Hollywood Smothers: "We'll Be Just Fine As Long As We Stick Together"
NC State running back Hollywood Smothers met with the media to discuss his recent play, the upcoming matchup against California, and much more.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.
What was it like to get back this week?
It was definitely great, just those last two weeks just trying to get my body back, right? Because I would try to help the team as much as possible, but it was great getting the feel back out there and getting them to move.
What's going through your mind on that pass you took, you know, way down the field, made like five guys miss, you know, what's going through your mind on that play?
Man, just doing anything to win just because I was like, always, never give up until that clock is zero. So just doing whatever to try to get my team in position, give us a chance to try to, you know, get a quick score.
How did you get the nickname Hollywood, and doesn't Hollywood have to shine in California?
No doubt. I got that at high school, like my freshman year, honestly, by the offensive line coach. He pretty much said, like, one day out of practice, he was about to start calling me that, like, it fit my character and stuff. Like, he just said, like, you just like my personality and stuff. Like, I'm always, you know, in the mood, like, I'm in the mood to bring the action and stuff. So that's where I pretty much got that from.
When you have a young quarterback like C.J., do you guys feel as playmakers, it makes you want to do that much more to kind of make him look better as well when you get the ball in your hands?
No, 100 percent, man, true. C.J. Like, he has the most talent in the world. Like, he has it all. It ain't much we have to do. Like, he makes the correct reads and the right throws, and we just have to play ball. We all believe in C.J., and, true, he doesn't make any job any harder.
Do you ever think that it was going to be in this situation, a bunch of young guys playing this late in the season, getting the opportunity to play? It's got to be nice.
Yeah, definitely. It's a blessing. We're blessed with a lot of programs on things like that. And I feel like every position we have one through three, like, that can go on the field and make plays for us. So, young guys, they stay prepared, stay in the playbooks and are ready to step up. So it's no surprise to me.
Cal's secondary has really wreaked havoc on opposing teams. And so the run game is going to be really important this week to, you know, to give the offense some balance. You know, is there anything specific that you've worked on this week to make sure that you're ready?
I would just stick it to the script to really just try to keep the ball, like, less turnover, less having the ball more in our hands more time possession and keeping the ball and scoring, making every possession count for something, a field goal or a touchdown. And I feel like we'll be just fine. I don't feel like we're going to change too much up like, we just got to keep the ball in our hands, you know, no turnovers, no fumbles, no interceptions or anything. We just got to go out there and do our thing, honestly.
Is the bigger challenge of making the trip to, say, California, because it's unusual for an ACC team, making the trip to California, does that make things a little more difficult in some way? And if so?
Oh, I'm not sure. I haven't been to California yet. But, I mean, there's nothing new for us. We play football out here every day. And as long as we practice like it and go out here and attack full speed, I don't think it should be an issue for us.
Are you looking forward to the trip? Because it is a different trip.
100 percent. I know a lot of our guys haven’t been on that side, been on the West Coast. So it should definitely be exciting for us. And get back on our feet. We want to win some football games and, you know, go 5-0 the rest of the season. So it will definitely be exciting for us to go out there and, you know, get a win by the end of the day.
Did you have an added motivation this week, you know, after missing the last two weeks, every time you touched the ball, to make something happen?
No, I just, I'm blessed to wake up in the morning. That's enough motivation for me right there.
You weren't involved in any of them, but the three turnovers this past week and the turnover issues that the team has faced this year, how frustrating is that for the offense and how much are you guys working this week to really improve on that?
Oh, it's really just really, like, focusing on our ball security, honestly. Like, I want a part of it, but it takes a toll on the whole team, changing the momentum and everything. So definitely just working on our ball security and just making sure we don't make the same mistake twice.
When you guys go through struggles like this, is it a situation where you just lean back on the fact that I'm blessed to play football? How do you approach this?
Right, just like that, and hug up on your brothers and stuff. Like, we're in this together. We've got to fight every day and practice together and just look at the ones around you. This is what you're doing for it and come in for it every day. So really, as long as we go in and have each other's back and fight through the adversity, I think we'll be just fine as long as we stick together.