Head coach Dave Doeren: "The Hardest Thing on Defense is Tackling Athletic Quarterbacks"

NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media to discuss finishing sacks and the role of crowd noise in this week's game against Louisville.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!

On the new practice schedule...

It's been a good change. We do the same number of periods. It's just in a different order to intensify the latter part of the practice, and it's been good. Players have responded well to it. Obviously, we'll see if we can maintain our level of focus that we need, and that's the challenge. Societal distraction is maybe at an all-time high, and I think every one of these young men we coach has grown up with a cell phone on his desk. So, keeping somebody's attention span is pretty hard these days. Unfortunately, in football, losing focus on a single play can be catastrophic. It's just something we've got to keep working hard on with our guys, so they can stay in the moment, in the play, with great eye discipline and communication, and execute.

The things that you see with Louisville, where you mentioned how talented they are, but they also shot themselves in the foot a few times. How important is it for you guys to take advantage when they make mistakes?

We can't count on that because I know they're probably working hard on not having penalties. But to your point, when a team does do that, you can't be a team that matches them with the same kind of stuff. We've got to play a clean, aggressive football game and, within the rules, try to keep as few yellow flags as possible from being thrown at our team.

We take advantage of any field-position opportunities, whether it's because of a penalty, a special teams play, or an explosive play. Every advantage you gain in this sport matters, and if they give us that, we've got to take advantage of it.

A third of the way through the season, how do you think your team has gotten better in certain areas, and how does that set them up for a top-25 matchup?

We've gotten better every game. The first game was not a good performance. Obviously, we played a really clean game in the second one. I thought we played an outstanding football game in game three. We've gotten more and more physical. Our rushing attack and our ability to stop the run have gotten better each week. Special teams have been very consistent, and you just want to keep getting better with your guys.

The more they play, the more film you have to coach off of the things that they haven't done well. It'll be a very, very, very good football team coming in here that we're facing. I have a lot of respect for their personnel. Our guys are excited to play them and looking forward to a great crowd. They haven't had crowd noise all year. They have not.

This is their first real road test, and our fan base needs to dig in on that. We need people out of their seats, screaming and yelling when the opponent's out there on offense. You are a factor when you do that. I'm asking, for our players and for the program, if the crowd can be on fire for us in this one from start to finish.

Along those lines, obviously, the Lamar Jackson game is famous for how great the crowd was. Have any of the former players who are currently on staff talked about that with the current players?

That's a good point. Probably need to do that, so I'll give you credit. Last year, Georgia Tech was the same way. These guys who have been here have felt that. Clemson a few years back. But when it's live in there, there isn't a better place in college football.

That's the one thing that matters — who we're playing and how we play and all that. Come in with that intensity, carry us through any difficult moments in the game, and help us flip the momentum back. Those kinds of 12th-man opportunities you have — there are a few, and you get seven a year at home. Against this team, given their offense, it would be a huge advantage for us.

Harvey was talking about how important it is for him to step up his production, especially sacking the QBs. But he also said it's hard to replicate that in practice because you don't want to injure your guys. How do you balance that, making sure they're prepared but not hurting someone?

It's tough. I've said that my entire career as a defensive coach. The hardest thing on defense is tackling athletic quarterbacks because you don't practice it. Now, how do you get better at it? You've got to get your body in position where, on film, you know you made that tackle. You've got a good base. You're on the right hip that you're supposed to be on. You're leveraging the ball if you're outside-in. We're always near-hip tracking. We're not crossed over.

We're not hopping. We've got good body posture, and your chest is on his chest. We're not hitting him, but you know 100% I was going to take that guy to the ground. That's different than if you're three yards away from him, reaching in, and you're out of control. That's a missed tackle. You have to put your body on his body without tackling him every rep, and that's what the guys have been doing. I'm glad Harvey feels that way. I know he had a missed sack last week, and it probably eats at him. He wants to finish plays for his team.

You mentioned Preston on Monday, but what's it been like seeing that whole tight end room with him and Hunter having to do it a lot?

I'm proud of those guys. Coach Locklear and that unit were a no-name unit coming into the year. Last year's unit received many accolades, and they earned them. They just quietly go about their business. They show up to work. They're productive. They've been versatile, and they're being rewarded for it. You can see the quarterbacks are giving them opportunities to make plays.

Will Clev Lubin get extra attention?

When he's in the game, he's a good player. Their front is good. They've got a lot of good players in the rotation, and he's a really talented young man. One of our guys was with him at Coastal and talked about him to our guys, so we know what he's all about. He's a really talented player.

That's where I was going to go to, the front, so I was going to ask about the front as well. Your impression of Louisville's front?

Deep, long, big, productive. They're a good group. They put a lot of pressure on. As I said at my press conference, they've played some good teams, so they've been challenged. A good offensive line at Ole Miss. We see what they can do. They definitely present a great opportunity for our offensive line, tight ends, and backs to be physical, and we've got to build the wall.

What's it been like to watch Popo and Chino get to play together?

It's cool when you have brothers on the team. It's unique. We have the Dabbs twins here together; I’ve had five sets of brothers over the years now, six with them. I've had five sets of brothers over the years now, six with them, so it's pretty cool. For them, I can't speak for them, but it's got to be amazing to be in there with your brother and see each other every day like that. For their parents, not having to go to two different schools to watch their sons play is awesome.