Tony Conty:  You're from Mission Viejo, if I'm not mistaken.

Marty Tadman:  That's correct.


Tony Conty: Who did you support college football-wise when you grew up there?

Marty Tadman:  SC.  We're big SC fans.  I went to UCLA games, too.  I was a Notre Dame fan, too.  My brother was a big Michigan fan, so pretty much anyone who beat Michigan I was a fan of. 


Tony Conty: There's a lot of that going around college football, yes.  Now, in reading a lot of interviews with you in the past, you mentioned that you had some wild days before getting to Boise State.  Describe the process that turned you around and really got you focused on where you wanted to be in life.

Marty Tadman:  We'll make it the short version.  I was 13 and started getting into drugs and alcohol and partying and it escalated for 5 or 6 years to the point where during that time I became addicted to marijuana and addicted to cocaine.  I was dealing drugs, pretty much an alcoholic, partying all the time, all that wild stuff.  One day when I was 18, I got sick of it and, long story short, turned my life over to Jesus Christ, gave my life to Him, and became a born-again Christian.  I changed everything.  I haven't had a drop of alchol and I stopped doing drugs.  I stopped everything and turned my life around.  I got up here and got really involved with church and involved with Bible study.  Pretty soon, I was on staff of the church.  Soon, I was preaching at churches.  Right now, in my life, I am on staff at a church and leading college Bible study at Boise State and preaching, sometimes every weekend at churches around the Idaho Northwest area.  So, everything has completely changed.


Tony Conty:  And that involves the group known as Synergy, if I read correctly. 

Marty Tadman:  Yep, that's correct.  Our group is Synergy on Boise State campus.  It's growing.  We started a few years ago with 3 people and we have about 50 that come now.  It's been pretty incredible to be part of that group.


Tony Conty:  Apparently, you have some significant tattoos in reference to this transformation to Christianity and things like that.

Marty Tadman:  Right.  On my left arm, all the way down to my hand and up to my neck.  There's entire gospel and different Bible verses and different areas of Jesus's life and different teachings of His.  On my right arm, I have my hand tattooed all the way up to my neck.  There's just different areas of being a Christian and living for Christ, all the way from Old Testament to New Testament and I gotta just...I want to share my faith with the world.  I am so excited to be a Christian that I want to show everyone. 


Tony Conty:  Well, you're standing out.  This isn't the normally beginning to an interview that I have.  From a football standpoint, talk to me about what it was like getting to the Blue Turf and actually joining the Broncos for the first time.

Marty Tadman:  It was great, walking in from my high school.  It has a winning program and I walked into another winning successful program was awesome.  The team that we had my Freshman year was great.  I had the opportunity to play as a True Freshman.  You know, the blue field was a little weird to get used to.  The city of Boise was welcoming and a great place to live, so everything was kind of like a storybook beginning.  It was great, a great experience to me.


Tony Conty:  Now, satisfy the fan in me who watches these games that become renowned as the greatest of all time.  We talk about Oklahoma and the Fiesta Bowl.  When you were a part of the team, did you realize that that game was going to go down as one of the all-time greats?

Marty Tadman:  No, it was just another game.  It wasn't until all of the media stuff, the ESPYs and all the awards.  The coverage was such that you realize how big it was.  I still don't think it will kick for another couple years.  But, with ESPN and the Greatest Highlight thing that they did.  The fact that we made the finals was kind of a reality check to see how the world viewed that game.  To the part of how well we played in that game is something I won't forget for the rest of my life. 


Tony Conty:  From your position, finish this sentence: A quality safety should...

Marty Tadman:  A quality safety should be able to make every play that he has the opportunity to make, regardless of size or speed.  If we can make a play and is in position to make a play, we should make it. 


Tony Conty:  Alright, as a guy who watches a lot of film for the site, the first thing that I said was: As a Steelers fan, I notice that they always look in the late rounds who is solid at their position but could also excel on Special Teams.  How important is that part of your game?

Marty Tadman:  I think Special Teams is a huge part of my game.  I think I can do a lot of things.  I think one of the strongest aspects is that I'm a safety yet I return punts as well.  I think in the three years that I returned punts at Boise State I never dropped one ball.  I didn't have a chance to actually get to the end zone, but I think, my Senior year, I returned twice as many punts as anyone in the WAC and my average was still respectable.  I had a couple of long runs called back, but I think I can do a lot of different things for a team, whether it's on defense or on special teams.  I am hoping they can see that and when I get into camp, I can prove it.


Tony Conty:  You have made your share of plays on defense.  To what do you credit your ball skills, instincts, and things like that?

Marty Tadman:  I guess that I give all credit to the Lord for blessing me with incredible gifts.  I wouldn't say that it is all natural talent.  Of course, I have worked really hard throughout my career and my life.  A lot of it is natural.  I am a really smart football player.  I can read the Quarterback, read the receivers, and see the field really well.  I am a student of the game, so I guess it comes back to those natural things, those intangibles that you can't really coach too much.  I'm not the strongest guy and not the fastest guy, but if you put me next to a guy that runs a 4.3 40 and has a 40-inch vertical and put me on the football field with him, I'll most likely make the play over him, no matter what, because I feel I am gifted when it comes to football.  When it comes to the play, I'll make the play.


Tony Conty:  So, we just got into measurables and things like that and obviously the "meat market" just ended.  Do you feel as if your size is going to affect your draft position and do you think it should?

Marty Tadman:   I am not sure...did you get our results from Pro Day at all?


Tony Conty: No. 

