NC State TE Trent Pennix: "We Don't Quit"

NC State tight end Trent Pennix met with the media to discuss the upcoming matchup against Wake Forest.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

How inspiring was it to see Jay Morris perform like that as a true freshman?
Oh, it was crazy. We coming in the game using two quarterbacks rotating them both, and throughout the game each getting their reps in. And then it was just really in this fourth quarter, I remember Grant called the whole offense up together and we was all really off pissed off and upset. We all just came together as one unit and was like, "We ain't feeling to go out like this, and we need to get on the ball and get this thing going and come back."

So he threw that pass to Thayer, and then I had the second one and he threw it to Thayer again. I looked up at the scoreboard, I was like, "Oh, we up now. It's time to hold this lead and finish this game off in front of our crowd, and keep this home streak going."

So just to see him, just a freshman come in and just take the ropes like that under pressure and really keep himself composed the whole time, I feel like he's really matured over the past few weeks just alone. And I feel like once he gets familiar with the playbook and really calm and collected with who he's playing with, he shouldn't be anything to be worried about.

How much does the home streak mean to the team?
Oh, it means a lot.

Just going out in front of our fans, putting on a show for them. Letting them know that we don't quit and it's a four-quarter game. Game ain't over until the clock hits all four zeros. So we just want to show our fans that this is our DNA. We're hard, tough together throughout 48 minutes of the game. I just believe that once we stay together throughout that whole process, and with the staff and boosters and fans behind us, I feel like nobody can beat NC State.

Growing up in Raleigh, what have you learned about the NC State-Wake Forest rivalry the last few years?
I know that this kind of game is one of the games, for example, it's like a Sanderson-Millbrook kind of deal. But in a collegiate level these teams really don't... We're in-state rivals we're just like... It would be just State-UNC, but a whole different game and they play different from UNC. But I just feel like this rival's going on for years and years and years and our job is to keep the homestreak going and win this year as well.

Their offense is so prolific. Is the feeling that you guys are really going to have to score touchdowns?
Yes sir. Matter of fact, every game we realize we need to score touchdowns and of course we do rely on Chris Dunn to make field goals with us, but we feel like six points is better than three of course. And that the more touchdowns we can score, the higher chance of us winning.

How important was it to get that first touchdown? I mean, it'd been so long for the offense to do that, to kind of get that belief and get the momentum rolling.
I feel like once Thayer scored and we all saw we have a chance of coming back and how much time we had left in the game, we was like, "That really sparked us." And we was like... Like I said, Gibby rallied us up and we were like, "Let's get this ball going. Let's finish out this game and this game is not over."

Although we did see fans leaving, we was like, "Don't worry about that. This is our game. We're doing it for them and we're the people that's on that field so we need to go and finish out this game for them."

And we did.

What was the adrenaline rush for you, getting back on the field and playing?
To me, honestly it was very emotional. Running all that tunnel again behind Coach Doeren. It is just with my boys, just letting everybody in the Carter know that I feel great and I'm blessed to be back in this situation and help my team win. I just feel like we're all such a good family towards each other and my guys really look up to me and really depend on me and my job is to do my job to help the other 10 on the field drive the ball and score.

Was there anyone, like a close friend in Alim McNeil or anybody who kind of kept your spirits up when things were not going?
Yes Sir. As a matter of fact, all of them, literally all the guys on the team constantly checking in on with me, Jordan, Turbo, Dell, all the RBs, all the tight ends, Kam, Chris, twins. But every day as they constantly asked me, it kind of brought me down a little bit, made me a little emotional because it made me realize I'm still out. I want to try my best to come out as fast as I can to be with you guys. Last week was that first week and I feel like I did a great job of making that debut, coming back from a long weeks worth of injury.