NC State redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Finley is back to lead the Wolfpack this season. He met with the media after the first fall practice to talk about his team.
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What’s your comfort level now that you’ve gotten to know each other as opposed to last year?
I think we’ve all gotten a lot more comfortable with the staff and our playbooks. We’re really making strides.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look a little heavier.
I’m never going to take that the wrong way. I’ll take a couple pounds of fat.
What will the extra weight do for you, and how hard was it for you to put on that weight?
It’s pretty tough for me. I feel more confident in my body. I think it’s just durability obviously lasting the whole season and just being able to take hits and being able to run the ball.
What’s it been like working with the experienced players on offense so far?
We’ve got so many weapons and so many guys that can change the game in one play. I’m just working on just getting the ball to them, managing the game, and letting them win it for us. We’ve got so many athletes.
Obviously, Nyheim [Hines] is going to do a lot for us this year. [Jaylen Samuels] is coming back. We’ve got about four-deep on the outside that we feel really good about, so we’ve got a lot of offensive weapons.
How has the last calendar year been for you outside of football, and how has that translated to the chemistry on the field?
Last year just coming in the summer, I had about two or three months before the start of the season. Just being here with the guys and living at the College Inn has given me a chance to bond. As a team, I think we’re closer than we’ve ever been which I think is going to be one of our strengths.”
What does being closer as a team bring to practice?
Just the communication between each other. I feel like we’re all more relaxed. Nobody’s really tense. I think we all know what each other can do, and we’re comfortable with each other. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what you call it. It’s about how you feel about the guy on your left and the guy on your right.
How much has this offense become second nature with you going into your second year here?
I wouldn’t say it’s ever second nature, but we’re getting more and more comfortable with the guys around us. I think everyone is growing in the offense together.
