WATCH: Doeren Talks Wolfpack Football At Media Day

NC State head coach Dave Doeren discussed a variety of topics related to Wolfpack football at Media Day.

Overall thoughts on the development at wide receiver...
Year one we did a study of every position group in the ACC, what the average heights and weights were across the board, and we found that we were definitely shorter than we wanted to be in the receiver room.

We talked about a lot of our recruiting, we really put a premium on length and at that position speed, changing direction... explosion.

Coach McDonald has done a great job. Not only recruiting that type of player but developing those guys with the skillsets needed... teaching them how to be tough.

I think those guys are really good in contact-areas and tracking the football through contact.  It's a fun group to watch, and they really work hard. There's no doubt they are one of the strengths, not only of our football team, but I believe in the league.

The depth now that's developed behind the starters... C.J. Riley and Emeka Emezie, what they are doing behind Kelvin and Steph.

Really the emergence of Jakobi over the last year and a half, his transition from quarterback to receiver.  He's just a completely different player, physically, mentally, the whole deal. 

George deserves a lot of that credit and the players are obviously buying in to what he's talking about.

Can you talk some more about the player of freshman Tanner Ingle?
For starters, I think he's probably top five football aptitude that I've ever been around. His ability to not just comprehend the information because a lot of players do that, but apply it... 
it's uncanny, he's really smart.

Hs application of knowledge for how young he is, it's impressive.

He's also very physical. We knew that when we recruited him, but he's a striker... just does a lot of things really well, and he's definitely going to play as a freshman and have a big role for us on special teams.  As we move through the defensive install we'll see if he hits a wall at some point, but right now he's doing really well.

Thoughts on more of the newcomers who have stood out early in camp... 
Kishawn Miller, one of the transfers at corner, has had some nice days for us. He had a really good practice today. 

Trent Pennix, he's been out a few days now with a minor ankle, but he's a young man that we think is ahead of where we thought he would be at this time.

Damien Darden, a tight end we redshirted last year, has shown a lot of improvement.

Chris Dunn, our kicker, has continued to do some good things. He made a big winning field goal yesterday in the stadium at the end, it was a 45-yarder.  It was great to see that from him. 

Is it a different challenge now... can you maintain the success you had?
Health is a big part of us. You know what I mean? If everybody that we've got lined up to replace those guys iwh are healthy... it would be different than if seven or eight of those guys are injured and can't go and now you're applying a freshman instead of a junior that's been waiting to play.

I think that's the recipe, when all of a sudden you have to put seven or eight brand new guys out there because you've had things happen and that would be different and I don't know where it will be.

Those are different scenarios. There's not many true freshmen that can come in and immediately pick you up where you left off at a position.

Thoughts on the running backs and injuries...
[Nakia and Ricky] didn't practice yesterday.

Yesterday we had five different backs practicing and coach Kitchings just rolled them every three plays.  None of these are long-term things, but the timing of yesterday wasn't good.

Nakia was a little banged up... looks like he'll be back tomorrow. 

Ricky is pretty close to being back... Trent is pretty close.

I would think in the next five or seven days we'll have that full backload we're looking for.

Thoughts on the potential defensive line rotation...
8 to 10 is our goal... Larrell [Murchison] has looked really good.  I really like him.

Eurndraus Bryant, Grant Gibson... Shug we have to get back to full strength, but those four guys are big, strong guys.

Alim is the one that I think as he continues to have the game slow down, his physical tools are very obvious.  You get him in to certain drills... he plays really fast, just getting him into football shape.

I feel there are five inside players and five outside players we could play with if they are all healthy.