NC State edge Sabastian Harsh was outstanding for the Wolfpack in the season opener, and he met with the media to discuss the win, preview Virginia, and much more.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.
On playing a game in an NC State uniform for the first time...
Yeah, so I've been waiting a really long time since entering the portal, so it was kind of nice to just put any uniform on. So I think it makes it really special when it's an NC State one. So, my first experience in Carter-Finley, it was an awesome, great fan experience. I know my parents loved it for sure, too, and so it was kind of all in one package. It was a great day.
You look really excited out there, too. I mean, after tackles, you can tell the emotion that you're playing with. I mean, where does that come from?
It's playing for my brothers, my family, you know. So, the coach says it all the time, we're not just a team, we're a family. So I feel like, take that to heart. It makes it even easier to play your best, so.
During the game and after the game, a lot of the State fans were excited about you and Slone at the edges. Just speak to that, how well do y'all think y'all played and how much better can you get over the course of the season?
Yeah, I think he does a really good job of working really hard every single day. So,there's times during practice, I'll watch him and it'll kind of juice me up. And so I want to work harder. And so I think just being able to fit off each other as a D-line,as a whole defensive unit, you know, the sky's the limit.
What was one of the reasons that you came to NC State?
It was actually for the family, just the simple fact that coach didn't call it a team at first, he called it a family. And so even speaking with my parents after the game, they were talking about other people's parents. And then the question was, when did your kid join the family? It was never when your kid joined the team or anything like that. So just something as simple as that, it could go a long way.
So in a day and age where this game's about money, you're talking about family. That's kind of unusual, isn't it?
Yeah, I think more than anything, it's the relationship you build with your teammates, you know, even just staff people inside the building, whether it's Keith making omelets and stuff in the morning, something as small as that, like it goes a really long way.
Did you shoot your former teammate at Virginia a message yet?
No, we talked a little bit in the summer and stuff, but we made a no contact clause together. So I'm sure after the game, we'll have some nice words to talk, say to each other and stuff like that. But until then, you know, it's getting ready for the game.
So it seems like you're in the backfield a lot. What was kind of working for you to just keep getting through the offensive line?
Just straining. More than anything, effort beats a lot of schemes and stuff like that. Just playing hard, fast, tough football. A lot of times it takes a lot of errors that are happening out there, so.
At what point this offseason, do you realize you could have the type of impact that you had in the play?
I don't really think there was really a specific point or anything. I think it was just kind of that gradual buildup, just getting more confident through just drills, work in the summer, and then fall camp and stuff like that. It was kind of like a slow buildup. And then once the game came, it was like, all right, like, I'm ready. Like, let's go.
Did you feel like you had something to prove in game one?
Not necessarily myself, but definitely for the team. We played really hard for Ruff. And so just Coach said, to respect him.So just earning our respect back, and so it was more just playing for the team, understanding that I'm doing it and not just for myself, but for these guys, too, so.
Have you watched Virginia?
Yeah, yeah, I watched the last game on TV, watched them on tape the last couple of days. And so, yeah, I think they're a really good team. They play hard, so it's not going to be easy or anything like that. They got guys on the scholarship, too. And so, yeah, just got to get ready for the game, practice really hard, and prepare the right way, so.
