NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media to discuss the loss at Vanderbilt, preview the Appalachian State game, and much more!
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
Opening statement...
Going back to the game, I thought our players showed up. We were very physical. I really liked our game plan and loved how the kids executed throughout the game.
It was a back-and-forth football game. I thought we were really physical. I loved how we started. We started really fast on the road. We protected well, playing a very good defense. They had 11 sacks coming into our game. They pressured a lot, and we allowed only one sack.
I thought we were efficient. We threw the ball very well, caught the football well,l and protected CJ Bailey. He made plays with his feet. The run game was tough. There were a lot of guys in the box, but we still averaged four yards per carry. The backs ran hard and had some really good extra-effort, dirty runs. The tight ends were productive.
I'm proud of the way the guys prepared, getting ready for that game and playing in a really hot game. It was over 110 degrees on the field, and our kids battled through it.
I thought CJ played a really good game of football. Of the 79 plays, he played 68, and two of them were bad. I know he wants the interception and the fumble, but we wouldn't have had 31 points if he hadn't played the way he did.
To go to the play that's on everybody's mind, with six seconds left in the game and down by 2, we decided as a staff to take a safety. The plan was to use a safety play that would also allow us to milk the clock. That play is designed to let the quarterback roll to his right, milk the clock until people get near him, then fall down and avoid contact. Obviously, that's not what happened.
We knew that we'd probably have to kick the ball off, deep squib it, tackle him, and the game's over. We preferred that option over the other, which is throwing the ball as far as you can from the pocket or rolling out and doing it from your own end zone.
We're on the right hash, which means you're rolling out to a shorter space with a right-arm quarterback. You're throwing the ball up out of your own end zone, hoping that the clock operator, being on the road, doesn't hold the clock a little bit on you. If you throw that and five seconds go off, they get the ball on the 2.
This felt like a much riskier play in our own end zone than what we opted for. We practice those plays every Friday, and we have a lot of time spent on game-ending plays.
It's tough because we were prepared for the moment, but we didn't execute. When a play isn't executed properly, two things are true: the player didn't do what he was coached or trained to do, and the coach didn't do a good enough job of training the player to do what he wanted him to do. Both of those things are true.
Like I said after the game, CJ takes ownership, I take ownership, Kurt Roper takes ownership. We take ownership.
It's a terrible way to end a football game that you controlled. There was a lot of pain and anger in that locker room after the game. I know the fans feel the same way.
But what also happened that day is that we played a really good football game. We controlled a game in SEC territory against a really good team, and we were the more physical team, in my opinion.
We were less penalized and more efficient on third- and fourth-down. I thought our players really prepared their asses off. We're definitely not happy. We're upset, but motivated.
When you feel like you were the better team that day but don't get to celebrate it, it's a tough feeling. But it's because we didn't finish. That's one thing we've got to do better.
It's not just that play. I mentioned that after the game. We had several plays where that play would never have happened.
We missed an interception in the two-minute drive that was right in our hands, and they ended up scoring on that drive before the half. We gave up two explosive plays in defensive pass coverage, one on Jackson and one on Jaren Sensabaugh. They were plays that we should defend and defend well.
We missed five sacks. Two of those plays were conversion-down plays, a fourth down and a third down, where if we get the sack, they're off the field. On both of those drives, they scored. Those are critical plays in the game that we didn't finish on.
That's football. When the plays are there to make, you've got to make them if you want to win.
There were some amazing performances in that game. I thought Teague Andersen played a complete game at center. He played a really good football game in only his second game at that position.
Keenan Jackson played a great game as a receiver and was the ACC Player of the Week. I was really proud of Brody Barnhardt coming in the game. We needed a stop on that drive, and he gets a great interception on a mesh route, a wheel route coming out of the backfield, and keeps his feet in bounds.
There was a lot of positivity and confidence built in that game with our team, because they know they can play with anybody when they do things the right way during the week and prepare properly.
