QUOTEABLES: Doeren Talks Spring Game, Newcomers, Defense

NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media to discuss this weekend's Kay Yow Spring Game and much more.

How will the spring game look?

We’re playing. The red team will be the offense, white team will be the defense. Opening kickoff will be live. Offense will go against defense live. First half will be normal play clock. First two punts of the game will be live punt returns so we can see those guys then after that punts will be fair catch caught and then play from wherever they’re caught. Field goals will be live.

Will field goals be live?

They won’t be live rushed. There’ll be 11 guys out there and they’ll put their hands up and hopefully some people yelling at him (Christopher Dunn) from the stands.

Will this be his first time kicking in front of people and in the stadium?

Yeah in front of people. We’ve been in there three times but he hasn’t had a crowd around him yet so it’ll be good for him.

What about his makeup tells you he can be successful?

It’s gonna be a process for him. He’s been outstanding this spring. The best thing about Chris is that he’s the same guy every day. He’s just a routine guy. That’s the biggest thing those guys have to be. Every single thing those guys do from warm-ups all the way through has to get them ready. He’s been really good that way so far.

How does having a more reliable kicker (if he makes the kicks) change your approach in the red zone?

It helps. We’ll still be aggressive in fourth and short when we feel like we can get them but you feel like now you can be smart and be in position on third down when you know you’re gonna get three points if it’s not there.

Will the balance on offense change this year?

I don’t think so. That’s what we want to be. A lot of it depends on yards after catch. Our receiving core as you guys know is experienced and talented. Fall camp will tell us a lot about the running back position because Reggie’s been out for most of the spring. Ricky’s been limited because of his hand. That position has a lot of growth still. To be able to win the games we need to be able to win we are going to need to be able to run the ball when we want to especially at the end of the game.

How is Reggie’s conditioning?

He’s doing okay. He’s limited so you can’t do all the running which hurts you cardio-wise. They do everything they can with him but he’ll good by the summer time and have 2-3 months to get himself where he wants to be.

We won’t see him on Saturday then?

No.

I assume we won’t see Ricky (Person) either?

No he won’t play.

What do you expect to see from (Erin) Collins and (Nakia) Robinson?

We’ll see. For the whole team we have to finish the plays. Right now, we’re blowing whistles. You think you’ve got him tackled or he thinks he broke the tackle and you have that argument. We’ll see that finish. All those blocks we’re asking guys to pull up on, those guys get to finish. Defensive guys get a shed. From the running back position it’s about finishing runs and ball security and pass protection, picking up guys on the move. There’s a lot of things that will be told in the stadium and the film won’t lie. It will be great for those guys.

What have you seen from the young defensive line?

We got four incredible guys that left the program but we’ve got guys who have been playing a lot of football behind them and they’ve been waiting for this opportunity. That’s what it is, it’s an opportunity for them. To say we’ll be exactly the same, no we’re not. We lost the defensive player of the year in college football, he’s pretty good, but we’ve got some guys that are excited about the opportunity.

We’re gonna have to make up production in other ways, the linebacking core has made a lot of plays this spring. They’re very twitchy guys that are good blitzers so we may have to come up with other ways to get to the quarterback if we can’t use a true four man rush but we’ve got a lot of time before we get to that point.

Unfortunately E (Eundraus Bryant) and Shug (Frazier) haven’t played this spring with nagging things. It’s been great for Grant Gibson and Larrell Murchison, they’ve gotten a ton of reps, an absolute ton, so has Joseph Boletepeli. You can see the progress with these young defensive line.

How have the redshirting defensive ends looked?

Kante, we had to play him inside a lot this spring because of the depth, and that’s been good for him, toughness wise, it’s hard, at 250 pounds playing in there against our o-line with double teams and stuff but he’s a good fundamental guy but he’s got to get stronger, he’s got really good length.

Lyas has made some athletic plays but still undersized, he’s got to gain some weight the next couple of weeks.

Joe Babros, the junior college end, he’s gotten better. He was thinking so much at the beginning and now you’re starting to see his athleticism and he’s really strong for a guy his size so he’ll be able to help us.

Is (Markel) Valdez 100% healthy?

No not yet.

Has it been a lot of Chris Ingram at corner, with a little bit of (De’Von) Graves?

Trowell has played a lot with the ones and done a nice job. You’ll see him and (Nick) McCloud with the ones and then Vernon Grier, Ingram, Graves rotating with the twos.

Which position group made the biggest jump this spring?

That’s hard, I’d probably say the linebacking core probably. Those guys have practiced every day, they’ve had the same guys out there out of the guys that didn’t have starters return. They’ve gotten a ton of reps and the competition is good in that room. Offensively we knew what we had at most of the spots.

With the guys in and out at running back it’s been challenging for that group to grow as much as you want.

To see Justin Witt get the reps that he’s gotten it’s been great for him, Joe Sculthorpe, so some of the guys, like the d-line who were in backup roles this year that are getting more time, we’re really starting to see the improvement out of them.

What have you seen from the young linebackers?

Louis (Acceus) and Isaiah (Moore) have both been rotating with the ones and they’re both doing a good job.

They can run, I think Isaiah is a little ahead mentally and they both see things, they have good reaction skills and their vision is good. It’s just about reps, they’re both quick twitch guys and both of them can really get to the football.