Brennan Armstrong: "The Game's Going to be Won in the Trenches"
NC State quarterback Brennan Armstrong met with the media via Zoom Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Wolfpack's ACC opener at Virginia on Friday.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Armstrong’s interview.
On developing the Wolfpack’s new offense…
We’re still early. We’re still trying to improve as an offense. It’s funny. You hear about if it’s going to be the same. We have different personnel here. We’ve got different players on the field. I think we’re doing a really good job of figuring out what’s good and what’s not good. We’re trying to get guys into position to be successful. We were in fall camp and spring ball, and you know, you’re trying to figure out what guys are really good at. You get into the first, second, and third games. The lights are on now. It’s a real game now. The scoreboard’s on. We’re starting to figure it all out. We’re excited. It’s early on in the season. We’re finally getting into ACC play. It’s really going to put our offense to the test each week because those games are not easy to win, no matter where you’re going in the ACC. I’m just looking forward to continue to get better, try to put up more points, and give our defense more room to work with.
On competing against his old teammates on the defensive side…
It’s an opportunity I never experienced before. I did compete with them in practice, but when it’s a game scenario, it’s a lot different than just practice. Like you said, they didn’t get to hit me. This is their chance to get a piece at me. I’m looking forward to it. I’m super excited. It’s going to be a unique experience for me, but at the end of the day, my job is to try and go win a game, and I try to keep my mind on that and keep it simple. I’ve got rules for each play call, and we’re going to go out there, follow them, and continue to play.
On having practice experience against Virginia’s defense…
I recognize some stuff. Things have changed. Each year, things change. We’re still game planning and prepping just like I would with any other game, trying to understand what their tendencies are and trying to figure out how other offenses went against their defense versus what I was running against them last year. I’m taking this week just like I would any other week: understanding them, trying to figure out tendencies, first and second down, short [yardage], third-and-medium, third-and-long, things like that. It’s a normal week with me, just trying to understand who they are as a defense and know what they like to do.
On the Cavaliers’ defensive line…
They have a lot of experience. They play with a great motor. They’re the strong point of their defense. I always thought those guys were really good, especially watching them play last year on the sideline. I was off the field watching these guys, and they're flying around. I think the game’s going to be won in the trenches. A lot of the times in games, that’s how it is, but I think this one specifically is how it’s going to be up front. Whatever I can tell the guys up front, who’s good at what, just little things like that I know about the guys, I try to help out our guys. We still game plan and get things rolling as an offense, but overall, they’re a really experienced group, they play with a lot of energy, and they’re going to come after me. Like I said, they finally get to hit me, so they’re going to try and get something there.
On what he gained playing in Tony Elliott’s and Des Kitching’s system…
Experience. I’ve never had that type of offense. I never understood the three-jet, the two-scat, just the terms of an NFL offense. It’s funny. We talk a lot of ball in our quarterback room. Coach [Kurt] Roper has been around an NFL offense for quite some time, and he understands certain things. He’s said things, and I thought, “Wow, if I hadn’t had that year, I wouldn’t have understood those things he’s saying.” He brings it back into the terminology we use here, but his first thought is the universal thought of football and that terminology, and that’s what we were running there. I think a lot of that stuff was super beneficial for me. No year is a waste year. I think I learned a lot last year, and it’s helped me.
On preparing for his return to Scott Stadium…
Preparation-wise, it’s just the same old, same old. It’s what I’d do every week. Coming off a win or coming off a loss, you stick to your schedule, your routine, and you continue to get better and go about your week. It’s a cool week for me, going back and playing at Scott Stadium. Like I said, I think I’ll have a bunch of emotions when I get out there and hit the field, but I’m just going to refocus and do my job. My job is to go in there and win, right? I’ve just got to take it one play at a time, and once the game gets going, I’ll be able to refocus, play some football, and have some fun out there. Like I said, it’s a unique opportunity for me, and the best feeling for me is to come out of there with a win. That’s going to be my goal.
On the fans’ perception on his return…
I don’t know. I put blood, sweat, and tears into that place for five years. Hopefully, they’re not too hard on me. If they are, it’s no big deal. I’ll be ready for it. It’ll be interesting. I really don’t know. Maybe they'll like it. Maybe they’ll boo me. You don’t know what you’re going to get, but that’s not why I’m there. I’m there to win a game. That’s kind of where my focus is.
On the Virginia players he’s kept in contact with…
[We haven’t texted] this week. Through fall camp and stuff, I’ve kept up with some of the older guys, the fifth- and sixth-year guys I came in with. Not this week. I haven’t really reached out, and they haven’t reached out. It’s fine. Obviously, we’re focused on the game, and we’re trying to put our best foot forward to go win the game.
On the Cavaliers’ secondary…
Well, Coen [King] was a safety. Now, he’s back at corner, so that’s a little different. I know he’s been preparing. He’s a veteran guy. I know there are some new faces back there. They’ve got Coen. I know they’ve got Langston Long. I know most of the guys. Coen’s a really good buddy of mine. We lived in the same apartment area. I was always hanging out with him, [Nick] Grant, and those guys. Like I said, I’m looking forward to seeing them and going to try and win the ball game. They have some good experience. I know some transfer guys in the back end are there. I’m just going to prepare like how we prepare here and go out there and play some ball.
On reuniting with Robert Anae…
There are some similarities and some differences. There are things that we do really well here, some things we don’t do really well here, and things done really well at different places. It’s all based off of personnel and what we think is going to work against the defense. We have everything installed. It’s just what we want to pull out that week and put into the game plan. I’ve been running the ball a little bit more. Last week, I didn’t have to run too much. I was able to take fewer hits; I think I was only hit once. My body feels good there. It’s just that unique style of adding the quarterback run in; I think we do a good job of that in this offense. I’m just being a playmaker, basically running free, and playing confidently. I play with a little physicality. I get out and run hard. This offense allows me to play freely. It helps me not think and just play.
On how happy he is to be back in Anae’s offense…
They did some stuff at Syracuse that was unique, so he brought the stuff that we did in Virginia to Syracuse, and now he’s here at NC State, so we’ve got both of those places, and we’re working with some of that stuff brought in. Some of this stuff is new to me. It’s not all the same, but most of it is, and it’s cool. It’s cool to see the different things they came up with besides all the other things they’ve done with the motions and all the other craziness they had in the offense to begin with. It’s been great so far. It’s not hard to pick up 98 percent of the offense. The other two percent is some of the other funky stuff that they want to throw in there or what was learned over the course of coaching at Syracuse. It’s been good.
On evaluating NC State’s weapons…
The skill positions in any level are about the same. I don’t see a discrepancy. It’s mostly in the trenches that you see those skill gaps. I think here it’s just getting guys to play with confidence and without hesitation. That was the thing coming out against Notre Dame. We got the ball on the 50 twice, and we were hesitant. Our defense got us great field position, and we didn’t put points on the board. It’s the mindset. It’s not skill. It’s the mindset for the offense as a whole. It’s about not coming out hesitant. It’s going out there, putting your foot on the gas right away, and making plays. I think that’s what it comes down to.
On honoring the fallen UVa teammates…
I have stuff. I haven’t really talked to Coach [Dave] Doeren about it yet. We’ll see, but I have some stuff in mind. I’ll keep it for Friday.