Robert Anae: "We Look Forward to the Right Results"
NC State offensive coordinator Robert Anae met with the media as the Wolfpack progresses through 2024 fall camp.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Anae’s interview.
Opening statement
We’re six practices in, somewhere in there. In brief, where are we offensively? We're in a really good spot. Injuries have been minor things, so that part is really good. The guys are in great shape, so we're working to maintain that through fall camp. There seems to be more pieces to make plays out there, so yes, the emphasis is to spread the ball and do that kind of thing with distribution. It’s still early to tell how good we're going to be from that regard, but we have a chance to put really good teamwork together. Obviously, going against the defense like ours, that forces that every play.
On the players who have stood out in fall camp…
It’s the same guys that sparked in the spring. Grayson [McCall] has done a really good job with mastering the offense and securing the ball, as that goes. A young guy that's really stood out is Keenan [Jackson], receiver. We've had some injuries at receiver; Keenan's been that guy to step up and go with it. That kind of comes to mind. Zeke [Correll], obviously our center, is healthy and back in the mix, and that's a huge plus for offensive line continuity.
On Jordan Waters…
Well, that was the next one I was getting to. Jordan is a catch-all guy. He's not just that long type of player that, when he comes on the field, he's only going to do, for example, only pass blocking and only run the ball. He is a guy that does it all from start to finish. He had a really good offseason with Coach [Dantonio Burnette] as well.
On being able to overhaul the offense over a single transfer/recruiting cycle…
It's buy-in. It's player buy-in. It's coach buy-in. It starts with that. If the coaches are not bought in, and they're so used to doing something one way, then here comes my new deal… We've got buy-in at a very high level. Our coaches buy in at a very high level with our players because, no, we are not just a sit-there, static group. We are bouncing and moving everywhere. There's got to be tremendous buy-in, and that's been my experience here.
On what the additional weapons will do to K.C. Concepcion’s game…
Nothing. He's still got to do a little bit of everything. The other day, we had a visitor, and he talked about leadership, and there are certain guys that step up in games with production, and he's been that type of leader for the team. No, that role is not going to diminish. He is that game-time leader, and so that's his contribution to the team. Obviously with blocking and ball security, he's right there as well as making plays. That part, we're looking for K.C. to be a complete player.
On Noah Rogers…
Noah gives us kind of an X-factor. He could get open. He could catch a contested ball. Noah's still in the world of proving himself, day in and day out, but he does have the X-factor skillset.
On the running back room…
I think, more than anything, that room is transformed with attitude. The attitude of all the players is unselfish, and they're all ready to contribute, and that's not common in running back rooms. No, it's hardly that. It's more like it was last year. No, this year, this group is different in that regard. My job with great kids, great players, is to find formations where there's more than one running back on the field, and we started down that road today. I am pushing that envelope to get more running backs in a formation on the field because of who those kids are.
On his second year in Raleigh…
Football is a constant evolution, no matter what team, no matter what year. It only is evolving the right way with the right results, so we look forward to the right results.