No. 24 NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Wolfpack's season opener versus Western Carolina.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Doeren’s interview.
On Kerwin Bell elevating the Western Carolina program…
He's done a great job. He’s veteran coach. They led the FCS in seven categories offensively [last season]. They did a really good job. He did such a good job that he lost a lot of coaches and players, but he's a vet. He's been around. He understands how to do it. They're tough. They recruited well. They’ve got good size on the line of scrimmage. They’ve got a lot of guys that can make plays in space. It's a really good program. You watch them play last year — I haven't studied them every year like we are, obviously this year — but they're impressive on film.
On beginning the season a couple of days before the majority of the rest of the FBS teams…
I [like it] for a couple reasons. We practice all spring. We go through winter conditioning, summer conditioning, and fall camp, and the guys are ready. They want to play a game. Then on the flip side, it gives us a couple days in this season in particular with playing eight without a bye. Every extra day we can get is a good day, from a recovery standpoint, for the coaches too, just to be able to have a little extra time to clear our heads and get ready for another opponent.
On FBS vs FCS matchups…
Being in FCS football for six years as a coach, those are huge games for programs. Obviously, they make money for those schools as well, so they help support their budgets. Those kids to get a play in a Power Four stadium; it’s a great life experience for them. They’re good opponents when you play these games. You can't take anybody for granted. You have to understand that they're coming in here with nothing to lose when they play us. Having that perspective for me because I played at that level and coached at that level, it helps when talking to the guys, for sure.
On what position stands out for the Catamounts…
Their quarterback [Cole Gonzales] is a really good player. He’s a coach's son. You can see he's a game operator. He manages things and makes quick decisions. He’s accurate; he doesn't turn the football over. Last year, I thought their tailback position was really loaded, and they lost a couple guys, so we'll see where that is, but they did a great job getting the football to the running backs last year in the passing game and the running game. Those two positions stand out.
On Tony Gibson’s defense preparing the offense…
It's fun to see the chess match between Coach [Robert] Anae and Coach Gibson, back and forth, and the quarterbacks, obviously, are a huge part of that. They have good conversations after practice, Grayson [McCall] and Tony, on what they saw and what was hard today. I think it's good information. Grayson's played football for a long time. He's seen a lot, as a starter. He appreciates being tested. There's not a coverage that he's going to see all season that he didn't see at training camp, so he's definitely ready for what's in front of him.
On what he attributes his success at generating turnovers to…
It's buy-in. All schools talk about the importance of getting the ball back. It's buy-in about players, and it's finishing plays. You know, there are a lot of DBs, linebackers, and different guys where — when the ball gets in their hands — you see them not finish the play; our guys have finished plays. It’s pass rush and coverage tied together. Obviously, the scheme helps, too; when you have an extra guy dropping in coverage at times, you’ve got more people that can break on the football. It’s 11 guys — and really 15, when you get into the rotation of the game – that buy into it and understand the value of it. There's nothing more important in the game than possession of the ball. Defensively, getting that back flips the field position, gains the momentum, and puts their defense back on the field for our offense. All of those things, it's complimentary football.
On what changes to game operations will be most important…
I think it might be team to team, depending on how they communicate. Teams that are no-huddle are still going to be signaling everything. Teams that huddle have a bigger advantage with the headset technology. The tablets, for me, I'm more excited about because the real-time, exact information that you get without having to ask, “What did you see? Are you sure you saw that?" then asking a player to confirm what he saw, "This is what happened," so you can make quicker, real adjustments as a coach. Sometimes, you come into the office day after game and watch the film, and you're mad. You're like, “If I would have known that was happening, I would have done X, Y and Z." You just don't always get accurate information because things happen really fast on game day. You don't always get the replay on the Jumbotron. For me, that's what I'm more excited about. I think both can help depending on the offensive style.
On Ja’Had Carter…
He’s a really versatile player. He played in a similar system at Syracuse. He played safety and nickel for them, and then he played in a different system at Ohio State. He’s well versed, fundamentally. He’s been coached by some good guys on defense. He’s a very confident player, and he fit right in. It was a very smooth transition with him.