You come home, you regroup, and you respond. That's what this football team and coaching staff will do.
We do it in a week that we play a really good team. In-state team Appalachian State has been a really good football program for a long time. I have great respect for that football program and have for a long time.
When I was coaching at Wisconsin, Jerry Moore and his staff had just come off the year when they beat Michigan. They came out and visited us at Wisconsin and spoke at our clinic. Then I went back out, visited them, and met with their defensive staff. Since that time, I've followed that program.
Heck, before that, I played App State in the playoffs at Montana and beat them in double overtime. I've known about them for a long time and have great respect for them. They have a history of beating Power Four teams.
When you look at who they are offensively, they're really rolling right now. They're scoring a lot of points, 36 points and 492 yards a game. Their quarterback has a 74.5% completion rate, and they're not just dinking and dunking. They're throwing the football down the field.
Their wide receivers and tight ends are a big part of their pass game. Their tight end is the second-leading receiver. Their running back, No. 5, is a downhill back who breaks tackles. They've got a veteran offensive line.
Defensively, we're going to be challenged in this game. When you look at their defense, they're only giving up 16 points a game. Their defensive end, No. 41, has five tackles for loss and four sacks. Linebacker No. 10 leads them in tackles, and their boundary safety is their second-leading tackler, playing all over the field in different positions.
They bring pressure from different places. We watch them. They're tough.
Outside of football, I think there are some other things to talk about. This week, a year ago today, we lost a close friend of mine, Shawn Clark, an App legend, ironically since we're playing them. I miss him dearly. He was a great friend.
Our thoughts and prayers are still with Jonelle and her kids as they go through this.
Within our own house here, this week, one year ago, we lost Drue Eliot. I know that for DJ, Miekel, and their family, we're with them.
Perspective is a tough teacher. I think everybody, at times, when they lose people, really gets perspective on how fortunate they are to have what they do.
What we have here is a family that cares deeply about these players and coaches and looks forward to taking on the team we're about to play.
Our resolve is being tested. Our togetherness is being tested, and I know we'll pass. I ask that people show up and support them. Support these coaches. Support these players.
There's a lot of football left in this season. There's a lot to play for, and I know that we're not going to quit. We're going to fight our butts off.
With that, I'll open it up for any questions.
You said you had the whole plan for that last play. Were there discussions prior to the game about alternatives in case pressure was to come?
We knew pressure was going to come. That's why we had everybody blocking on the play. There were no receivers. No one was running the ball. It's a max-protection play.
Literally, if you watch him, he rolls to his right. He's supposed to stand there until people get close and fall down. That's the play. We've run it every Friday for 14 years.
He's just trying to get too much time off the clock. That's what happened.
In the second half, what happened with the timeouts you had to use? Was it personal reasons? How much would you have liked to have those at the end of the game, and potentially use one to review that final play?
Totally. That was a game where, in film study, we felt they were really good at picking up your signals. They were calling a lot of defenses based on formations, and maybe even on their ability to pick up signals and blitz right into plays.
We thought huddling would be a good way to prevent that from happening, so we did it. It helped us quite a bit in the game.
But there were a couple of times when we were subbing where it didn't help us, and we would have had delays in the game if I hadn't used those timeouts.
To your point, it would have been wonderful to have all three of those at the end of the game, but we didn't.
Right after the interception, I called a timeout because we were discombobulated and needed to get the right personnel on the field and talk through our plan. That's why we used it when we did.
Absolutely, I wish I had one more. We took a delay of game after the third-down play to give us a bit more time to talk. I could have taken two delays of game in a row. That's one thing I probably could have done differently.
Just a quick follow-up: Is there any update on Spike Sowells Jr. or Davion Dozier at this point?
Spike's continuing to rehab. We were hopeful to have him in this game, but he just wasn't ready yet. We're going to keep working and hopefully get him back. He's day-to-day.
