combine, so you know there was a lot.
More people, but you know, just really just like staying in the moment, you know, taking taking deep breaths, but you know, also understanding I've been in similar situations, so you know, it wasn't very new to me.
You mentioned something earlier that really really caught my attention because I think it's it's such tremendous.
Foresight for you to have.
You said you took a much needed both physical and mental break, and I think having both of those components as as a as a point of priority for you just speaks to not just who you are as an athlete, who you are as a man, but really understanding that both of those things have to be in alignment. Why was that so important for you?
You know, I think you know, just entering college football, that's that's something that you know, as obviously being an older guy.
Somebody who's been been through it, you know, just you know, been through a lot of adversity. You know, just understanding that you know, this this game is definitely more than more than physical.
You know, you have to look at the the.
Mental aspect of things, and you know, just kind of kind of balance it too, because uh, you know, it's really important. You know, if you if your mental is not there, you know, you're not going to be able to perform physically. And I don't think people give enough credit to to how mental this game can be.
You know, just talk about you.
Know, the amount of time and effort that you have to invest in the game.
You know, it can be a lot a lot of it sometimes.
You know, there's there's several different things that people people struggle with, whether that's you know, being away from home, whether that's you know, gaining losing weight. You know, there's a there's just so many things that go into it. So you know that that can create for for a lot of stress. So you know, really really making sure that you do take care of your mental you know, I feel like it's it's it's important to have that balance.
You seem to have a great balance in the way that you're talking to us in great perspective. What was your reaction when you ran the forty and then you turned around and you saw up on the scoreboard four three three.
Well, so the unfortunate thing is when you're when you're in the building and you look up like your first forty, they don't they don't show the time so I'm over here, like what did I run? What did I run? So I didn't really get it until til I got back.
One of one of the guys that I was training with, he had let me know my time, and I was just like, you know.
I think, I think I'm just gonna stick with that one. Like I was.
I was fine with it, But seems like the more like I watched, the more I watch it, I'm like, maybe if I had a better start, I would have been able to get for too.
But you know, I'm completely happy with my time.
And then you know, obviously, you know, got to give all the credit to my trainer, Jordan X three, you know, for helping me, you know, get to that point.
Not you thinking, oh I didn't get a four to two. Yeah, yeah, the thought of a four to three has my hamstrings screaming at the moment.
Absolutely not would not occur.
But I do want to talk a little bit about your college experience, because you mentioned you do have more experience, I think than the common combine prospect who comes through the doors.
You you played your final year.
Of eligibility eligibility rather in Louisville after three seasons at Wisconsin.
That's a that's a.
Pretty shift, hard shift and two big programs. So how was that change for you?
Yeah, So for me it was it was very different. You know obviously, you know I spent so much time you know, just because you know, early on I did, you know, struggle with like some injury stuff. So you know, for me, you know, taking that last year, you know, it was it was still like a development thing for me.
You know, that's that's something.
That I you know, incorporated in to my my decision to to move on and go somewhere else. But you know, at the same time, you know, be able to get get some more film, you know, build some more confidence and stuff like that. But you know, it was definitely a very big transition, you know, the offensive offenses, you know, talk about scheme wise, you know, being at Wisconsin, you know, we were ran the ball like fifty times a game, and then you know, switching to a more you know, multi dimensional offense. You know, I think it was definitely something that was good for me, you know, especially with with how the game changes, you know, not only at the college level, but in the professionals as well. You know, it's it's it's important, you know, being able to showcase you know, multi dimensions. You talk about you know, being able to run the ball, but you know pass block and then catch the ball in the backfield as well.
So you know, being a part of offense like that, you know, a lover. You know, it helped me to showcase that.
Those offenses in Wisconsin definitely show case the running backs. And one of those guys who was showcased over the years was Jonathan Taylor, who's now with the Cults. How has he been an influence for you?
You know, he's he's made things like a lot easier for me. You know, already transitioning from high school to college and itself is a is a big enough hurdle, but you know, when I was transitioning, you know, from a receiver to a running back, you know as well, like that that creates obviously more than one hurdle, more than one obstacle. So you know, having him as a mentor, you know, in my in my young years was you know, like I couldn't be more thankful for it. But you know, just also you know somebody you know who I modeled my game after. But you know, like just on and off the field, you know, he's he's a. He's a great person, but you know he's obviously a great player as well, so you know, just kind of modeling, modeling my game and then you know, just myself after him in general. You know, that's that's kind of been a big thing. But you know, he's also a guy. You know, whenever I text him, whenever I call him, he's going to pick.
Up the phone. He's going to answer the phone.
So you know, being able to ask him a lot of questions throughout this process as well, you know, it definitely helps me.
You know, gives me a leg up, you know, going into interviews, kind.
Of understanding what to expect, kind of you know, figuring out, you know, how how the testing is for the combine, stuff like that. But then you know, like also understanding you know, looking at the draft process, you know, going ahead, like you know, he he talked to X amount of teams, but you know, none of the teams were the Coats, so it's like, you know, you truly never know where you're.
Gonna end up.
So you know, I could I could talk to thirty one teams and the thirty second team could draft me. So you know it's just kind of you got to you gotta be ready for whatever. You know, it's just a lot of unknowns, so just understanding that, but you know, having him as a mentor, you know, just I'm very grateful for it.
