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NC State Football
Doeren: "It's Our Job To Improve"
NC State head coach Dave Doeren met with the media to discuss his team after Thursday's practice.
Aaron, as a player, was incredibly spiritual. He was captain of our team at Wisconsin. He was a guy that was involved in FCA and all the different things that went on, on campus. He's always been a tremendous leader.
When I first got here and hired Al Byrd to work for Johnny Evans and the FCA, I actually tried to get Aaron to be our team chaplain because I think that much of him as a leader.
I didn't expect that to happen when I sat down with him in the summer, and he's taken it on his own and proud of him for it. He's doing a great job with it.
We spent a lot of time Sunday and Monday as a staff, breaking ourselves down. We create individual lockers for our players and bring them in one-on-one and talked about the things that they've done well and the things that they should improve on.
In the three days, we're practicing each day we had a fundamental focus with those guys on those techniques to improve because we know that Notre Dame and eventually the rest of the schedule will be looking at what we haven't done and trying to take advantage of that. So it's our job to improve.
We spent a lot of time on our special teams units. Broke all those things down, took them apart... where can we get better? What personnel can we use in certain ways to help ourselves?
Then we got a head start yesterday and today with a little bit of Notre Dame work, so the guys are in the weight room, it's their third lift of the week. They'll get Friday and Saturday to recover and come back fresh.
I think if you asked any coach in the country he would love his bye week to be in the middle of the season. Last year it was after the third game and that's challenging. So it is nice to have that body of work to study for one because I think you can get a really good indicator of where you're at as a team.
From a health standpoint, just allow these guys not just physically but mentally to recover and kind of take the gas off a little bit... reset and get their sleep and their nutrition and everything back so that they're ready for what comes.
You haven't done it. Even though you know there are certain things that should be said, you don't feel like you have the credit. Now Tony feels that way, and I think the love that these guys have for each other allows them to be critical of each other because they know it's coming from a good place.
These guys have taken the obstacles and used them to help themselves. I'm proud of all of them. It's a great blueprint for young guys to see this is how it's been done and it hasn't been easy.
They've got big guys and had big guys last year. They're experienced as well. They've got a lot of upperclassmen playing for them. They have a great running back who is running the football well.
It's going to be a great battle on the line of scrimmage. Both sides have talented players with size.
We had pictures of it before with Matt Dayes and Jacoby Brissett but they really weren't in the same light yet. They weren't a first or second-rounder as a junior like Bradley might have been.
He had certain goals, and he's achieving those goals. Jaylen Samuels is the same way. They wanted to be in a place their senior year where they had a legacy to leave behind and to play their best football going forward.
I think they've done that.
No, it wasn't.
When we recruited him, he was a d-lineman in high school, and he was comfortable in that position.
He wanted to play. I think that's the bottom line. You can stay where you're at and compete for a job or you can move and be a starter. That's a pretty easy conversation.
I think you Jakobi Meyers, after game three, has done that, and I'm proud of his growth. On the defensive side of the ball, you're starting to see Tim Glass play with some confidence.
This week, Chris Ingram is a guy that's really flashed. He's played on all our special teams this year, and he's got a ton better. Outside of that, you kind of knew what you had coming out of camp.
He's had a good week. I think the ability for him to look at himself on film and see where he has to improve, he's had a good focus this week.
When he takes his spring break and goes to Kenya... Brady Bodine being with him, Airius Moore and Nic Lacey are guys who have done it with him as well.
I've talked to one of my sons about it... A.J. what has this done for you in your life and he talks about how it's given him perspective. He's just a tremendous human being.
He's also so competitive as a punter. People don't see that, but he is. He's very competitive and very hard on himself, but he's also somebody that serves a lot of people in a lot of ways and doesn't really ask for people to recognize him. People do, but he's not a guy that's on Twitter and Instagram and everywhere else pounding his chest about the service he does. He believes in it.
You have to be proud of that.
I am. I think Dwayne gets a lot of credit and deserves it, but I think our running backs and tight ends have been a big part of that. Finley gets rid of the football on time... not trying to hold onto it. All of that stuff ties together... the receivers are getting open for him.
Especially when you look at Florida State and their front... the number of blitzes we saw from Syracuse and Pitt. Louisville's front, they have four senior defensive linemen.
It's impressive. If we continue to do that we'll be in a lot of games and be there to win them.
Aaron Henry's speeches prior to the game to the team.
He's doing a great job.Aaron, as a player, was incredibly spiritual. He was captain of our team at Wisconsin. He was a guy that was involved in FCA and all the different things that went on, on campus. He's always been a tremendous leader.
When I first got here and hired Al Byrd to work for Johnny Evans and the FCA, I actually tried to get Aaron to be our team chaplain because I think that much of him as a leader.
I didn't expect that to happen when I sat down with him in the summer, and he's taken it on his own and proud of him for it. He's doing a great job with it.
Do you see his speeches in the locker room?
No, I watched it on the show always watch out on Mondays. I don't want to be in there, I want to be him. Before the game I always ask the coaches to get with their players and make sure they're giving them what they need before they take the field.How is your team looking this week?
