NC State outside linebacker Harvey Dyson met with the media to discuss Elijah Satchell’s impact, changes to the practice schedule, improving eye discipline, and much more!
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
What’s it been like for you to see the impact Elijah Satchell is making on the field?
Man, there’s nobody happier on the team than me when I see him make plays. I know how hard it is to make those types of plays as a freshman and a young guy. It motivates me sometimes to see him out there making those plays. It definitely makes me happy when I’m out there with him, and he’s doing that, for sure.
The guys talked about how you’ve switched up practice, where you’re going good-on-good throughout the practice session instead of just at the beginning. How has that impacted you? Where do you feel like you’re getting better?
Anytime you go against the ones, good-on-good, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Getting that look versus the first-team offensive line, they’re doing a great job this year. Going against Jimarion and Rico, whoever’s on the edges, it gives an actual in-game look. I feel like that’s where you actually get better. It’s hard to replicate with scouts because some of the guys are younger, not as fully developed as the older guys.
You get a better look going good-on-good. It also goes into us finishing toward the end of the game. If you do it throughout the whole practice, you get a good look even when you’re tired at the end. I feel like that’s what we’ve been needing, and it should pay off for us.
Dave talked Monday about how important eye discipline was at the end of the game. How much of a factor is that going into this weekend against a Louisville team with so many dynamic players in the backfield?
I’m glad you said that, because that’s been my main focus today. I’ve been yelling “eye discipline” every time we took the field. I feel like that’s not just the DBs. It ain’t just the second level. That’s up front, that’s the edges, that’s everybody. I feel like we all have to play with better eyes. Stop taking the eye candy and lock into your assignment. See little, see a lot. I feel like if we hone in on that, we’ll cut down on a lot of explosive plays and mental lapses in the defense at the end of the game.
You mentioned how the practice schedule changed, with you going against the starters at different points. How have you seen that help with maintaining mental focus throughout practice?
Normally, we did it at the beginning. You go against the ones, the starters, and then you’re on to the scouts. You know you’re playing the scouts for the rest of the day. Nah, that can’t be the mindset. You’ve got to be locked in 24/7, throughout the whole 60 minutes of the game. It shows what happens if you’re not locked in throughout the whole 60 minutes.
That’s a point of emphasis for us. Going into this game, I feel like that’s our No. 1 goal. We’ve got to play a full game. We can’t just go up in the first half and feel like the game is won. It’s 60 minutes of football. If that were the case, they would have made it one half. We’ve got to be better with that.
