Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Fall Camp Edition - Brendan Franke, Mitch McCarthy, Mark Langston & Nico Radicic
8/15/2025 1:00:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––– As the third week of fall camp continues, seniors Brendan Franke, Mark Langston, Mitch McCarthy and sophomore Nico Radicic addressed the media inside Memorial Stadium on Friday (August 15).
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Brendan Franke | R-Sr.+ | K
On what drew him to IU…
BF: When I was on my visit here, this was the only visit that I went on, it was the only one that I needed. I got here, it felt just like home, felt just like Nebraska, hanging out. It was a really easy decision at the end of the day. When I came on my visit, love the coaching staff for like an elite atmosphere. It wasn't very hard to make this decision.
On his biggest goals this fall camp…
BF: Being as old as I am, sixth year of college football, just trying to stay healthy. As I get older, I have to stretch more, spend more time in the training room, stuff like that.
On switching over from soccer to football…
BF: As a junior, about halfway through the season I had a couple guys come up to me and more so tell me that I was going to go kick for the football team. So, I was like 'alright cool' so then halfway through my junior year I started kicking again. I had when I was way younger, but yeah.
Mark Langston | R-Sr.+. | LS
On building the relationship with the new specialists…
ML: Well today at practice we had crowd noise, so that's one of the things that kind of simulates chaos. You say new pieces, but I spent a season with (Brendan) Franke, Nico's (Radicic) always there, and ever since Mitch (McCarthy) has got here we've been attached at the hip so it's just another season with the boys.
On his approach to stay mentally focused…
ML: Not thinking of it like that. A lot of people train until they get one right. I train until I can't get one wrong. Just having a purpose every time, you go out there and snapping a ball. Especially when you go through summer that's when you chip away at your sculpture you're building every year. And then, when you come to the game and to practice, that's when you don't think and rely on your muscle memory.
On how he would describe the identity of the special teams room…
ML: Coming off last year, we have a chip on our shoulder. We have a lot to prove.
Mitch McCarthy | Sr. | P
On staying dialed in during a game...
MM: I think it is easy for me because I don't have a choice, because I don't know what is going on. So, if I get distracted and start looking around and start playing with the fairies, I will completely get lost. I am so nervous and locked in that I don't miss anything. I will be attached to Mark's [Langston] hip, and I will not move anywhere from him, because when he is going out, I am going out. I don't really have a choice. I have to stay focused, or I will get lost.
On what makes a good long snapper...
MM: I think the one thing I've learned, and I have had some really good long snappers in my three seasons that I have played, it's the obsession with the craft. All three of them have had that, all in their own different ways. At some stage, with each one, they have told me something so specific in the way they go about their [craft] that I think to myself, 'you guys are crazy.' And I think you need that mentality to be a specialist in general, but more specifically long snappers. It is such a particular craft that I just think it's just obsession with what you do. You can't not care about it because there is so much that goes into it.
On what has created the bond between himself and Mark Langston...
MM: A lot of Call of Duty. Yea, a lot of video games, that always helps. We play Call of Duty, especially during fall camp when we have any time off, we sit down and play some War Zone. As funny as that sounds, we have always been in separate lift groups and separate workouts, so in the offseason we really didn't have the chance to bond/connect apart from our punt sessions, kick sessions. Ever since Call of Duty, I added him on it and we are as close as ever. I know his shortcomings, and he knows mine, so as funny as that sounds it actually has built the relationship a lot. If I am being honest.
Nico Radicic | R-So. | K
On how he continues to fine-tune his kicking...
NR: The spring went very well. I don't think I missed one kick with the team, so I was very pleased with that. I was trying to take that into the fall. I was kind of hoping that a miss was going to happen here or there, just so I can feel that. It did happen once, so now that it did, I am ready to get back on that high horse and keep making kicks.
When it comes to watch lists, I am not too worried about preseason watch lists. Once the season starts up, I will take a look at it if I am on there or not.
On the mental side of kicking...
NR: I just make it a fun thing. I don't make it anything harder than it already is. I am just there if the team needs me to knock down three points and if I make it anything harder than that I just keep putting stuff in my head that I don't need. I just make it very simple for myself and kick the ball between the posts.
On when his football journey started...
NR: The first time I kicked a football was probably seventh grade. My boys were trying to force me to play football while I was playing soccer and I kept saying no and didn't want to do it. I played for FC Dallas and signed a contract that said I can't play school sports.
