PC: Doeren, Wolfpack Players Talk Gator Bowl
NC State head coach Dave Doeren and several of his players met with the media to discuss facing Texas A&M in the 2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the press conference. Select quotes from the press conference are below.
Dave Doeren
“Great opportunity to play a great football team, a storied program, with a staff of coaches that we greatly respect. A chance for us as coaches and players to play one more time. It's unique to get to play on New Year's Eve, the last calendar day. The opportunity for us to achieve 10 wins and do another thing for our program that hasn't been done in a long time.”
“I’m just proud of these guys. Fifteen of our 18 seniors have already graduated, six of our juniors, so 21 graduates on our football team. That's the sixth-highest mark of all the bowl teams in the country. Not just a group of young men that achieve with what we do on the field, but a group of guys that achieve off the field. That's what building the program is all about: helping these guys be winners, go to their fifth straight bowl game now, compete in a great conference. What they've helped us build in this program now winning in the last two years the second most number of games in the ACC behind Clemson.”
“Like I said, going to our fifth straight bowl game, which is the second-longest in school history for a bowl streak. We have an offense that has a 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers, and a 1,000-yard rusher; we're the only team in the country that can boast that. We have six players on the all-conference team, tied for the most in the conference. To have some unique individual performances this year with Chris Dunn, with Reggie setting the single-season touchdowns, Jakobi breaking an incredible record this year for receptions, breaking Torry Holt’s record. Just continuing to raise the bar. I think that's what this game is about.”
“Probably the best part of it all is being with these guys. We got a special group of young men. It's going to be fun to be with them one more time. These guys that are seniors, man, I love them. They're going to do great things in the NFL, they're going to do great things after the NFL. For me to be a part of that ride with them is something that I'll always have and cherish.”
On his players leaving the jerseys better than when they got them: “Something we talk about is legacy opportunities, the next player that wears your number to feel responsibility and to know you're not just putting on a jersey, you're putting on Ryan Finley's jersey or Garrett's. You're putting on something that somebody did something in, left value with. That's the biggest thing whether you're a coach, player, strength coach, your job is to make that next player or person feel like he has to do something special, that there's responsibility there. These guys have definitely done that. If you look over the last six years of my tenure here, I would say every season we've raised the bar in different areas. We'll continue to do that.”
On slowing down Trayveon Williams: “First of all, probably one of the few teams in college football that just play one runningback. He's getting over 20 carries a game. His durability is impressive, for him to be able to handle that. Obviously they really played two football games in one with the seven overtime game. He's had a lot of snaps a lot of opportunities. Their offensive line is gigantic. They do a good job in what they do up front. But we've seen good backs this year, too. This isn't the first challenge we've had. We saw throughout the season different challenges from different backs, different styles. What makes him good is I think he's not a one-style back. He can make people miss, he runs through contact, can catch the ball out of the backfield, he protects. For us defensively, we start with that, and we're going to stop the run. Statistically over the last five years that's been something we've been top three in the ACC every season. We take a lot of pride in that. The gap integrity, the block destruction, we call it changing the math, but just getting extra hats to the football. That will be a big part of this game for both line of scrimmages. Our run game, against theirs, who can do a better job, our protection against their protection. We both have 35 sacks apiece, so that ability to win the line of scrimmage, protect the quarterback, open up run lanes for Reggie and Ricky in the box, not allow them to do that. The games where they've struggled are the games that back hasn't gone off, so we know that. We have a challenge in order to make that happen.”
On his thoughts on the early recruit signing period: “There's pluses and minuses to it. I do think it's good for the guys that committed a long time ago, some of them a year ago, to be able to put it to bed, us not to have to continue to see them. I wish it was earlier for them, to be honest. I had to go to 19 homes in five days before the early signing period. That's challenging as a head coach, to be able to do that. It's something I think is important. I love being in the living room of every player if I can be before they get here, seeing where they come from, so that I know what home is. That's the biggest challenge, I think is the contact period starts up in late November, early December. Then the signing date is coupled with bowl practice and graduation, a lot happening in a short period of time. Most of the kids in our place anyway were committed at the end of June, so it was still six months after that. I would hope every year they kind of look at better ways to do things, maybe slide it up to September or something like that. But the second signing day is February, so it's already kind of close to the other one.”
Ryan Finley
On what he wants to get out of this bowl game besides a win: “Well, obviously it's been awesome. So many close friends. Wish I could have been here longer. Coming to NC State was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me. Just kind of the relationships that I've been able to build with some of these guys. Bowl games are fun. Bowl games are kind of a reward. They're also very important. With a win, you kind of spring bolt the team that's coming back into the next spring. It's exciting. We've had a lot of fun. Kind of our two goals are to have fun but also win the game. A bowl game is kind of about balancing having fun and also knowing when to lock in.”
