Sabastian Harsh has learned that staying grounded is just as important as staying aggressive on the football field. When the season gets tough, he focuses on finding balance, and he does that by spending time with teammates off the field and disconnecting from the constant grind of football.
“I just try and be around my teammates, around my brothers,” Harsh said. “Hang out with them outside of football. Just kind of make a little disconnect there. Do stuff outside of the field. Take my mind off everything else that’s going on. Just being able to find something that you enjoy doing outside of the sport.”
That balance has been key as NC State navigates a challenging stretch of games. Harsh has seen firsthand the attitude his coach has praised — a group that refuses to quit.
“Just the attitude in the locker room between all the guys, just talking to each other. Everybody’s super juiced. Nobody’s heads are down low. Nobody’s tucking their toes. So at the end of the day, we’re going to have to line up and play football,” he said.
The team’s spirit, he said, has been reinforced through leadership from within. A players-only meeting on Sunday, organized by the leadership council, helped the team reconnect and keep their focus.
“We talked it out, hashed stuff out between all of us. Just being able to lean on each other as a whole team, as players — everybody’s kind of spirits are up. Just understanding that I can lean on my brother to the left of me, to the right of me, just the same as I would my real brother or sister. Being able to rely on guys that I trust makes a really big difference.”
For Harsh, that player-driven leadership is somewhat new.
“It’s definitely a little bit different,” he said. “That’s kind of one of the first times that I’ve had to go through something like that, just kind of have guys on the team stepping up and really taking charge. I think it’s a great thing that, you know, when coaches don’t have to harp on it so much anymore — the guys on the team start stepping up and saying things — then you start making improvements a lot quicker.”
Looking ahead, Harsh knows Georgia Tech presents a unique challenge. With an explosive offense and a strong quarterback, as well as a hard-nosed defense, the Wolfpack will need to be prepared for everything.
“Yeah, I think they’re a really good team. They do a lot of different stuff on offense — explosive, really good quarterback. Hard-nosed defense. They’re a really good team. It comes down to just preparation, getting ready for it. Yeah, super excited to play those guys.”
When asked about Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, Harsh praised his elusiveness and agility.
“Yeah, super strong runner. Really good on his feet. He’s quick. He’s able to make guys miss. That’s just kudos to him. Great player. Yeah, excited.”
As a senior, Harsh also reflects on the journey that brought him here. Growing up, he remembers watching college football highlights in his room, dreaming of playing at this level.
“Yeah, I was just telling one of the guys, like, it’s wild to think that I used to be in my room as a kid watching college football highlights on YouTube, sitting there eating ramen noodles, eating chips and stuff,” he said. “And now, like, I get to live that out. So just kind of thinking back to memories like that, it just makes it that much sweeter.”