This tracks so much with what we already know about him as as just like a douche dude as a player, like this is one hundred percent on brand. So I love to hear more and more stories about that. But you're right, like you never know which way along the process you can go in and think you crushed an interview and then suddenly it's a team that you hadn't even spoken with before outside of the very quick meanings you guys have during the combine in Indianapolis, have you been able to meet with any teams? Like, can you share? Arethy of that with us?
So I talked to my agent.
He was saying, like, you know, most of the visits and stuff are supposed to come like after pro day, so you know, I haven't been on any yet, but you know, I've started to plan some for for after. But you know, obviously, you know, going from one of those to the other, you know, I'll be able to compareison, you know, get a feel for stuff like that. But we we do have such a late day with it being March twenty six, so you know a lot of guys have already you know, kind of been been through there. So you know, after that, you know, I'll have a have a better idea of you know, what places I'll be visiting and stuff.
So Isaac you were talking about earlier in the podcast, that's you know, right now, just kind of decompressing a little bit. It's been pretty hectic for you. You've had to do a lot training really hard. So how do you wind down? What's a guilty pleasure of yours that that the public doesn't know?
A guilty pleasure?
Like are you a gamer?
Like?
What are you?
Yeah?
Reality? Yeah, trashy TV.
I love it blind.
Blind watching it. I was told to watch the first episode and I did end up.
But I just honestly don't understand how anybody could participate in the show like that.
I don't.
It's a lot, It's crazy, But I'm starting to mesh all these these love shows, you know, Love.
Island, Love is Blind, and I don't.
Remember the other one altogether, but I do. I do play video games a good for sure. But you know, obviously the last two weeks. I haven't haven't really had the time, but you know, I'll probably get into it at some point. But you know, being in being in Florida training though, you know, being able to just you know, drive to the beach, you know, just hang out for a little bit, that's relaxing. But you know, it's a little bit of a wake up call getting back to Indy and Louisville and stuff and it being thirty degrees and I'm like, oh wow, no, but.
Not having that going to the beach, Yes, sir, I'll take that. So Isaac, now, now that you're going through this process, do you allow yourself at all to at least think of the possibilities of places that you you'll go or or or where you're going to land. Because there's thirty two opportunities, right and as you mentioned, as j T told you, you never know where you're going to end up. But do you ever allow yourself kind of back in those quiet moments when you're with yourself and you're saying, you know, this would be cool if I could go here. Wow, if I went there, the things that I could do when I can accomplish.
M Yeah, So for me, you know, it's I've kind of always had this mentality.
It's just like a you know, whoever, whoever it the.
Good people around there.
Yeah, Isaac, Yeah, that's you know, like I feel like sometimes too, like your family, your friends, like you know, your childhood spaces, like oh, we wish you could play for the home team, and that happens, right, but like at this at this point, you're like, dude, I just want the shield and then the like just the opportunity.
But but yeah, you know, obviously, you know my mom's like, you know, have you talked to the colts, have you talked to I'm you.
Know, I know you want me to be at home, and you know, I'll play for anybody.
But at the end of the day, you never know, like, yeah.
Trust Mom's gonna be the first one to buy the jersey call your name.
She would burst out in tears if that happens. Oh my god.
All right, well now we're let us be your proxy. We will manifest that for you. You never have to say it. Ever, us and momus and mom for you.
That's it.
I mean, she must be so happy and proud of you, of what you've been able to do and you have been able to show up and show out in these massive veys news in these big time football programs, and then you go to a place like Indianapolis where for you it's home essentially, and you do what you do. I mean, I can only imagine how she feels watching her son, you know, training and dreaming of the NFL.
Uh.
Yeah, no, for sure, Like the amount of times in the past couple of months that she's told me she's proud of me, Like it's it's insane. But you know, I couldn't couldn't appreciate her more, you know, throughout this this whole process.
But you know, she's you know, both my parents have always been for me. You know, I don't I don't.
I don't remember the last time she she missed the game, you know, from from little league.
You know, that's traveling, you know, even when.
I was at Wisconsin, She's making the six hour drive every weekend. But yeah, no, I mean I definitely couldn't couldn't appreciate her her more during this process, you know, just being you know, such a such a good supporter.
What's your mom's name, her first name, Jennifer. I need a Jennifer cam on Draft night. That's the only feet to see. I think I don't see Mama Jennifer on the other side, and that's always my favorite part of the draft. And look, we're so excited for you. Now you're part of our fam of our familia, as we say here on El Huddle, we are brooding for you and so excited for you. Thank you so much for coming on. The best to your mom and your parents and the whole family. I know, I know that watch party is going to be intense, so I can't wait to see where you land. We know that you will be absolutely amazing once you hit the league.
Isa, No, for sure, I appreciate you, guys. You appreciate you guys. You know, taking the time, you know, have the me on for sure.
Absolutely, Hey, good luck, my friend, and make sure to come on back. Don't get an attitude when you get into the league.
He's not going to have an at it.
Okay, okay, all right.
We just love there, right all right, see you soon.
I think, thank you so much.
Well, good luck, my man.
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