Dave Doeren: "Each Game is a Test"
NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media Thursday afternoon ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup versus Northern Illinois.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Doeren’s interview.
On this week of practice...
It was very physical. Guys were definitely encouraged by themselves, by coaches, and by former players. There's a certain brand of football that exists at NC State that needs to be on the field, and it wasn't last week. It starts with being a physical bunch of guys. That's, in essence, the DNA. It starts with physicality. That was preached and talked a lot about. Our opponent believes in the same thing. It's going to be a really physical football game. Tuesday and Wednesday were that; they were really physical practices led by the players. They did a great job pushing each other, competing. They did a lot of good-on-good this week to get the speed of the game that we need to do that. They definitely put the work in.
On practicing that level of physicality every week...
It depends on the health of your team. It's not like we do an hour of it. You do enough of it that you get that strain across from you. The picture's different. It's moving. It's not the opponent's looks. You're just running your defense and your offense, giving them that starter on the other side of the ball that's playing with a little bit different twitch. You love to do it all the time but you put yourself at risk doing too much of it. There’s kind of a sweet spot there.
On the position groups that stepped up...
There isn't one that needs to do it better. It's a team thing. We have to play 11-man football that way. I said this after the game: there's some guys that are playing that way. Their teammates need to play that way with them. I'm not going to single one group out. Everybody needs to do it together.
If former players came and talked to team directly...
No, not directly, but there were phone calls made. They weren't because we asked them to. These guys want each other and play well. When you leave, as a former player, you want the guys behind you to carry the torch forward, not just do what you did, but raise the bar. That's what you call your legacy. There's an established way that we play the game. “Hard, Tough, Together” is something that goes way earlier than my tenure here. We believe in that. It's getting back to the identity of our football team.
On focusing on a fast start this week...
That'd be great. It's funny. People talk about that. Every week, you want to start that way. You want to have a lead, but I can't do that for them. They've got to get out there and not have pre-snap penalties that are preventable, not have a holding penalty that takes away a 20-yard run, not give up an explosive play in the first drive. You just go out there, do what you're supposed to do, and do your job. You do it with an intensity. You do it like you're the only guy on the field that can get this done. You play with that kind of demeanor and pride about your performance. At the end of the day, they've got to care a lot about their film. Their film is their resume. As a coach, I look at that film as a reflection of my coaching. In both cases, we've got to be better. It's a we, us, and ours venture around here. I take it personally. I understand, when you don't play well, it's a reflection. I don't like that reflection. I'm doing my part to get this thing right. Now, it's their turn to go out on that grass and fight for it.
On defending Antario Brown...
He's a good football player. I have a lot of respect for him. They use them well. They find matchups for him. You can't always do that. Sometimes, you can. On third down, it's a lot easier to put who you want on people when it's a passing situation, but they get him the ball off of play actions and wheel routes off of run plays too. You've got to use your rules. Guys need to know where he is. He's a very good football player.
If there’s been any difference in Tony Gibson this week in practice...
It's been really intense. A lot of it just comes from a reflection, like I said. Coach Gibson's a guy that, every day, shows up with the same expectations. His job this week was to make it very clear that some of those expectations weren't being met. Because of that, you'll see different guys start in the game at certain positions. At some point, it's not tryouts. It's the best guy that's the toughest guy, that's the most consistent guy that gets those reps, and reps are earned, not given. Guys aren't being given up on, but they're being challenged. Coach Gibson's challenging his side of the ball, Coach [Robert] Anae is challenging his, Coach [Todd] Goebbel his, and each position coach the same. That directive starts with me with them. It's been a week of that. Being challenged, understanding what we did last week on the field, in my opinion, was an embarrassing reflection of who we are as a program. It's not what I believe in. It’s definitely not what these kids believe in. It doesn't mean I don't care about them; I love these guys. I also love what our program stands for: toughness. We're back to that. We'll see if it shows up on Saturday because that's what this is all about. Each game's a test. It's a mental test, a physical test, and an emotional test. It's all that for a coach and a player.
On the team’s reflections...
It's ownership. Accountability starts with that. As a coach, the things that I'm seeing: believing in transparency, also not demeaning. Being very demanding, demanding more, demanding competition at certain positions, demanding the best that we can get out each player, demanding the coaches deliver with what their position groups are responsible to do. That's what it's about. Those team meetings, you can sweep it under the rug, and it's going to come right back out and get you. You know what you've got to fix. We've been through this before. It's a different issue this time. We're doing it with Grayson [McCall] out. It's playing with a young quarterback. You're going to have some guys around them that have to step up and play really hard on that side of the ball. The defense needs to do their part, getting us the ball in good field positions.
On preparing for the Huskies schematically...
It's a different intricacy. There are a lot of edges in their run game. They do a good job making you defend a lot of formations. There's a lot of eye candy, a lot of blocking schemes, a lot of bodies, and misdirection with it. Then off of that stuff comes nakeds, play actions, and screens. Then, third down is third down. They do a great job with their system. They understand who they are. Coach [Thomas] Hammock's a really good football coach. He's got a good staff. I'm really impressed with what he's doing and the way that they've been able to do what they've done. It's hard in that landscape. When you look at non-Power-Four teams. When they have a good player, how many people are trying to get those players to leave schools? It happens here. You leave the locker room after the game, and there's agents trying to track kids down all over the place. It's unhealthy. What he's been able to do, you see four-year starters and three-year starters. There's guys there that are staying. That's a great reflection of what coach has done there.
On matching NIU's effort...
We respect this opponent. I'm sure that that does help. I'll be honest: this is about their pride. That other side of the ball, it's about how we play football. Yeah, we're going to play a physical team, but it's more about how we play football. We've got to get back to the DNA of who we are and take pride in what we put on film. That film is a forever record of effort. It's what it is. It's a forever record of effort. For eternity, how you played in this game on this day is on record, win or lose, but the effort needs to be winning. That's what I'm looking at. Everyone cares more about the wins and losses. I understand that. I care about the DNA, the toughness, and the way these guys play for each other. That's what I'm coaching. How hard we play is a reflection of what is up on the scoreboard.