On the day Joseph Adedire finally stepped onto the field in an NC State uniform, it just so happened to be his birthday. For most college players, that would be a moment worth centering the day around — a milestone and a celebration. But Adedire, a defensive lineman who transferred from Texas Tech and spent last season sidelined with injury, wasn’t focused on balloons, cake, or even the personal triumph of getting his first snaps.
“Man, shoot, got my first snaps, but then all of a sudden, we lost the game,” Adedire said. “So that kind of was a main point on my day, you know what I’m saying. It’s always about the team, and we just didn’t get the mission done that day. So, birthdays kind of took a second step after that.”
That sentiment sums up Adedire’s approach — a talented lineman who values the collective above his individual story. And yet, it’s impossible not to see the significance in his personal journey.
Just a year ago, Adedire was stuck on the sideline, unable to contribute after injuries derailed what he hoped would be an impact season. He left Texas Tech looking for a new start, and the Wolfpack offered the perfect blend of culture, coaching, and opportunity. But instead of competing on Saturdays, he was still rehabbing, watching, and waiting.
So when he finally broke through for a tackle for loss in his first live action, it meant far more than just a check mark in the box score.
“Oh, it meant the world,” he said, smiling at the memory. “As you guys know, I got hurt last year, so I wasn’t able to play. And then just like my first, the feeling of being able to be back on the field, being able to contribute to the team and whatnot, it was all the world to me. I loved it, you know what I’m saying. It was great. It was great.”
The celebration lasted only a night. The very next day, Adedire was back in the film room with his teammates, reviewing the game with the critical eye required of anyone trying to grow in the trenches.
“It was tough. It was tough,” he admitted. “I mean, there’s a lot of things to learn from, and that’s definitely what we did. We took the good from the game, we took the bad from the game, and we’re just looking to build towards something better this week.”
For Adedire, the “we” matters more than the “me.” He has bought into the NC State culture, one that head coach Dave Doeren often emphasizes with the phrase hard, tough, together. Adedire doesn’t just hear those words; he sees them reflected in the daily bonds of the locker room.
“Just everybody caring for each other, everybody trying to hold ourselves to the standard, and then just playing hard,” Adedire said. “Everybody is able to tell if you really love your teammates by how hard you’re playing on the field—whether you’re running to a ball or not, you’re doing your assignment and whatnot, and you know what to do in the first place.
“And then just like interpersonal relationships. Like I see my buddy, I see Sabastian [Harsh], I go give Sabastian a hug. I see Kenny, I go next to Kenny and give him a hug and whatnot. Just like making sure we’re like this, you know what I’m saying—we don’t have to separate.”
That chemistry is especially critical as NC State prepares for quarterbacks like Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones, whose mobility forces defenses to be disciplined and unified.
“We’re going to need to, as a D-line especially, we’re going to need to make sure we contain him, how we go rush,” Adedire explained. “We’ve got to work together in the rush unit and whatnot. Back end comes into that, too. We all work together, especially as a defense, we all work together. The same thing with offense — o-line has to block, wideouts have to run their routes, running back has to step up — so everybody works together.”
That “everybody” ethos is what drew Adedire to Raleigh in the first place. Coming from Texas Tech, he noticed immediately that NC State’s program was about more than just football.
“I’ve learned a lot, honestly,” he said. “I learned the culture on the team, which I know — one path, one goal. And it’s really team-focused over here. People genuinely care about you. I know I can go up there and talk to Coach Doeren whenever I need to. I always talk to Coach Wiles, Coach Shaw.
“I know the players, like, we really care about each other. I mean, if there was a day I came in here, like, not feeling my best, somebody out there would ask me about it, you know what I’m saying, trying to make sure I’m good, trying to make sure I’m doing better. And then just to sit here, right, I love it.”
And while the football culture has been a fit, so too has the environment. Raleigh is nothing like Lubbock — and Adedire has come to appreciate the differences.
“This is much greener. It’s much greener down here, lots of tall trees. I love trees, personally. So, I like it a lot. I like the city. The whole city is for NC State. Everybody supports NC State, which I love.”
Does he have a favorite tree? Adedire laughs off the question.
“No, I really don’t,” he said. “I just like trees, you know. I like being able to drive past. I see, like, the forests and whatnot. I feel like, like, I’m really, once I get some free time, we’ll go adventuring, for sure. Probably try to take a trip up to the mountains and whatnot.”
That’s for the offseason. For now, Joseph Adedire’s adventure is between the white lines — where he’s healthy again, back to contributing, and finally carving out the role he envisioned when he left Texas Tech for NC State.