Marty Tadman:  We just had it Monday.  I actually weigh 200 lbs. now.  Most people have me listed as 180, 185, or 174.  There's all around there.  I am about 20 lbs. heavier than everyone thinks I was.  I played this past season at 184 and I got up to 200 right now.  I think that showed teams a lot of things.  I had a lot of speed and think that I got a lot faster than most teams had me listed as.  They had me listed in the high 4.6s and I ran in the high 4.5s.  So I don't think my think should affect it, but, when you know the NFL and what they look at, it will obviously affect my draft status.  I am hoping that teams can look past the size and look and game film and see that I make the play regardless of how big the guy is that I am going against. 


Tony Conty: What areas of your game are your main focus this off-season?

Marty Tadman:  The main thing was my size.  I'm getting ready to play in the NFL and am making myself marketable to teams.  I used to worry about whether or not I would play in the NFL, but now I have my size.  I'll still be a little undersized with my height and stuff.  But I am guy who can really play in the NFL.  So, that was one thing that I really focused on.  Another is just my strength.  That went hand-in-hand with my bench and different aspects of my weight.  The weight-room experience stuff has gone up a lot.  The other thing is probably my straight-ahead speed.  I have really good lateral speed but I needed to work a lot on my downhill, straight-ahead speed.  In my mind, my weakness having nothing to with football.  They have to do with drills and tests, which you know the NFL looks at pretty heavily.  So, that was my weakness, but all of those things, I really tried to help myself out with.


Tony Conty:  Now, the Combine invite list:  what was your reaction when you saw the invite list and you knew that your Pro Day was going to be your main focus?

Marty Tadman:  I was upset at first.  I thought that I deserved a chance, due to the success, the accolades, and the honors that I received from various coaches in our conference.  So, I thought that I deserved a chance to prove myself at the Combine, but obviously I could think about what teams thought I would run and what they thought I weighed.  They didn't think I was in the Top 20 or whatever.  You know, I just put it behind me.  There's nothing I could do about it, so I just prepared the best I could for Pro Day.  I hope that teams look at that with an open heart.  It's downplayed, because it's the Pro Day and not the Combine.  I was upset and it was a little motivating.  It's over with now, but I wish that I could have been invited to the Combine to get myself out there in front of a bunch more scouts.   


Tony Conty:   With you, Ryan Clady, Orlando Scandrick, and Ian Johnson all as legitimate draft prospects, do you discuss the process much?

Marty Tadman:  Yeah, with guys, not with Ryan Clady or Orlando, but Tad Miller, who I lived with when I was training the past two months.  We discussed the process a lot and where we stand.  You know, I didn't want to go to the NFL and pursue football until last May.  So, this is all new to me.  I never really researched it and what went on in the process, so it's all new to me.  It's an experience, so we try to help each other out with information we gather along the way. 


Tony Conty:  From a player's perspective, who do you think the most dominant offensive players that you had the privilege to face were when you were at Boise State?

Marty Tadman:  You know, as a safety, you get to go against every position on the field.  Running backs? I have faced everyone all the way to Adrian Peterson, Oregon State's Yvenson Bernard.  Quarterbacks? You know Colt Brennan.  That was obviously one of the best that I went against.  I don't know.  There is quite a few.  I don't really know the names of offensive lineman, but I got the chance to go against the bigger guys in our conference.  Tight Ends? There were a lot of really good Tight Ends.  Southern Miss.'s Tight End, I really think he is a top guy.  Oregon State's Tight End (Joe Newton.  Receivers, you know that all of the Hawaii receivers are incredible.  I was going against Malcolm Kelly from Oklahoma.  I went against Chad Owens from Hawaii my Freshman year. Covering him was really difficult.


Tony Conty:  Owens was another guy who didn't necessarily have NFL measurables, but definitely had NFL talent.  What do think about Roger Goodell's crackdown on off-the-field issues that seems to be the focal point of front offices today?

Marty Tadman:   I think it's huge.  I mean, the amount of respect and platforms we have as athletes is incredible.  I mean, teams across the entire nation, even here in Boise, Boise State football is huge and the kids look up to us so much.  And, even if we don't get caught for the things that are going on, the morality all around professional athletics is just disgusting sometimes.  We want to be role models and we want to be on this platform that God has given us and blessed us with and I think that we should live respectfully with integrity, especially as men and how we treat women and all that kind of stuff.  So, I think it's huge.  I agree with every discipline measure that I have heard.  I think there should be more discipline for off-the-field issues.  It's a big deal. Kids are putting your poster up on the wall and, when they find out that you are cheating on your wife or that you have three illegitimate children or if you got drunk driving tickets or if you've got a drug test that you failed or steroids.  It just hampers the entire athletic landscape.  I am huge on living with integrity and moral values.  I agree with every act of discipline that has been going on.


Tony Conty:  We'll give you an opportunity to self-promote.  Why should teams draft you higher than people are predicting right now?

Marty Tadman:  I think, teams, when it comes down to it, winning games are going to say we won because a guy runs a 4.44 or because he is 6'2", 220.  You are going to win because you have football players on the field.  I am one of those guys who plays football with playmaking ability.  I don't think that you can coach that.  I may not be the biggest or the strongest, but if you put me on the field, I guarantee you won't be able to see how fast I am, how high I jump, or what color my skin is, but I'll make the play for the team, so hopefully teams watch game film and focus on that and realize that I am a playmaker who can benefit their team. 


Tony Conty:  We wish the best of luck this off-season and thank you a great deal for your time.

Marty Tadman:  Thank you very much.