Davion should be back, but again, it's day-to-day. None of the imaging on him was negative, so all good news. We'll see how he is when we get back to practice tomorrow.
What did your conversations with CJ Bailey look like? Yesterday, obviously, that play happened, but how did you work through it without letting it snowball into this week?
Just talking through it. Letting him vent and talk, letting me do the same. He and I love and respect each other deeply.
I just wanted to make sure we learn from what happened and that I fully understand what was going on with him. How can we move forward and best use this as a galvanizing moment with our football team? Because he is an important leader for us, too.
How he needs to carry himself, and the fact that the team would have him, protect him, and continue to support him.
He's had two fumbles in two critical moments this year. Do you have any concern about his ball security? Is there anything you can do differently with that?
All fumbles are critical. All of them are. I can't name one that isn't, but obviously, when it's in the end zone, it's—
How did the meeting with Coach Shawn Clark come about, and what about him made things click?
I'm trying to remember when it started. It might have been when Eli went to App and retained him as his O-line coach.
When I hired — I can't remember which O-line coach it was — I tried to interview him and get him in the mix here for a job when we had an opening. He and I had talked several times in that process, and he ended up becoming the head coach at App.
He wasn't going to come and be a position coach, but it was that time frame. We just hit it off, man.
Sometimes you can tell who your people are. He was one of those guys. He loved helping his players. He was tough. He was just a great human being. He was a great father and husband.
He loved to fish and occasionally have a little bourbon and talk ball, laugh, joke, and listen to good music. He and I were very similar in that.
We had events we would attend where the head coaches were, and he and I would always talk.
There's an event up in the mountains every year now, called High Country Caregivers, that Jerry Moore and his wife started, which helps raise funds for grandparents who are now raising their children's kids. They have a great event every year in Boone. We go up to it, and Shawn and I would hang out.
We went fishing together one year. Just a great friend. I didn't know him my whole life, but in the time I did, I knew he was a real dude, and still is.
What was it like for you in the hours after that game? Were you able to sleep at all, replaying that play over and over? Second, have you ever had a similar situation in a game that ended that way, and how did you rebound from it?
I was in shock. I think after the game, I was just so mad and in shock at what went down, because we were in control of the entire game. I think we played above what many people thought we could, and we did well in many areas.
To walk in there feeling like a failure, even though I knew we did a lot of things right.
No, you never sleep as a coach after a tough loss, especially when you felt like you were the better team.
Going back over the years, 32, 33 years now, I haven't been a part of many of them where we played that well and didn't get the win.
I think Clemson's another example. When we went down there, forced five turnovers, and missed a field goal, we lost in double overtime.
We lost to South Carolina in Charlotte. We had 550 yards, they had 250, and we lost. Those are games where we played really well and didn't get the dub.
I've also been on the flip side of those we shouldn't have beaten, only to come back and win.
Football's a fickle sport. It's tough, and crazy stuff happens at times. It's just unfortunate we were part of the crazy this week.
The team had more penalties this week than it did in the first two weeks. What do you attribute that to, and how do you fix that so it doesn't continue going forward?
It's not a problem. I thought we played a really clean game. The penalties we did have were combat penalties.
Our guys are straining. Teague Andersen pancakes a guy, and they call holding. I'm not going to say that's holding. That's what the ref says, but to me, it was a really good block.
A.J. gets off a block right as the ball's thrown and hits the quarterback. It was roughing because he went up to try to hit the ball, and his follow-through — his hand — hit his helmet. That's a penalty.
But it wasn't a late hit. It wasn't a cheap shot. That was a kid trying to make a play. You can't touch his helmet.
It's not like we're punching guys after the play,y or we've got 10 offsides penalties. We're playing clean, physical football. At times, you're going to have an aggressive penalty when you do that.
The other team was penalized much more than we were. I think that's the thing you've got to look at. The refs called a lot of penalties in that game. That's just how it was.
