Michael Allen: "We Know What We Did Wrong"

NC State freshman tailback Michael Allen has received more playing time down the stretch, and he met with the media to discuss his play, Louisville, and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

What's it been like patiently waiting to get your opportunity?
It's been fun learning from all the older guys, especially being on the veteran team, and I got an extremely good room just to learn from, so it's been easy to adjust really talking to those guys. I've enjoyed sitting behind them playing and looking at them, so it's been good.

How do they help you? The older guys?
Just, they've been here, they know what to do. I'm just being the sponge, soaking up as much as I can, so it's a win-win for me.

How valuable was it for you to get here early and participate in the Spring?
Huge. Just being here for that long and being around the guys, just really on the chemistry type thing, just to build a relationship with everybody, coaches and players, getting a feel for everything. It was huge for me.

What's been your biggest adjustment playing at this level?
Really just the speed of it. Just taking up everything and just executing at such a high pace. It's college period, just the college life in general, outside of football, just managing school and everything outside of all that. That was probably the biggest adjustment.

A year ago you were trying to get to the State Title game and play Dudley. Is it amazing how much things have changed?
It is. I don't want to talk about that, but yeah... It's been fun, just coming here and adjusting. Just the challenge of being here, I've loved it.

Was it hard to kind of wait a little bit those first few weeks on the sideline, was that kind of challenging for you or?
No, not at all. Being a competitor you want to play, but just being able to learn behind, like I said, the veteran guys, I didn't have a problem at all with it.

There's something to be said about being a few years out from your knee injury. Can you tell a difference just from say a year ago to now?
I feel fine. I feel great.

I mean, you look quicker, faster. I'm guessing everything is...
Yeah, everything is smooth. I'm feeling good.

Is that a relief?
Of course. Always just playing healthy is, it's a blessing.

You guys are trying to bounce back from a very difficult defeat.  Have the older guys on this team, the leaders, been helpful this week?
Of course, yeah. There haven’t been anything but positive vibes around. We’re really not stressing anything. We know what we did wrong, we know what to fix, we know the adjustments we need to make, and we're out here making them.