NC State defensive lineman Colby Cronk met with the media to discuss Fall camp.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
On being recognized for breaking the power clean record and being on the freaks list...
I think it's a really cool thing for sure. It's always good to have your hard work recognized. I think the most important part is that your teammates and coaches recognize you first. The national thing is certainly a cool honor, but I think the most important thing is the team.
What attracted you to NC State?
I just really love the coaching staff. When I got up here, you could tell it's a real feel kind of deal. They recruited me really well, they recruited me hard, they were talking to me almost every week, multiple times a week. Another thing I would say is that the facilities are great, and the academic side is also great. I'm really attracted to it. That was a big reason for the engineering program they have.
You kind of had a storybook high school career between track and field and the numbers you put up on defense. What was it like to get here? I think you had just come off of shoulder surgery, you won a state title again, or came close in both. Then you get here, and you have to start over.
Yeah, for sure. I was pretty annoyed about my shoulder injury. I was able to get over for sure. I was able to finish track and field; that's why I got the surgery when I did. But then after that, I was all pistons running for football, for NC State football.
I was really excited to come up here. It was a little tough because I didn't get on the field. I've not been on the field, so that's why I was just grinding and really put my head down and worked. Trying to make impressions now.
What was that moment like when you broke the power play record, in the weight room and everybody else right there cheering you on?
It was so awesome—such a cool moment. I think Thunder touched on it a little bit. I failed 390 once. I hit 385 last year, so I failed 390, I was like, are you kidding me, what's going on? So I hit it again, and then Coach Thunder was like, I don't know, you might want to cut it down right now. All the teammates were like, no, come on, coach, let him keep going. I was saying the same thing. My teammates put the weight on the bar, and it was just such an awesome moment. When I got it into the power clean position and started lifting, that's when everyone went crazy. It was so awesome, absolutely. Teammates made it for sure; it was a great moment.
Duke mentioned the leadership on defense a little bit this year. How has Popo made that impact?
He's great, really an excellent leader. He speaks to the guys from the heart. I think one of the biggest contributions he made was made all the defense more team oriented. Him and a plethora of guys. That's really important for football; it's a team sport. He's done a really great job. I love him as a man and as a football player, for sure.
What's it like for you? You talked about how hard it was not to be on the field last year. What's it like now with an opportunity to work your way into it?
It's great because opportunities come and go, so you've got to make the most of them. I think that's what I'm doing right now: putting my head down and working, talking to my coaches, and trying to get the best technique I can. So that's what I'm doing now.
