Brett Pasche ’14 completes NFL rookie camp with Detroit Lions

Home News Brett Pasche ’14 completes NFL rookie camp with Detroit Lions

From May 16-19, Hillsdale College middle linebacker stud Brett Pasche trained with the Detroit Lions. The Chargers’ 2013 MVP shared with the Collegian about his experience.

1. What was your mentality going into the camp? What was your overall experience of the camp like?

I went into the camp very thankful that I was getting any sort of opportunity, but certainly ready to make an impression. The facilities and overall experience were very cool. It is difficult to be prepared your first time to try to learn all that you are expected to learn in a couple days, especially trying to learn two positions. It was very demanding physically and mentally, but it was definitely an awesome experience!

2. What occurred on a daily basis at the camp?

Thursday was mostly a physical/check-in day with some meetings. The two major days were Friday and Saturday. The schedule for those two was something like this:

6:00 Wake up and shuttle from hotel to facility
6:30 Breakfast
7:30 Training room (Taping, stretching, etc.)
8:00 – 9:00 Special teams meeting
9:00 – 9:20 Team meeting
9:20 – 10:40 Position meeting
11:00 – 12:00 Walk-through
12:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 Position meeting
3:00 – 5:30 Practice
5:30 Dinner
6:30 – 6:45 Team meeting
6:45 – 8:30 Offense/defense meeting
8:30 Shuttle back to hotel

I normally studied the plays going in for the next day until about 11:30 p.m. once we got back. Sunday was similar to Friday and Saturday but it stopped around lunchtime.

3. With whom did you get to meet and interact? How many rookie players were there total?

The “vets” were only in briefly on Thursday for some workouts, so we didn’t really get to meet any of them. As far as rookie guys, there were some guys from as close as Eastern (Michigan University) and Central (Michigan University) – my roommate was a linebacker from Central- to some SEC and other big conferences. I also got to meet Jon Jennings, the quarterback from Saginaw. In total there were 23 “tryout” guys, 11 undrafted free agents, and 8 draft picks there.

4. How did you feel you compared to others of your position?

It is hard to compare too much to the other guys there. There were only four of us and most of the challenge is trying to get the plays and checks down. We all had some good flashes along with some times where we just didn’t know how to handle new formations, etc.

5. What was the outcome, or what is the next step for you with the Lions, in the NFL, or outside of that?

One thing that kind of surprises people is how the camp ends. I think the word “tryout” makes you expect a yes you made it or no you didn’t at the end. In reality, they just let you head home at the end of the weekend. The linebacker and head coaches gave me some positive feedback and said to stay prepared for anything. So, from here anyone could call at anytime, but it’s not something I can really count on, so I’ll be looking for some other options while still trying to stay in shape.

6. Are you a Lions fan? Were you before this camp? If not, which team is your favorite?

I was born in Michigan and have a lot of family there, so I’ve always been a bit of a Detroit fan. Plus, I had a Barry Sanders VHS I used to watch all the time!

7. Did you talk with other former Hillsdale Charger football players before the camp about their experience in the NFL? Are any mentors to you?

I have talked to a lot of the former players throughout the whole process. There’s a lot of steps that you have to take to finally get a shot somewhere, so I’ve talked to many of them for different steps here and there. I talked to Tom Korte ’09 and Joe (Glendening ’13) and Cam (White ’14) a lot early to figure out training and pro day options. I also talked to Nick Hixson ’12 through most of the process and just before the camp to see what I should be expecting.

8. What (drills, coaches, experiences, etc.) from Hillsdale made you feel prepared during the camp?

I thought there were some similarities between Coach Lindley and the Lions’ linebacker coach that helped me to feel a little more comfortable. Both are very detail-oriented and expect you to listen carefully to instructions the first time and do things right. The discipline that is expected at Hillsdale certainly helped as well.