Brennan Armstrong: "We're Going to Hit the Ground Running"
NC State quarterback Brennan Armstrong met with the media via Zoom ahead of the opening of the Wolfpack's spring training camp.
The Shelby, Ohio native threw for 2,210 yards and seven touchdowns on 54.6 percent passing last season at Virginia. The year prior, Armstrong completed 65.2 percent of his throws, scoring 31 touchdowns and accumulating 4,449 yards through the air.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Armstrong’s interview. A select transcript is provided below.
On what went into the decision to come to NC State…
At first when I finally decided to finally put my name in the portal, I didn’t think I was going to have to use it. There was a lot I didn’t expect. First of all, having one year is such a huge deal for me. I have to pick the right place where I can succeed in. From 2021 to last year not being what I wanted to be, I wanted to put two good season back-to-back, and that’s why I stayed at Virginia. Obviously, that didn’t happen, so I wanted to find a place where I could succeed. I thought this place was, bottom line, it. With my old O.C. coming here and with Coach [Dave] Doeren, I wanted to find some place that was established. With him being here for his 11th season, that was already established, the culture and everything. I just wanted to be a piece that could be picked up and put in. I thought they had a great defense last year. They’re just looking for a spark on offense, and hopefully I can reignite that with Coach [Robert] Anae this year.
On reconnecting with Anae…
Honestly, it has been [seamless]. The way Coach Anae does it, we’re not installing a new offense for the sake of the guys here, but I truly believe the way he does it, you can hit the ground running pretty fast. When we hit spring ball, which starts Wednesday, we’re going to hit the ground running pretty fast. The big thing for spring ball is figuring out what guys are good at and just getting to play live. We’ve been throwing on air, so just seeing guys make plays, bringing camaraderie, being around the team, and being around the game of football… When you’re doing all your stuff outside in the offseason, it’s not “football” quite yet. I’m just looking forward to that as an offense. It’s been seamless. For myself, I know the offense, so I can be helpful stepping in and just helping guys when they have questions. “Just come and ask me.” I laid that out up front. "I’m an open book, so come talk to me about anything. Keep moving forward.”
On coming into a young quarterback room as an experienced veteran…
Yeah, I’m the oldest guy in the room. To me, you can always compete. That’s obviously the big thing. I think we can set that up front. Coach [Kurt] Roper said that up front, “We’re here to compete, but we’re also here to help each other.” Bottom line: the competition is going to help each other grow. With the offense, like I said, we’ll have quarterback meetings; if they have questions, I’ll help them. Obviously, Coach Roper’s learning it, too. I think, in the position I’m in with the knowledge I have, I’ve just been trying to be an open book, like I said, and just help out as best I can. It’s been pretty easy, honestly. The competition is hot, but like I said, that’s what makes this better. That’s what you look for, as a team. I think that’s what Coach Doeren is trying to get out of each position group, and I think we have that here.
On how strange it’ll be to see red on his jersey rather than blue and orange…
Yeah, it’s going to be different. I tried to end my career at Virginia, but it just didn’t turn out that way. I think I picked the right place, and I’m looking forward to getting out there with the guys. It’ll be different for sure.
On reuniting with Garett Tujague…
Coach Tujague has been with me since I was probably 16. He maybe started recruiting me when I was 15. I’m not sure. Coach Tujague is a great person. He’s back in his comfort zone which is teaching this offense and understanding it. Up front, we have a lot of dynamic guys that can get out and move. I’m excited about having two guys here, not just Coach Anae. Transitioning here, they were a huge help when I got here, helping me out. I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have any of that stuff. I was getting my apartment settled. They were a huge help, too. Kudos to them for looking out for me, too.
On playing against his former team on Sept. 22…
I think the schedule is set up to have a huge year. We’ve got tough opponents, and the best place is that they’re coming into our house. But yeah, it’s game four on a Friday night. It’s going to be fun. Obviously, each game is important, and we’ve got plenty of games to be dialed in for with Clemson, Notre Dame, UNC, Miami, and all those other big-time teams. Yeah, I’ve had [the Virginia game] circled. I want to go in there and prove myself in a fashion to where people, from one season to the next, lost that luster for myself and how I play football.
If any receivers have stood out to him…
We have a lot of speed out there. I will say that. There are a lot of guys I’m interested in. It’s so hard to gauge until you get out there against a defense. It really is. Right now, it was just trying to transfer the lingo that I know from this offense into their heads. I couldn’t even think of a name off the top of my head. I’m just really excited about this group, and the best thing about it is that they’re super eager to learn. I think, in a sense, they kind of feel like they let the team down a little bit last year with the situations they were put in. They feel like they could have upheld their end a little bit longer for the team. These guys are just so eager to learn. I think another kicker is that Coach Anae played these guys last year at Syracuse, and they saw the offense and the dynamic they did on one of the best defenses in college football. I think just that eagerness and the proof that’s out there, every guy is really eager to just get going with this thing, just take each day, and try to stack them.
On what impressed him about Tujague on the recruiting trail…
I know Coach Tujague is a great recruiter. He always has been. If I can go back five or six years ago, I don’t know what really impressed me or stood out. It’s just his consistency in recruiting. It’s when someone’s showing up to your high school or continuously talking to you and reminding you how much they want you, and that’s goes along everywhere. I think his passion and energy is what he brings, and his knowledge of the place he’s at really helps when you’re recruiting. It shows you, as a player, that they care, that they understand what’s going on there, and the knowledge they can tell you about the place you’re being recruited to is a huge deal. I know, when he got here, he just tried to learn the place, understand what the culture is, and understand everything that this place is about, and I think that’s another plus and just who he is. You just look at Coach Tujague; his presence is a huge deal.
If he’d paid any attention to NC State’s four-quarterback situation last season…
It crossed my mind. I was so fixated on trying to be better on offense at Virginia. I didn’t really [pay attention to State’s situation]. When I got in the transfer portal, I got to sit down and watch some bowl games. I got to watch NC State. I didn’t think much of it. I know what killed NC State last year, and that was injuries. That was the big thing. There were a bunch injuries whether it was in spring ball, fall camp, or throughout the season. That does hurt a team, so I think Coach Doeren and them are just going to make sure we get the work we need, but we need to come out of these spring ball and fall camp healthy because these 12 games are going to count with the new conference schedule. We’re going to need all 12.