On what’s attributed to the Pack’s third-down efficiency: “That's definitely something we take a lot of pride in: our third down conversion. Coach McDonald, that's a tribute to him. He has a style on third down. I think we run base plays that we have a lot of banked reps on. We have a good understanding of where we're all going to be. We rep them a lot. We just have different receivers that kind of give us different abilities. Obviously Jakobi is kind of our man-to-man, get open type of guy, twitchy. Thayer is smart, he understands space, things like that. Obviously the big guys outside are at any moment ready for a nine ball. We have a lot of different ways to attack on third down. That kind of couples with Coach McDonald, his knowledge of third down, has been great. Fourth down, we run thief a lot, quarterback sneak, things like that. That's something we take pride in as an offensive line, things like that.”
On playing in this stadium and thinking about future NFL aspirations: “I think maybe. We have the opportunity to play in a lot of awesome stadiums. I think obviously a lot of us are looking forward to the next level. But it's mainly just about being together as a team. I think any chance you get a chance to play in a bowl game like this, it's exciting?
On what he’ll remember about playing at NC State: “I think it's just being around so many like-minded people that just want the same thing as you do, to grow as a person, as a football player, as a coach. It's been pretty unbelievable. Like Garrett said, we spend a lot of time together, too much sometimes I would say. I wouldn't change any of it. I think Raleigh is an amazing place that I definitely want to call home at some point. NC State, how much that means to the city, it's awesome. My family has had so many opportunities to travel to Raleigh, come to games. I played in 38 games at NC State thus far, my dad went to every one of them. That means a lot to me, my family. Obviously having my brother commit to NC State was an awesome day for me, just kind of exciting to envision what that looks like in a couple years, me coming back, having my brother here. It's been an unbelievable experience, so many friends, like Garrett said. Excited to finish this thing out the right way.”
Garrett Bradbury
On what he’s seen from Texas A&M and the importance of protecting Finley: “I think defensively up front they're big. They're a physical group. They play hard. Play a lot of snaps. Obviously the two interior guys I'm going against are good players, watched a lot of film on them. They do some good things defensively. As Coach alluded to, Coach Elko has been at Notre Dame before that, Wake before that. Similar defenses to what we played against. From a protection standpoint, it's good to see things that you saw the past two years. I mean, that's our job up front, is run the ball, protect Ryan. We're just going to continue doing that like we have all season.”
On playing this game in an NFL stadium and if it adds to the experience: “Yeah, I think absolutely. This is an unbelievable stadium. It's massive. It's exciting for all the players. But I don't know if it changes anything. I don't care where we're playing, high school stadium, NFL stadium, the goal is still the same: to win the game. That's where our focus needs to be. It's exciting when you initially find out where you're going. From a preparation standpoint, it's the same thing for us.”
On what he’ll remember about playing at NC State: “Wow. It's been everything. It's been a great decision coming to NC State. Mainly from the players' perspective, I have lifelong friends, best friends, guys that will be in my wedding that I've been with for three, four, five years. A lot of y'all don't understand how much time we spend together. From when you wake up, because you're roommates, breakfast, practice, lunch, hanging out at night. With all the time you spend together, you still love each other, that's pretty special. On top of that the coaches, some have come and gone, some have been here since I have been here. Great relationships with them. They've helped me grow as a person and a player. The city of Raleigh. It's all of it really. It's been a phenomenal five years. I wouldn't change anything.”
Eurndraus Bryant
On playing in an NFL stadium: “I think it's a great opportunity to play in the stadium at the same time. Carter is a great stadium. To me, no difference. I'm looking forward to get this win.
On what he’ll remember about playing at NC State: “One thing I'll miss is the brotherhood we have here. Growing up, I was a single child, I didn't have a lot of brothers to look to, talk to. Coming here was a big thing for me. I had to step out of my comfort zone, get used to other people. It really changed me a lot in terms of having more communication with guys, coming together as a family. Teaches me a lot about that. Maybe if you caught me in this situation two years ago, I would try to find a way to get out of this press conference here, so... I'm just glad everything happened the way it did. Just looking forward to competing with my brothers tomorrow.”
On stopping Trayveon Williams: “You go out, you work on fundamentals. You do what you're coached. You got to be gap sound. It's the trenches. Nothing is easy up front. Whoever wins the line of scrimmage, that pretty much determines the game. I feel like you win the line of scrimmage, you're going to stop them, you stop the run, open up the pass. We'll be able to work from there.”
A.J. Cole III
On playing in an NFL stadium: “Yeah, it's definitely cool. It's the third NFL stadium that I've played in since I've been here. Carter is the best, so...”
On what he’ll remember about playing at NC State: “I think just growing up playing college football was always such a big dream of mine. I think very rarely is the reality better than the dream. I think playing college football has been so much more than I ever could have thought it would have been, just the relationships I have with everybody. Like Garrett was saying, it will last a lifetime. I think being around a bunch of people that are a lot of fun, but also extremely motivated, has been so much growth for me. I know I'm going to leave here as a man. I got here, I was a kid. I just think that growth I've had is really incredible. That's what I'm going to take most from the players and the coaches, everybody we interact with.”