We had seven; six of them stood. They declined one of them. So we had six penalties in a game where we had 79 snaps on offense and, I can't remember, 60-something on defense.
I thought it was a pretty good game by our guys that way.
After the game, you mentioned the two tight ends were pretty tired late in the game because of the heat and the number of snaps you guys played. Is there an update on Vander Ploog since he didn't play a snap in this one?
We're still trying to get him healthy. It's day-to-day. I know he really wants to play, and we'd really like to play him. But we've got to get him where he's functional.
Getting closer, I hope, but not there yet.
Those two guys played really well, played hard, and were effective. I thought Preston Douglas really helped us on some plays. The one-stick route he caught and quickly turned up for a first down; the tight-end screen he caught, made a guy miss, and got up in the chute. Those two guys played really well.
Ian Flint came in and got a few good snaps. Isaiah Shirley came in and got a few snaps. The tight end room has been productive.
For people that weren't there, it was like a sauna on that field. It was hot. When you don't have much depth in a position, it can take a toll on you.
There were guys cramping and guys getting IVs and everything else, but they fought through it. You try to rotate as best you can to stay as fresh as possible in those scenarios.
On that fourth-down play, the tight end pass, if you look at the overhead, it looks like Keenan Jackson was open on the other side. Did you get a chance to look at the tape? What did you see, and was that the right read from CJ Bailey?
What happened is what happened in practice. Ashton's a good route runner, and they were going to be in man. We knew that.
He got open, CJ threw a good pass, and we needed him to come down with the ball with strong hands. Their DB punched it out.
It was the right read. It was a good route. It was a good throw, and we didn't finish the catch.
You talked so much after the Virginia game about getting right and the way the team bounced back against Richmond. Is it the same message this week, or is it a little different given the difference between how the Virginia game went and how this game went?
I think it's different in that we didn't underperform. We came out and played really good football, whereas at Virginia, we didn't. So that part is different.
But even with the winning sidekicks and a lot of football left, all these things are still true.
We've got three straight home games, and this is the first. I'm looking forward to it.
The App State quarterback plays like he's the adult in the room. He never seems rattled. What can you guys do to take him out of his comfort zone based on what you've seen over the last few weeks?
You've got to stop the run. A lot of their pass game comes off naked runs and play-actions, and those plays aren't as good when you're not running the football well.
What that does is get you in more long-yardage situations, and now you're playing drop-back football. Now we've got to find out if they can protect.
We've got to pressure their quarterback. We can't give him all day. He's had a lot of clean pockets to throw the football with, and if you do that, it's not going to be good.
He's very accurate. App always has good skill, and they play hard. We've got to win up front, and we've got to be really good with our blitz package — where we're coming from and why we're coming from that side.
We've got to protect the edges and have rush-lane integrity because he's a good athlete. He hasn't had to run much this year, but if you go back and watch him at Purdue, you'll see he ran a lot and can run.
We've got to do a good job making sure that we're sound in our rush lanes.
You mentioned the game 10 years ago down at Clemson. With the reaction to this one, there will obviously be fans who are genuinely concerned, but sometimes it goes beyond that. With your experience from 10 years ago, how can you use it now to help CJ Bailey navigate this process, and maybe even help you improve in this situation?
You're right. That devastated our locker room for a long time, and I'm not going to let that happen again.
I've learned a lot from that. The team and I talked about it. I brought up that game with them and how we can't let one game carry over to the next, the next, and the next.
We've got to move on and take what we got from it because we played really well in a lot of areas. We've got to mimic those good things, and we've got to fix those things like missed tackles and pass-rush lanes, our eyes in coverage on a couple routes.
Those are things we've got to get better at. We don't have to worry about the rest of it.
If you keep getting better, take bad things off the tape, be physical, and play with good discipline and pad level, good things are going to happen.
We've just got to get locked in with loving the process of preparing to win. That's all this week's going to be about.
It's not going to be about what happened last Saturday. It's going to be about what we're going to get done this Saturday.