On recruiting two-way players…
It was fortunate and unfortunate at Kansas. We played three guys both ways because we didn't have that many good players when we first got there. Charles Gordon played both sides of the ball. Aquib Talib played both sides of the ball. Our tailback, John Randall, played both sides of the ball. That's a tribute to their stamina and ability. What I learned from that is, if you got a guy that can change the game, then try to change the game with him. Sometimes, two-way players have the stamina to do that coming to college, and sometimes they don’t. I'm open to it. Obviously, we're doing it now with Isaiah Shirley, and there's guys that were recruiting who I can't talk about, but that's something that you know is interesting to them. If they have the mental capabilities and physical stamina, then I'm open to those things because it's been successful in my history.
On the ACC Network reaching five years on the air…
Well, it's definitely gotten us more publicity. There's more access which is the main thing; you're in more homes, more countries, and everything involved with that. As the years have gone, the network has improved. They learn each year how they can get better. I do appreciate that part. They're not hard-headed like, “This is how we do it, get used to it,” if you have ideas, suggestions, or if they make a mistake. Being able to improve year after year and the talent that they've put on game day for us has gotten better. We've built relationships with some of these folks, and it's fun to have them. I really enjoy getting to spend time with some of the staff that comes in.
On his excitement for the new season…
Every game is exciting for me. For the first game, it's just been a while, but the longer you coach, the more you appreciate the opportunity, coming out of the tunnel with your guys, and seeing the excitement, the energy, the anxiety, all of it. It's impossible to explain. You have to be a part of it as coach or a player. We work really hard for a few opportunities, 12 guaranteed. That walk down the tunnel with that group, that sprint out on the field, the fireworks, the flyover, the fans, the smoke, all of it… It doesn't matter if it's the first game. I think this is my 78th, maybe, home game. Every one of them feels good.
On the Catamounts' offense and if there are parallels to any ACC team he’s faced…
They're going to make you defend the width of the field. They use space well, but they're also physical in the run game. It's an uptempo offense; how you defend that: don't let them have first downs, and don’t give them positive first-down yardage either. If you get them in what we call off-schedule play-calling, it helps the defense. You've got to perform well on those first-and-10's, and then the third downs are really big because those offenses really crank up when they start getting first downs, and so getting them off the field [is important]. There are a lot of spread offenses we've played. I don't think they're anything different than the others. They have their system. They're really good at it. Their players understand it. They operate well, and they can defend the field. You've got to tackle well when you play spread offenses. That’s the key. The ball is going to be in space a lot.
If the offense will utilize huddling or no-huddle…
We'll be able to do both. Because you do end up in two-minute offense, we have to be able to operate as a no-huddle offense, but we'll be able to do both. Coach Anae has a good feeling on which one is helping him, and he’ll have the ability to do whatever he wants whenever he wants.
On having Anae in the coach’s box on game day…
He's done both in his career as a coordinator. I've done both. There's a serenity up there that you have that's different. When you're on the field, it's loud. It’s emotional. There's people in your way. You get bumped into. You're looking at your play sheet, and for him, I think it's just an easier way to focus. He feels like, since it's his second year with the staff, it's easier for him to delegate things and have confidence that they're going to get things done the way he wants it. Coach [Kurt] Roper has been on the field throughout his career, so it's an easy transition. As a play caller, I know, personally, I always enjoyed being able to spread my stuff out on a desk, take time, and look at it. You’re just not as rushed, and it's a quieter space to do work.
On preparing for the game with this group…
It's not even the game planning; it's just whatever you put in front of them. It’s a good group of leaders in the locker room. Our captains do a great job, and whatever we've asked, they've stepped up. It’s transitioning from going against each other to getting ready for an opponent; I thought it was very smooth. These guys want to win, so when you tell them, “Hey, here's what's next, here's why we're doing it, and this is how we're going to do it,” they just get in line and go. That’s been fun. There's no resistance. There's a lot of guys working together.
