Demarcus Jones: "They Show A Lot Of Different Looks"
NC State running back Demarcus Jones recently met with the media to discuss the upcoming matchup against Duke.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.
Had injuries on and off virtually your whole career. What's it been like to stay relatively healthy this season and get to make some plays?
No, it's just a blessing, you never know when you can go down. So really, I'm just thankful to be back out there with my guys in my last year. So I'm just thankful to get the opportunity.
Walk us through that spin move on Saturday.
Hey, it just happened, we practice things like that every day. But when it happens, it happens, it's just, it's almost second nature.
Doeren mentioned it. We all were looking at some of that game tape, looking at that spin move. A lot of guys are really cheering, I'm like, hey, look at Demarcus. What does it mean to have that level of camaraderie in this locker room at this point in the season where guys are really pulling for each other like that?
Just being together has us, we actually feed off of, I feed off other guys making plays. So it's just like, it's more of a, we're happy to see each other just be successful, you know, trying to get a groove on these last few games.
You've played a bunch of different roles this fall. What have you enjoyed about this season?
Mainly just making it this far, you know, like you said, I had injuries last year, but really just, I'm just thankful, you know, just to be able to do what I can do. I do whatever they ask of me, you know, I just, it doesn't matter what it is. If they ask me to go put a linebacker for a snap, I'll go do my best, you know?
What is it like to have two members of your family here?
It's phenomenal, just being able to have just blood here, you know, just being able to be around them every day, people I grew up with.
How Isiah (Jones) kind of made things a little different, having a younger teammate who's also a relative?
So actually we were younger, he hung around me and another older cousin of his. So it's almost like having my little brother here, you know, I try to do better, try to have a great attitude every day, just show him what it's like to finally get old, you know, but I also encourage him to stay as young as possible.
Last year, you guys came out of the open day and ran the table one time in a row. Is that the returning player's confidence that you can match that and do it again?
It definitely does. It's also that we have to make sure that we take it day by day, not get ahead of ourselves, because that was last year, you know, just come out with the same mentality that we do every game and just take it day by day.
You've been here for a long time. What has this program meant to you as, you know, just as a human being?
It means a lot. You know, I walked on here, I started out as a walk-on, earned a scholarship. So like, it's just a blessing to be able to play in my home, my hometown. I'm from Wendell, not too far from here, just a country boy. So just being around here at a blue collar school, you know, it's just a blessing.
How much do you embrace the mentorship role? I mean, it seems like every time we talk to a young running back, they throw out Demarcus Jones II as a big influence, not just on the field, but adjusting to college life, playing college ball. What does that mean to you?
You know, to finally be in it, it's crazy. You know, I used to look at the older guys, be like, I'll never be that old, you know, but really it's just, I try to be the same person every day, try to make them laugh and let them know that it's still a game that we play at a young age, you know, just, just enjoy it. You know, there's going to be ups and downs, so just enjoy it all, embrace the journey.
What have you seen from Duke going into this week?
They show a lot of different looks, blitz wise. So we've got to be on our P's and Q's. They force a lot of turnovers. We've got to make sure we protect the ball and just attack.
In college, you have the robbery games with Duke and UNC. You also had robbery games, I'm sure, between Wake Forest, Heritage, and Rolesville in high school. What's in the water in that area of the state? And do you have a favorite memory from that rivalry?
Really, I don't know. I personally think North Carolina football is the best football in the country. Yeah, I mean, it's a lot of, we're all friends outside of it. You know, when we play, it's almost like it looks like bad blood, but at the end of the day, we still, you know, we still talk to each other outside of it. So it's just, we go out there and just honestly give it our best shot.
Y'all could earn bowl eligibility this week. Is that something you're actively thinking about, or just let's get out of this with a win?
Yeah, I'm trying to, we're trying to take it day by day. Of course, that's in the back of our mind, but we also want to just win out and not focus on the future.