Kendrick Raphael: "Iron Sharpens Iron"

NC State running back Kendrick Raphael discusses his play in fall camp, the running back room, and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

I want to talk about the weapons on this offense, the running backs and also that receiver, Justin Joly at tight end. As you as a returning guy, what's some of the biggest differences you're noticing in this offense compared to last year? 
There's a lot of weapons, for sure. And also, just got to make a play. 

How have you grown in this offseason? 
I've grown a lot. Just my IQ, my size, getting stronger, bigger, faster. 

Do you like being in a situation where you have that type of competition amongst your teammates? 
I love it. I want to bring the best out of everyone. Not just me, but everyone. Everyone's getting better, everyone's learning from each other. It's great. 

What's the ceiling for this team? 
It's going to be very high. I think we're going to win the ACC Championship.

Where do you need to grow between now and the first game? You and then the team as a whole. 
I feel like I can grow in just learning more. Just playing more football, learning more football. Also, running through defenders and stuff. You get a better response without testing how well his body works. Also, I feel like the team could just grow better with chemistry. I feel like the team, as of right now, needs to play more together and harder. 

How do you balance the hype and your confidence without getting too high on yourselves? 
The defense is there to humble us at times. That's how I would put it, really. We just stay humble and put our head down and just run. 

Going against a talented defense like that every day in practice, what does that do for both sides of the ball? With iron sharpens iron.  
Like you said, iron sharpens iron. It brings the best out of both sides. 

I saw a little bit last season about playing in the adverse weather. Like in the Notre Dame game, it had a lot of heat in the first week and now pouring down rain this week. How does that prepare y'all to go through those adverse situations in game time?
It helps us a lot. Just playing through adversity and also just any weather. It just helps us play better in different situations and control the chaos.

The entrance into Carter-Finley, going through, touching the Wolf. Does that ever get old? 
No, never, never. I love to touch the Wolf and just run out there. 

When you guys are out there, Doeren does the bump and you're going to make that charge out in the field. Explosion and everything. 
It feels great. Just having that adrenaline and just running out and seeing all the fans. It's just a hell of a feeling. 

Do you think you're a team full of guys that obviously that's what you aspired for, you dreamt for, but at the same time you don't think they lack the appreciation for it. It's not old to them. It's not common. It's not deserved. It's something they have to earn. Going out there and representing NC State like that and running on the field. 
Yeah, most definitely. It's something that everyone has to earn. Earn through the offseason, the winter workouts and everything. 

You get out there and those fans are hyped up. If you could speak to them in terms of the feeling they give you, if you could express what that makes you feel like or their gratitude or whatever, what would you say to the fans? 
I would say to the fans, let's get on our feet and let's go. Let's get ready for this season. That's all I would say. 

Is there a lot of talk about ACC championships and things like that, tangible goals, or do you guys just take it day by day? 
That's our main, main big goal. Every day we take it day by day. We stay where our feet are at and just take it day by day.