RAPID FIRE: Dave Huxtable
NC State defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable recently took some time to speak with Inside Pack Sports as the Wolfpack readies for its road game at Pittsburgh Saturday.
Huxtable, who spent time as defensive coordinator with the Panthers among his many stops along his career, addressed the allure of playing at Heinz Field, the strategy of preparing for Pittsburgh in a season where the Wolfpack faces many different styles of offense, the bond his team shares and more.
How has NC State, and in particular its defense, responded since the big win over Louisville and the return to a normal schedule?
[Tuesday] we were a little bit slow but [Wednesday] they came out with really good energy and I recognized that defense out there...I think we are back on track.
You have worked at Pittsburgh and are quite familiar with the program and the city. What are your impressions of Heinz Field and how much fun will it be for the Wolfpack to play there?
It is a beautiful stadium. Down around the river, it is a great setting for the fans. You are playing in an NFL stadium. That will be exciting for the players. It should be a really neat atmosphere and exciting game day for our players and our fans.
What are your impressions of the Pittsburgh offense?
They do a really good job. They are multiple in their formations, a lot of shifts, a lot of motions, a lot of jet motions, double movements so we have got to be very disciplined with our adjustments, disciplined with our eyes and not get caught in all of the eye candy.
How does the NC State offense prepare the defense for what it faces during the season and how well does it simulate Pittsburgh?
About every week we are seeing a different offense. You go from a high-tempo, spread offense to now we are getting into a lot of 12-personnel, two tight ends, so every week it is a different offense we are preparing for but our guys have prepared.
A lot of the things that Pitt does our offense has shown us in spring practice and fall camp. So we are a little bit ahead on some of that stuff.
How would you describe the bond within the defensive unit and has the team forged a closer connection since the passing of Darian Roseboro’s father?
My heart breaks for [Roseboro]. He actually had a tough game Thursday night and after the game found out why. He is very, very close with his family. They are a very close family. Darian and his dad were very, very tight. I feel very, very bad for Darian. I love that guy as we all do. We have all got to be there for him. We are a family and we give him support and his family support.
That is how close this group is and they are so fun to coach because we talk about family, they talk about brotherhood and they have each other’s back. We have great leadership from our seniors on defense. They are just a very close group of guys. It is neat to be around them.
They are all very special guys. We have all been together since they were freshmen. We share the same battle scars and we have all grown. We know each other’s personalities. They are just a really neat group to be around and coach.