ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

July 23, 2024

Tristan Sinclair

Stanford Cardinal

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tristan.

Q. Your bio says you built your first computer in the sixth grade. That suggests have you built other computers since then. How many computers have you built and why are computers your thing?

TRISTAN SINCLAIR: That's a great question.

I think that technology is kind of like my thing, outside of football. I studied computer science for my undergrad. Doing a masters in computer science as well.

I grew up loving, tinkering and playing with, like, little electronic boards, Arduino boards or Raspberry Pi boards. That computer was a gaming PC. I've done some custom little home server stuff as well.

So a few, I would say.

Q. You told Richard Sherman it was your dream to play at Stanford. Was it always your desire to follow in your father's footsteps?

TRISTAN SINCLAIR: I think honestly the first Stanford football game I went to was the big game and I was three months old. I was born in July. I've been coming to Stanford games since then.

My dad had season tickets. He played there. Has a tailgate every game in Chuck Taylor Grove. I literally grew up at the games. That was it, that was the dream since I was a kid. I wanted to come to Stanford and play football.

Following in my father's footsteps is special. It's crazy that was the dream I manifested. I'm just grateful I had the people around me to encourage me and support me along the way. Family, friends, coaches. I'm just grateful to be here.

Q. Your mother and your sister and both your aunts went to Cal. Do they speak to you at all?

TRISTAN SINCLAIR: They do. They do (smiling).

It's tough because Cal is Cal. We don't like those guys, but... It's all fun and games. It's sweet that they've been at Cal. I got to go to those games growing up, as well.

Having them and having the tradition in the household is really fun.

Q. You talk about your father being a big influence in your career. I imagine y'all trained together. If so, what were those workouts like?

TRISTAN SINCLAIR: So it's actually interesting 'cause my dad never really pushed me to play football. No one did. Obviously I grew up going to the games. Monday Night Football was on, we were at the dinner table with the TV watching Monday Night Football. Football was part of our family.

My mom grew up that as well. Monday Night Football, they'd roll out the TV and put the game on.

Nobody pushed me to play it. I think it was just the natural love of the game. My dad never made me work out. He never honestly really trained me much. He just always encouraged me and told me my whole life, One day you're going to play this game and achieve your dreams. That's really what he did. The biggest thing was just the encouragement he gave me.

Q. Talk about your defense and hustling to the ball, having a desire to get to the ball, making plays.

TRISTAN SINCLAIR: Yeah, so I guess the philosophy that Coach April talks about is playing red. Playing red for us is like playing right on that line, playing right on the edge. It's preparation, execution, competitiveness, physical, tough, all the traits that we talk about.

The biggest thing I'd say is running to the ball is huge. They hold us accountable, hold us to get on guys at practice.

The physicality, the toughness, is like the other huge aspect. We want guys that are tough, that are physical. Sometimes you got to GIUFS, sometimes you got to 'Give it up for Stanford', make those physical plays, where you got to go in there and good your gap, the C gap, whatever it is.

The biggest thing in our rushing room is toughness. It's STF. That's our motto. I'm not going to say that. That's for our room only. But it's important to us and that's what we live by.