NC State HC Dave Doeren met with the media to discuss Fall camp, the teams progress, and much more!
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
On the new elgibility ruling...
Well, we're definitely trying to learn the rule and what happens if they overturn the rule. And doing the homework that if it happens, then this. And if it doesn't, then these are the guys we have. We are trying to be prepared. But, those kids that are in that scenario, if they weren't in the portal, there's nothing we can do with them. So it's just kind of a wait-and-see thing for us. What I don't want to do is add a guy and then have to cut him in two minutes or whatever. So we'll just see where it goes. And everything I'm reading, it's going to be a pretty quick decision on if it stands or not stands. So whenever they make that call, then we'll move.
Are you inclined to, if you can do something, like to go ahead and add somebody?
Any time we can get better with personnel, we're going to do it. But if it's somebody that doesn't make us better, I'm not going to just add to add. That doesn't make sense for our football team. You build chemistry in training camp. Every night we're having player conversations in front of the team, coach conversations in front of the team. All these things are the blue of the season. So if you add somebody late, they missed all that. So it's going to have to be a significant need and a guy that will fill that significant need. And I don't know if that exists or not. But I'm trying not to spend a whole lot of time on something that's not real yet.
I want to ask about Tad Hudson. Obviously, he's already got a pretty solid QB move. What did you see from him? Why did you want to add him? And what does it say about getting a guy who has connections maybe to the other students?
Well, I've known Tad since eighth grade. And so we loved him, and I actually came to one of our camps as an eighth grader and was impressed with him all the way back then. I ended up knowing him because I would go to that school almost every year to recruit myself. And so it starts with that. He's a really good human being. I like his personality. He's got a lot of energy. He's enthusiastic. He's encouraging his teammates. And so he brings that. And then he can throw the football. He's not a guy that's going to wow you with his speed or any of that.
He's a good athlete, but he's more of a passer and a commander. And so he gives us a seasoned guy. And if something happens, you know that you've got quality depth that's played in key games and won games. As far as the schools, I mean, to me it's more about the fit. If it's a guy that fits our culture, it doesn't matter what school he's at. We're not going to add someone from any school that doesn't if we can help it. And he's definitely a guy that did fit our culture.
A lot of change in that tight end room. Just your thoughts on how that's worked so far.
I'm really impressed with Hunter. You can tell he's played a lot of football. He's a winner, as you guys know. A champion. He carries himself in a really good way. Has high expectations. Holds himself accountable. He's good with his teammates. Vander's put on really good weight. Big athletic frame. I'm so excited about him. Preston Douglas has been very consistent in training camp. In the run game and the pass game. We get to see our young guys, Tex Vaughn, Stephen Brown. Both really athletic, young tight ends that are making plays in camp. The scrimmage is going to be telling. Ian Flynt's another one. The scrimmage is going to be important for Ian. To see how they block and finish blocks. Not just are they on the right people. But are they getting it done at the point of attack. And that's, in practice you can see some of it. But you don't see the end of it. So I'm looking forward to Saturday. At that position especially.
Going off, you guys have been out there for about a week. Who else has stood out to you on the team as you've watched practice and watched the fill-in fields?
Guys that I haven't talked about or just anybody. Yeah, just guys you haven't mentioned. Jimarion McCrimon, our left tackle, super consistent every day. Same guy. Does a tremendous job in pass protection. You go through a whole practice and you don't notice your left tackle, that's a good thing.I mean, he's doing his job every day. And so that's fun to watch. Spike having him back on the field. Really athletic inside. His command presence that he's got now, he's not as shy. His personality is coming out on the field. He's always had a personality off the field. But on the field he's kind of been a quiet guy. Starting to be more vocal. Those two guys jump out to me.
On defense, two linebackers that are in the first group right now. Popo Aguirre, AJ Richardson. You talk about command presence. I mean, these two dudes, they are vocal. They are alphas. They're tough. They see the game. They have really good reaction, vision, see what's going on, know what to do when they see it. They're getting off blocks, they're playing square. So, excited to watch that because, as you know, we've had a track record of really good linebacker play. And so to know that those two guys are going to maintain or elevate it, it's been fun to watch.
With seasons with a week zero game, does that skew the sort of buildup schedule?
No, I mean, we just started earlier. We've been talking about week zero since January. So, it's, other than just changing the calendar to make it work, it's been like we started every game, same as.
Do you think in the future maybe scheduling non-conference games against the conference teams, that that era is probably ending?
I mean, with nine games, I just don't see you doing that. And the way that our conference now rotates teams used to not be that way, as you know, when we were Coastal and Atlantic divisions. Very rarely do you see certain teams. I mean, I've been here for 14 years, and Pittsburgh has never played in our stadium since I've been here. So, there's some things that are weird about the scheduling. But now you get a better rotation of teams. And, sometimes we have Notre Dame added in. We've always tried to have at least 10 P4 games. And so I wouldn't see that being a need anymore.
During your tenure, you've always successfully hired a lot of recruiting support staff people. They may not last more than two or three years because other schools want them. But what traits do you look in that role, and what has that been like to see it evolve?
Yeah, I mean, we've definitely been a place where people have been plucked. In the recruiting office, we shuffled the deck a lot in there, unfortunately. But we've had great people. And when you have them, people come and get them. And, personality, for starters, more guys that can communicate with mom, dad, recruit, high school coaches, they're good representatives of our culture and our program and our staff. They're salesmen. They know how to present things to people in a way. They can communicate with coaches and understand sometimes that's challenging because coaches are in the grind and they're game planning and they're not timid, but they're respectful. And, they have the authority to present themselves in a certain way.
It's not a position for somebody that is, bashful. I mean, they have to have an outward personality and a respectful personality. And it's like they're trying to win. They've got to be competitive, like they're trying to have that competitive spirit about when a kid comes on campus, I always say this, this could be the only time he ever steps foot on NC State's campus, so it better be the best visit he's ever had. Because if you want him to come back, you better hit a home run the first time you get him here. And so they understand that when a kid comes, that's game day.
And so you're looking for people that embrace that, understand that, and have a, for me, like just a positive energy. I like having that around. You don't want to work with someone in recruiting that is moody or up and down. It's like, man, we don't need that here. So there's a lot of good people. It's probably the fastest growing when you look at college football, the personnel side, the GM, the recruiting offices, there's so many more jobs now. So there's a lot of opportunities for young people in that area.
