Dave Doeren: "We Put a Lot of Stock Into Everything"
NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming Spring Game, presented by GiGi's Playhouse.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Doeren’s interview.
On practicing with wet balls…
We just talked about it. It’ll be an opportunity to play in the rain for sure. In the fall, we get some crazy hurricane weather every now and then. To go out there and see how we handle the conditions — I know it’s not great for fans, but for a football team, it's not a bad thing to go out and play in the rain a little bit. If that’s what comes, we’ll go out and play in it. If it skips us, then we’ll have a nice day.
On the Spring Game format…
It’s the same thing we’ve been doing. The first group will go against everyone else, and we’ll have some guys that sub in and out on both sides of the ball. The first half half will be normal half, and the second half will be running clock. It’ll all be live with the exception of the quarterbacks.
On the transfer players…
There’s a lot of change throughout the spring with these guys. They’re learning how to play with new teammates, so you’re starting to see the chemistry of that. They’re learning new systems. Even for Brennan [Armstrong], there are some new things with what Coach [Robert] Anae has done differently over the last year. You see all those guys gaining ground mentally on the playbook, but you also see the relationship forming between teammates, and we get to know them differently as competitors because winter conditioning isn’t football. We get to see that side of it, too.
On the Spring Game being a motivating factor…
It can be. For guys who haven’t played a lot in the stadium, those days are really big. It’s really about the amount of information, as coaches, we have on guys. Guys that have played a ton of football probably [won’t play] as much as guys who have not played. Every practice matters. Every walkthrough, every meeting, we put a lot of stock into everything. Today was just as important as Saturday, from our standpoint as coaches. It just gives you another lens and how we’re going to potentially manage a tough day of weather. I think that’s a good obstacle for the team as well.
On the jump last year’s freshmen made…
I think Brandon Cleveland has definitely made a jump. He was really out of shape last year when we started fall camp and had to play himself into being able to play. Injuries allowed him the opportunity, and he did a great job. He took that lesson to heart, had a good offseason, and has had really good 13 days out here with us. Michael Allen missed quite a bit of spring, so it’s good to finally get him back. This is his first week of full-go practice, so it’s hard to answer the question on him; we just don’t have enough film. Terrell [Timmons] has been out some, too. He did come back and have a really nice catch in the scrimmage Saturday, so that was good to see. These guys are still really young. They’re still within 12 months of when they moved here. There’s a lot of game in front of them.
On specific groups he wants to observe on Saturday…
I don’t know if I can single one out for you. There’s a lot of competition going on on the roster, and I want to see how everyone does.
On the biggest concerns heading into the fall…
I want to be healthy. That’s the thing. You just want to get out of Friday night and Saturday with everybody that started those practices, have a really good summer, and continue to build into fall camp and get ready for the season. Things that are out of your control are always the things that kind of haunt you a little bit as a coach. The things we can do better, we’re going to work hard at getting better at those things. That doesn’t concern me as much.
On the offensive line…
Really good. Coach [Garett] Tujague has done a nice job with that group. Guys are playing with passion. They’ve embraced the new system and changes. There’s a new run game they’re learning, so you’re seeing that growth in the run game. Other than taking Dylan [McMahon] out for this last week, we’ve had really good success as far as those guys playing with each other every day. That’s important on the O-line: the chemistry of playing next to a guy and having the same guy next to me all the time. We’ve been able to do that, and that’s been good for the offensive line.
On the early enrollees…
They started really fast. They had a good offseason. Some struggled early on in the offseason and then got better as it went. We got into spring ball. Javonte Vereen and K.C. Concepcion, both of them were really productive early in spring camp, and then both of them kind of hit the wall and missed a week or so with nagging things. They’re both back out playing again. It’s good to see them rebound. The ability to maintain at this level for a period of time is something that is challenging. It’s normal for a young guy like them, but they’ve shown a lot of life there. Kendrick Raphael, the freshman running back, has really been consistent, probably the most consistent of the group. Isaiah Shirley is consistent. The offensive linemen, it’s good to see the young offensive linemen get a lot of reps. They’re three really big, long, good-looking guys when you talk about Darion Rivers and Obi [Obasuyi] and how long they are with Rico [Jackson]. To get them reps and reps and reps, it’s exciting because it’s hard to coach 6-6, to have three guys who are that long, but they need to get in the weight room with [Dantonio Burnette]. We’re starting to see what we have and what we don’t have and where we need to fill in with the guys who are going to show up in June.
On the secondary…
We look at [Devan Boykin and Jakeen Harris] as returning starters because they have been starters for us. Both of them have started in multiple places in the secondary. All of them have played free, strong, and nickel. They have that kind of flexibility in the system. Rakeim Ashford’s played a lot of football. We look at him that’s got starting experience. Robert Kennedy’s a starter from another school. Shy Battle’s a returning starter. We have some good experience. Obviously, we lost a great player in Tanner [Ingle], and we’re going to miss what he brought out there, Cyrus [Fagan] and what he brought, [Derreck] Pitts and what he brought, but we do have guys who have played a lot and started, and we’ve got good competition in there. It’s also fun to see Brandon Cisse, the freshman, emerge as a guy that can handle it and play consistently.
On Cecil Powell…
He’s been non-contact, so he’s been able to do everything but finish tackles and blocking. He’s been able to run, make checks, play the ball, and do all those things, but the last part for him is contact. He’s been through two years of fighting through a tough injury, and to see him playing right now is a win.
On players who won’t be on the field Saturday…
There are guys that aren’t cleared to play; those guys won’t be out there. Payton [Wilson] is not in right now. We’ve got so many game reps with him. For the most part, the guys who are at practice will be playing, and we’ll try to get as many guys game reps as we can.
On the young linebackers…
Caden Fordham’s really come along this spring. Jayland Parker has gotten a lot better. Torren Wright is a lot better. It’s fun to see that with those younger guys. Obviously, we’ve gotten a lot of banked reps with [Devon] Betty, Jaylon Scott, and Payton. We’ll get those younger backers in there. Kamal Bonner, one of our freshman linebackers, has really done a nice job.
On Jykevious Hibbler…
He’s been good. He’s got to get in shape still. He still gets tired. He plays hard. He’s got a lot of wiggle.