Chubb: "It's A New Year"

NC State senior defensive end Bradley Chubb met with the media at the 2017 ACC Football Kickoff.

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Bradley, you had the close calls against Clemson, a game you probably clearly should have won, Florida State, also. What is a fair expectation for you guys this year, and how much of it is based off what you were close to being able to do last year?

Like Jaylen said, we try not to think about last year. It's a new year. We're striving to be the best that we can possibly be, on and off the field, and when you've got guys that are going to go out there and play their hearts out for each other and for one another, I just never know what's going to happen.

I feel like if we all just continue to play for each other, like I said, then the sky's the limit for this team, and those close calls won't be close anymore, and those games that y'all say we should have won, I feel like those games are going to be won.

A lot of depth on your defensive line. Talk about the other guys. Talk about how you guys make it work as a group.

The guys we have in the defensive line room are just phenomenal, B.J. Hill, Justin Jones, Kentavius Street, Tyrone Riley, Darian Roseboro, Eurndraus Bryant; the list could go on. Those guys are like my brothers. I talk to them every day. I see them every day. We hang out even when we're not supposed to -- even when we're not together, we're always talking, hanging out, we've got a group message, we're always joking around, and I feel like just that brotherhood that we have with each other, it just helps us to rely on one another because we don't want to let somebody down.

Because if I let Justin down, if I let B.J. down -- I've known Justin since I was in eighth grade, and if I let him down, I know it's going to hurt me more than it hurts anybody else. And so I feel like that's what makes us so good. We just love each other so much and we care about each other so much that whatever we do, we're just trying to do it for one another.

Speaking of the decision to come back to NC State, why that was the right thing for you to do at this point in your career and what it means to play for the Wolfpack.

It means everything. This University means everything to me. Coach Doeren, I met him when I was 17 years old at a time where I didn't think I was going to play college football because I was -- off an injury that happened to me previously. But this University has made me into the man I am today, and I'm thankful for it every day. When you talk about the decision, I just prayed to God.

I just talked to my family the most. I just felt like it was the best thing for me at the time, and I still -- 100 percent behind that decision. Nobody could sway my head one way or another because I feel like when I prayed to God that he put me in this position right now, and I feel like I can't doubt God. Just coming back here, I'm just excited to see what we can do as a team and just excited for the season.

They say every team every year has a different personality. What do you want the personality of this year's team to be?

We just want to be that team that you don't want to play because you know we're going to hit you hard in the mouth. We're going to try to -- the offense is going to run the ball down your throat. They're going to pass it over your head. We just want to be that team that you don't want to play because you know we're going to play as hard as we possibly can, and you're going to get the best from us every week.