Then, I finally went out to a football field, and I kicked like a 45 [yarder] in seventh grade, or it was some lower 40s, and they were like 'you need to play football.' I signed up for it in eighth grade and from there it took off.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Brendan Franke | R-Sr.+ | K
On what drew him to IU…
BF: When I was on my visit here, this was the only visit that I went on, it was the only one that I needed. I got here, it felt just like home, felt just like Nebraska, hanging out. It was a really easy decision at the end of the day. When I came on my visit, love the coaching staff for like an elite atmosphere. It wasn't very hard to make this decision.
On his biggest goals this fall camp…
BF: Being as old as I am, sixth year of college football, just trying to stay healthy. As I get older, I have to stretch more, spend more time in the training room, stuff like that.
On switching over from soccer to football…
BF: As a junior, about halfway through the season I had a couple guys come up to me and more so tell me that I was going to go kick for the football team. So, I was like 'alright cool' so then halfway through my junior year I started kicking again. I had when I was way younger, but yeah.
Mark Langston | R-Sr.+. | LS
On building the relationship with the new specialists…
ML: Well today at practice we had crowd noise, so that's one of the things that kind of simulates chaos. You say new pieces, but I spent a season with (Brendan) Franke, Nico's (Radicic) always there, and ever since Mitch (McCarthy) has got here we've been attached at the hip so it's just another season with the boys.
On his approach to stay mentally focused…
ML: Not thinking of it like that. A lot of people train until they get one right. I train until I can't get one wrong. Just having a purpose every time, you go out there and snapping a ball. Especially when you go through summer that's when you chip away at your sculpture you're building every year. And then, when you come to the game and to practice, that's when you don't think and rely on your muscle memory.
On how he would describe the identity of the special teams room…
ML: Coming off last year, we have a chip on our shoulder. We have a lot to prove.
Mitch McCarthy | Sr. | P
On staying dialed in during a game...
MM: I think it is easy for me because I don't have a choice, because I don't know what is going on. So, if I get distracted and start looking around and start playing with the fairies, I will completely get lost. I am so nervous and locked in that I don't miss anything. I will be attached to Mark's [Langston] hip, and I will not move anywhere from him, because when he is going out, I am going out. I don't really have a choice. I have to stay focused, or I will get lost.
On what makes a good long snapper...
MM: I think the one thing I've learned, and I have had some really good long snappers in my three seasons that I have played, it's the obsession with the craft. All three of them have had that, all in their own different ways. At some stage, with each one, they have told me something so specific in the way they go about their [craft] that I think to myself, 'you guys are crazy.' And I think you need that mentality to be a specialist in general, but more specifically long snappers. It is such a particular craft that I just think it's just obsession with what you do. You can't not care about it because there is so much that goes into it.
On what has created the bond between himself and Mark Langston...
MM: A lot of Call of Duty. Yea, a lot of video games, that always helps. We play Call of Duty, especially during fall camp when we have any time off, we sit down and play some War Zone. As funny as that sounds, we have always been in separate lift groups and separate workouts, so in the offseason we really didn't have the chance to bond/connect apart from our punt sessions, kick sessions. Ever since Call of Duty, I added him on it and we are as close as ever. I know his shortcomings, and he knows mine, so as funny as that sounds it actually has built the relationship a lot. If I am being honest.
Nico Radicic | R-So. | K
On how he continues to fine-tune his kicking...
NR: The spring went very well. I don't think I missed one kick with the team, so I was very pleased with that. I was trying to take that into the fall. I was kind of hoping that a miss was going to happen here or there, just so I can feel that. It did happen once, so now that it did, I am ready to get back on that high horse and keep making kicks.
When it comes to watch lists, I am not too worried about preseason watch lists. Once the season starts up, I will take a look at it if I am on there or not.
On the mental side of kicking...
NR: I just make it a fun thing. I don't make it anything harder than it already is. I am just there if the team needs me to knock down three points and if I make it anything harder than that I just keep putting stuff in my head that I don't need. I just make it very simple for myself and kick the ball between the posts.
On when his football journey started...
NR: The first time I kicked a football was probably seventh grade. My boys were trying to force me to play football while I was playing soccer and I kept saying no and didn't want to do it. I played for FC Dallas and signed a contract that said I can't play school sports.
Then, I finally went out to a football field, and I kicked like a 45 [yarder] in seventh grade, or it was some lower 40s, and they were like 'you need to play football.' I signed up for it in eighth grade and from there it took off.
#NeverDaunted
Players Mentioned
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LS
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P
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K
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