NC State LB Devon Betty: "It's My Job To Lead"

NC State linebacker Devon Betty is excited about the start of the season. He recently met with the media to discuss his development and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

On playing at outside linebacker…
Y'all know I started outside, honestly, where I played my best ball; back in ‘21 was playing Will linebacker. I love it, love it.

What's it like being the veteran in that room now?
As a veteran, as an older guy, it's my job to lead, my job to keep the guys right, make sure they come in every day and do the right things, and just make sure everybody's going 100% every day.

Are y'all officially in Western Carolina game prep yet?
Yes, we are. Today was day one of Western Carolina for us.

Okay, what are you seeing from them?
Just treating them like every other team, expecting them to play hard, play fast. Just because they're in a lower conference, they still can come in here, well plus if they come in here with the right mindset. So our job is to just come in every day and practice and treat them like any other team.

What's your best advice for young dads?
For young dads, I would just say time management is the biggest, especially when you're in a sport like mine and still doing school.  Time management, just prioritize and schedule everything out and make everything easy.

What has fatherhood been like so far?
Fatherhood's been good. It's a definite learning process. As you know, we talked about it. It's a learning process every day still. My baby girl's almost one now. I had her last year in Virginia. We missed that whole week of practice. Fatherhood's been good. I'm loving it. I'm learning every day, like I said. It's my peace of mind, I have to say. She's the only thing that can calm me down.

How much does that add to you wanting to be able to represent her and come out on the field?
It gives me a different type of motivation. Just knowing I've got somebody depending on me at home, I know I've got to come in here every day and bust my butt every day. Just knowing I have another why is big for me. It motivates me every day to come in here and work hard.

Any motivation about being number eight?
Nah, just changing numbers. I'm just looking to make it maybe four this year.

I think the coaches have said that you might be in the best shape of your career. Is there validity to that? What went into it?
I would say just looking over the years, seeing what I was missing over the years. I just realized I could be better in that aspect of my body. Just being more in shape, being more fit, being more mobile.

What have you seen from the guys around you?
As far as a lot of that support. Oh, we're rolling. As you all know, we've got Sean Brown back in the box. We've got Caden Fordham back in the middle. We're rolling this year. If there's no drop-off, I know everyone will say, ‘Oh, Payton Wilson, left, you'll drop off, I promise you.’ Sean Brown can get the job done, and I can’t wait for y'all to see it this year.

Has that been a rallying cry this offseason? No drop-off?
Yeah, that's been a thing. No drop-off, no drop-off. We're hitting everywhere, social media. But like I tell everybody, we don't get into social media. We kind of just prove it on the field. So yeah, obviously, there won't be no drop-off this year. 

You know this defense like the back of your hands. How does that help you play faster?
It helps me play faster a lot, honestly. When you know what you're doing, when you know where you're supposed to be at and when you know where other guys are next to you, it just allows you to go trigger right now. And so being a better guy, knowing the defense so well, it's allowed me to play faster than a lot of guys that still learn. 

You've been practicing against a talented group of running backs for a few weeks now. What are your thoughts on Hollywood?
They all are good. I like our backs this year. Jordan, Hollywood, Kendrick, all of them. They all are good and I'm glad that Jordan joined the Pack. Good competition every day. Allows us as backers and defenders to feed off of him because he's probably, honestly, probably the best athlete you'll see.

You mentioned the situation obviously being a parent. How's NC State helped you with that?
A lot. NC State has helped me a lot being a parent. We have a lot of resources outside of football, in football. Obviously a lot of our coaches are dads and stuff. So they just, every now and then they all just chip in, a little advice on fatherhood, and all I can do is take it in and learn from them. Obviously they've been doing it for me, so all I can do is learn everyday from them.