NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media Thursday afternoon ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup versus Pitt.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Doeren’s interview.
On the improvements he wanted to see during the bye week…
One was getting them healthier, and I feel like we did that with the guys that we have available. We definitely gave them some opportunity to rest and recover. The second thing, each player has got what we call "one more”: something in their game that is showing up over seven games enough where we need them to get that off of film. There are things on offense and defense, and I've talked about that this week. We want to play better on third down on defense, and obviously offensively, there are things that we want to do consistently, but I think the biggest area improvement your team can have is [that] each kid that plays for you — let’s say it's 50 guys — if they all get that one thing in their game better, you have aggregate improvement, and that's 50 times. As a football team, you really diagnose the areas specifically, individually, schematically. We're doing that as coaches, “Hey, this play averages three yards. This play average is six. Then let's not run that other play anymore. Let's run this one that averages six more [often] and put it in more formations with motions." You're trying to build on your efficient plays. It’s the same thing on defense. “Which guys are rushing the passer are the best? Which guys are blitzing the best? Which guys you know are playing man coverage well? Which guys aren’t?” You’re trying to make sure you're getting guys in position to make more plays that have shown you they can make them.
On the players being receptive to those changes…
The biggest thing is — you can talk to NFL guys — they want to get better. They want to be with coaches that make them better, and it's us too. We've got to look at us and how we're calling the game. "Hey, look, you've been calling this coverage on third-and-long. It's not working, and so you're either coaching it wrong, or the guys can't do it. Either way, it's got to get fixed." We've got to own our stuff, and that's the thing. When you're transparent as a leader with, “Hey, these are my faults," it's easy for them to sit there and accept what theirs are and then get better from them. That's the only way you get better. It's to not point fingers and blame others. You’ve got to accept where you’ve got to go.
On the toughness of the upcoming stretch of games…
Well, seven in a row wasn't easy either. I can tell you that. Every week in this league, you’ve got to show up, and each team that hits that grass has a chance to win. I look at the next five games the same as I look for seven. We've got to do our best to prepare to go on the game field. We've got to execute. That's what I just told the guys: It's not about your feelings; it's about your performance. We've got to perform offense, defense, and special teams together for four quarters, and when you do that, you put yourself in a position to win every game.
On Pitt’s run defense…
They're dedicated. There's bodies in there. It starts with numbers. Offensive football and defensive football are about math. We've got seven blockers. They’ve got eight defenders. There's going to be a guy there that the running back's got to take care of in the run game. There are some blitz patterns that they're really good at. Their kids hit them fast. They can wiggle. Their guys have got really good agility at linebacker, so they're not just running into people. They're working edges and defensive linemen. It’s the same thing. They know how to use their hands. They don't do a ton. They're really good at what they do, and so the speed at which they do it, I think, is one of the things that you've got to be ready for early in the game. You don't want it to be halftime, and you're finally like, “Hey, these guys are quick." I've been trying to talk about that all week with how quick they are up front. The coverage shells for the quarterback, he's got to do a good job of seeing things and knowing where he can get the ball.
On the Panthers’ receivers...
They're quick, they can run, but after the catch, they've got some guys that can make plays with their feet, and so there's a lot of explosive plays after the catch with them. It’s not that they don't have shots down the field — they do — but [Kenny Johnson] is an electric punt returner, and he's one of their receivers, and so obviously he can make people miss. He's quick. He can accelerate, and there are several guys like that. They've got good skill, and it starts with their tailback [Desmond Reid], obviously. When Reid's in the game, he's a guy that can score at any time.
On the NCAA’s ruling about athletes and coaches being able to bet on pro sports…
I haven't thought about it and really don't have an opinion today for you.
On playing in an NFL stadium…
It’d probably be a better question for them. We'll go and walk around the stadium on Friday so they can see it and see the locker room, but I don't know how long it resonates. The game starts, and you don't really pay attention to much other than what the call is and what your responsibilities are. I think it is cool, as a college athlete, to be able to go play in an NFL stadium from a life experience standpoint. I do think that's a neat thing for these guys to be able to do.
