NC State tight end Vander Ploog met with the media to discuss the Virginia loss, how he could improve, and much more!
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
Tough start to your Wolfpack career in terms of the outcome. So what do you think you learned, and what do you want to get better at?
Yeah, I'm definitely not worried about it at all. I mean, I don't think everybody knows we didn't play to our standard, but I've seen the guys that we have on our team and in this room, and I'm not worried about it at all. I don't think anybody should be.
I definitely think that we have what it takes, so I'm not worried
Is there a specific area you would like to work on yourself?
Yeah, I got to be better for sure. I mean, that play I got to the one-yard line; I got to score that. I need to take my route higher there, a whole bunch of stuff, but yeah, we've been working on it.
Can't tell you how many times we've watched that game back over, how many times I've looked back at what we did, what we could have done better. So, yeah, we're getting there.
What was it like finally getting that opportunity to get on the field?
It was awesome.
I mean, I'm super blessed. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do what I'm doing. I want to give all the credit to the Lord because without Him, I wouldn't be here at all. He's the reason I play this game, but it was awesome to be out there doing what I love.
Did you know Hunter Provience back in Southern California?
So, I had never met Hunter, but since I've been out here, he's become one of my best friends, and it's awesome sharing that Southern California connection.
What have you seen from watching the Richmond film that y'all are maybe hoping to do?
Yeah, I mean, they're a real tough-nosed team. So, I mean, it's definitely going to be fun to go against a bunch of guys who are going to play as fast as they can, play as hard as they can.
So I'm excited just to be able to grow in that aspect of meeting force with force and in some areas of my game where I'm not as developed.
What do you feel like you're able to prove in the game?
That I'm not somebody who's going to back down.
I'm going to step up. I'm going to put it all out there, give everything I got, and I'll try to grow from that.
You know how rare it is to have an off weekend with that; anything you did that was particularly fun?
Watched a lot of film. That's what all the tight ends—we were in here all weekend watching film. Yeah, that's about it.
How frustrating is it as an offense to only cross the 50-yard line twice in that game?
We're not really looking back on that. I mean, it's not—that's not our standard.
I've been asking the guys, I'm assuming you weren't alive during 9/11, but do you have any personal connections to the event or anything like that?
Yeah, I have a couple of uncles who served our country, so I definitely appreciate the sacrifices made that day and the people willing to put their lives on the line for others.
I mean, I have so much appreciation and gratitude for them, so it definitely means something to me.
