Travali Price: "I'm Just Excited For The Opportunity"

NC State defensive end Travali Price recently met with the media to discuss the upcoming Military Bowl, his development, and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

What do you think of Justin's (Terrell) growth throughout the course of the summer? 
Well, he's grown tremendously. I would say because, like he said, his mentality. When he came in, you know, he was a little puppy. And he came in and didn't know that it was going to be this difficult to start working. But later on, Throughout the season, he learned that this is college football. You've got to keep your hearts up together.

Are you guys excited to play in this game? Because sometimes the excitement isn't there. Are you excited to be playing in this game? 
Absolutely. I'm always excited because I'm just excited for the opportunity. Opportunity is once in a lifetime. You don't get to play college football for the rest of your life. But I'm just thankful to be out there playing with my guys.

What do you see in the Pirates and your thoughts on them? 
I think they're a good team. I think that we're just going to compete. I think that they got some good skilled players, very good skilled players. The trenches are okay. They're pretty good, but just compete out there. 

Do you sense this is a little bit of a rivalry game, possibly? 
I don't look at it as a rivalry as much as I do like an opportunity, just another opportunity to go out and make plays.

Maybe it's hard for you to think next year is your senior year, but do you feel like this is a springboard for the future? 
Absolutely. And you know what? It went by really fast. But yeah, I think it is a springboard for the future. I think I want to make a campaign for my next season, I just got a lot of preparation to do. 

You've had a great role model in Davin Vann. What lessons have you learned from him the last few years? 
Well, I've learned mindset. I've learned a lot about mindset. He has a fantastic mindset and a work ethic that is unmatchable. You know, he was always there working. So those are the two things that I really learned from him. 

Speaking of working against the blood on your jersey, does that mean that you guys are working? I imagine they have blood on your jersey. How hard are you guys going out there? 
Oh, no, we're out there working, man. I can't lie. Busting out my thumb sometimes. I don't know how that happens. But yeah, no, we're always working. That's a standard. You can't drop below the standard, so.

Travali, as somebody going into your finishing of the junior year, how much have you noticed personally growth during these bowl game practices? It feels like coaches always talk about how important it is to get this extra bowl. 
Yeah, well, I've seen a lot of growth in a lot of players. You know, who's a great example? Like JT is a great example. Josh Alexander-Felton is a great example. I mean, those guys have really worked their butts off. I mean, put their head down, no complaining, just get out there and work. So I've seen a lot out of those guys. 

And you've had bowl practices before coming out, too. How did that help you with it all? 
Well, for me, it helped me showcase my ability to play ball. Sometimes you don't always get those opportunities during, you know, fall camps and things like that. It's just a great opportunity to go out there and see what you can showcase. 

You mentioned personal springboard for you going into next year. What about NC State as a program? Can this be a springboard for the Wolfpack going into 25? 
Absolutely. You know, I think the offense is getting out there, and they're really going at it. They're getting a lot better. Today was a great practice for them. They really showed that they can play ball. But it was very competitive. But I see a great future ahead. 

Do you see C.J. grasping the leadership role? Because this is his team now. Do you see him grasping that in practice? And how well has he been in that situation? 
He's got a lot of energy, very enthusiastic guy. Love having him around and being our quarterback, my quarterback. But he just brings the energy every day. And you can tell he wants to be here. And he's going to be a great leader in the future. 

What kind of change in energy has Coach Freddie brought? 
He wants to go. He's energizing. So he wants us up-tempo, go, go, go. I really like Coach Freddie in this role. But, yeah, I think he just wants us to run to the ball, every single play like a swarming nest, you know, a beast.

You know it's kind of an audition for him. Do you feel a little pressure to go out and have a great game against UC and possibly help him maybe elevate to that position? 
That's crazy that you were thinking about that, saying that. Because, yes, like just now I was thinking about that on the field. I was like, yeah, I want to help Coach Freddie get to where he needs to get to. I want to promote him. So I think it's very important.

What does that say about him? Because if you're saying that, that shows a lot of love for him and the group. Is that true? 
That's a lot of love for Coach Freddie. I only want the best for him. And he's always shown love, so, you know, he's being reciprocated.