Charley Wiles: "We've Got to Continue to Improve"
NC State defensive line coach Charley Wiles met with the media following practice Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Wolfpack's progression through fall camp ahead of the 2024 season.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Wiles’ interview.
On fall camp…
It's been good. Once you get rolling in camp, you forget what day it is exactly because it goes pretty quickly. This camp again went very quickly. We stayed healthy, and that's so important. We got better, and we've got to continue to improve to reach our goals.
On Red Hibbler…
Obviously, he's got to do hopefully as well or better [than last year]. We have those goals, but he changed our dynamic on third down, giving us another really effective pass rush guy who could win a one-on-one [matchup]. Red proved that throughout the year: that he could win a one-on-one contest. He’s got quickness. Red has gained a little weight; he's gotten a little bigger and a little stronger. He continues to get better as a four-technique as well, playing in our base defense. Obviously, he was a dynamic addition to our third down package. I don’t remember exactly where we were on third down, but we were pretty good.
On Brandon Cleveland…
Unfortunately, he did not get into practice a couple of days in the middle of game week [leading up to the Pop-Tarts Bowl] because of the flu. That was bad. We got him hydrated, and then when he was fresh, he really did play well against a very good offensive line. Brandon has continued to work hard on his body position and his technique. He's a hard out, one-on-one. He can win a one-on-one block which is important there. If they can single our nose, then we're probably in trouble, but Brandon can win a one-on-one. He's just bigger, stronger, and faster in our conditioning program, and in reps, he's continued to improve.
On the rotation at defensive line...
You got to have depth. You can't have drop off. You want your first group and second group to be really close together. We had that last year, and that's been the goal through camp and what will continue through the year: for us to continue to improve and be consistent with the six, seven, or eight guys who are playing.
On D.J. Jackson and Chazz Wallace…
D.J. improved remarkably from spring to fall. What he did this camp solidified himself as a quality second guy in at nose. He has quickness. He's different than Brandon. Where Brandon is a little heavy-handed and a little thicker, D.J.’s a little twitchier and a little more athletic from that standpoint, movement-wise.
Chazz, from week one to week two in camp, jumped a lot. We're going to need Chazz, and he's going to play a significant role on the football team. He improved through camp.
On his fifth season at NC State…
It’s been way normal. Most of all these guys that are here — Davin [Vann], Travali [Price], Brandon — these are guys that we recruited into this system. Davin was here, but he's really a four-technique. When you think about Davin, he can play five-technique, play in the C-gap, or play in the B-gap. He has the ability, obviously, to play inside some, too. But yeah, this is home.
On how much better he is now than he was when he first arrived in Raleigh…
Obviously, being in this defense and knowing the things you pick up through experience: what's better, what to spend my practice time with that's more important… For us, it's stopping the run. It's stopping the run and being real sound in our run technique. Then on third down, we get some skinny guys out there.
On the running backs and how they’ve helped the defensive line…
That room has really flipped. Coach [Todd] Goebbel has done a great job. You’ve got guys that are 225 pounds: big, heavy, strong backs. That just makes everybody better, for sure, in terms of trying to tackle those guys.