NC State running back Duke Scott met with the media to discuss his play in fall camp, the Wolfpack's offense, and much more.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
What drives you to make yourself more efficient?
Well, you know, I kind of just have the same process as every season. Coach Thunder is doing a great job, and we fully trust and commit to his program. So, I've just kind of been trusting Coach Thunder even more. He said it's going to be a bigger workload, so you might have to put some more weight on it. I just followed that—followed what he had set for me.
What does it mean to you to be the No. 18 overall freak in the country and the highest-rated for NC State as an offensive player?
It's a cool honor. I just work, and that's kind of the biggest thing. I can put my head down and work for it every day. So, just seeing some of that hard work come to life, it's cool.
What is it like watching Colby in the weight room?
Oh, man. He's a real freak. That power clean he had, 415, broke the record. That was something special. He's a guy who comes every day, puts his head down, and gets extra work in. He's a guy, like, he's going to be very impactful for us. And I'm just excited to see how he continues to develop.
Has this camp been different for you, or is that your number now?
It has. It's been a new role for me. And it's gone from what I do, put my head down and work, to now leading other guys, picking other guys up around me to make sure everybody's doing the same thing. And not only elevating myself, but elevating everybody around me.
Is there a moment that sticks out when you think about kind of stepping up as a leader a little bit?
The biggest moment is that it's really just the everyday process. There are different moments that present themselves every day, and I just have to make sure I capitalize on them. And it's not just offensively leading; it's leading everybody, leading the defense. If I see something I don't like, or if I do like something on defense, I encourage them, tell them to pick it up, or give them kudos when they deserve it.
Did you look at maybe the history of the people who wore that number, and if so, what was that process like when you look back?
I 100% looked at it. I have one of the best ones in our room with us, Isaiah Moore. So I make sure to talk to him whenever there's doubt in my mind. I make sure to get any verification or anything like that I may need from him. But I understand how special the number is, and I'm just happy to be able to represent it and leave it better than I found it.
What types of things has he told you about kind of carrying that weight of wearing that number?
He says it's hard. It's a heavy weight to handle, you know. Coach Thunder says the head is heaviest where the crown lies. So it's like, I understand that it's going to be a task. And every day, it doesn't matter how I feel; it's about what the team needs and how I can pick them up. So it's much less about me and much more about the team now.
Do your teammates look at you differently with that number in your mind?
I would say not too much because I'm still the same person. They understand that now that I have, like, it's kind of like getting a C on your chest, like, now you have a role. And that role, I mean, it's important, but they see you as the same guy, and they understand, like, regardless of what I say, whether I had a C or not, that I'm just trying to help them out.
What's the most freakish thing you think you can do?
That's a good one. I always go to my power clean. I mean, I feel like my power clean for, like, my size is probably the most freakish thing I do. But, you know, that's so subjective. I don't know.
Can you do, like, a standing backflip or back handstands or something like that?
So I was advised not to flip, like, pretty early on in my career. But I can do, like, a handstand, like, stuff like that.
You talk a lot about CJ and Will, but what have you learned from Tad Hudson joining the QB room and the offense?
Tad Hudson brings a different type of energy. He's a guy who takes his role very seriously, and he just comes to work every day. And that's something you can always just respect. A guy who comes in every day knowing his role, knowing what he wants to do, and also elevating the guys around him.
You talk about being a leader. How have you seen Popo on the defensive side kind of change the mentality of that, you know, a little bit this season?
Bringing him in from Miami was huge. He's a guy who's completely embraced his role as a leader on the defense. And he's, I've seen the defense go from night to day, like, from the start of spring to now, it's, like, it's a drastic growth. And it has a lot to do with those leaders, him included. He's just, he does a great job of making sure everybody's on the same page, and nobody's ever left out.
What's the biggest change? Talk about big growth. What's the biggest change you've seen from them?
Everybody's on the same page. Everybody is just, like, it's like, it's one sound, like, it's one of 11. And they take that so literally, and everybody's doing their one of 11 thing. It makes it a really concrete thing.