Really good.We spent a lot of time Sunday and Monday as a staff, breaking ourselves down. We create individual lockers for our players and bring them in one-on-one and talked about the things that they've done well and the things that they should improve on.
In the three days, we're practicing each day we had a fundamental focus with those guys on those techniques to improve because we know that Notre Dame and eventually the rest of the schedule will be looking at what we haven't done and trying to take advantage of that. So it's our job to improve.
We spent a lot of time on our special teams units. Broke all those things down, took them apart... where can we get better? What personnel can we use in certain ways to help ourselves?
Then we got a head start yesterday and today with a little bit of Notre Dame work, so the guys are in the weight room, it's their third lift of the week. They'll get Friday and Saturday to recover and come back fresh.
How much does it benefit the team to have the bye week mid-way through the season and with the stretch coming up?
It's critical.I think if you asked any coach in the country he would love his bye week to be in the middle of the season. Last year it was after the third game and that's challenging. So it is nice to have that body of work to study for one because I think you can get a really good indicator of where you're at as a team.
From a health standpoint, just allow these guys not just physically but mentally to recover and kind of take the gas off a little bit... reset and get their sleep and their nutrition and everything back so that they're ready for what comes.
You mentioned Tony Adams is becoming a vocal leader. It has to be tough for an offensive lineman to start as a true freshman, which he did.
I think a lot of the guys on our team, they were playing young and when you're a young player and you haven't really built a resume it's hard to stand in front of a team of guys older than you and talk like they're supposed to listen.You haven't done it. Even though you know there are certain things that should be said, you don't feel like you have the credit. Now Tony feels that way, and I think the love that these guys have for each other allows them to be critical of each other because they know it's coming from a good place.
Thoughts on the offensive and defensive line starters being from the same recruiting class...
It's a great class, but even more than that it's a bunch of guys that have stuck through it. You see when guys have adverse situations they don't stick to it, they transfer... they hang it up or they don't develop.These guys have taken the obstacles and used them to help themselves. I'm proud of all of them. It's a great blueprint for young guys to see this is how it's been done and it hasn't been easy.
What's the schedule for the coaches?
The coaches are recruiting on Friday, and then we'll be with our families on Saturday to give the coaches a day off to recover as well. We'll be glued to the TVs wherever we're at on Saturday.How much different is Notre Dame's offense with Wimbush?
They are a different offense. Wimbush is a great runner. I think they're playing really well. You watch them across the board, offense, defense, and special teams... they're playing hard.They've got big guys and had big guys last year. They're experienced as well. They've got a lot of upperclassmen playing for them. They have a great running back who is running the football well.
It's going to be a great battle on the line of scrimmage. Both sides have talented players with size.
You couldn't have scripted the first set of games any better for Bradley Chubb given his decision.
Well you know when you're a senior you play different then you do as a junior, and I don't think you can really express that to guys. I think a lot of our underclassmen are benefiting from seeing what happens when you come back.We had pictures of it before with Matt Dayes and Jacoby Brissett but they really weren't in the same light yet. They weren't a first or second-rounder as a junior like Bradley might have been.
He had certain goals, and he's achieving those goals. Jaylen Samuels is the same way. They wanted to be in a place their senior year where they had a legacy to leave behind and to play their best football going forward.
I think they've done that.
Was it tough convincing Chubb to move from outside linebacker?
When we recruited him, he was a d-lineman in high school, and he was comfortable in that position.
He wanted to play. I think that's the bottom line. You can stay where you're at and compete for a job or you can move and be a starter. That's a pretty easy conversation.
Have any players stepped up in the first seven games and shown you something you maybe didn't expect to see?
This week, Chris Ingram is a guy that's really flashed. He's played on all our special teams this year, and he's got a ton better. Outside of that, you kind of knew what you had coming out of camp.
How do you feel Dexter Wright played?
I didn't think he played very well at that position. he has to play better, and he knows he has to play better. I don't know if he was tentative or what, but for a 230-pound safety he has to play like that.He's had a good week. I think the ability for him to look at himself on film and see where he has to improve, he's had a good focus this week.
Thoughts on A.J. Cole and the impact he can have with his trips and experiences...
I don't know if I can calculate that. I'm in awe of the kid.When he takes his spring break and goes to Kenya... Brady Bodine being with him, Airius Moore and Nic Lacey are guys who have done it with him as well.
I've talked to one of my sons about it... A.J. what has this done for you in your life and he talks about how it's given him perspective. He's just a tremendous human being.
He's also so competitive as a punter. People don't see that, but he is. He's very competitive and very hard on himself, but he's also somebody that serves a lot of people in a lot of ways and doesn't really ask for people to recognize him. People do, but he's not a guy that's on Twitter and Instagram and everywhere else pounding his chest about the service he does. He believes in it.
Have you ever had an offensive line that hasn't allowed a sack through the first half of the conference season?
I'd have to look back on that. Not here I haven't.You have to be proud of that.
I am. I think Dwayne gets a lot of credit and deserves it, but I think our running backs and tight ends have been a big part of that. Finley gets rid of the football on time... not trying to hold onto it. All of that stuff ties together... the receivers are getting open for him.
Especially when you look at Florida State and their front... the number of blitzes we saw from Syracuse and Pitt. Louisville's front, they have four senior defensive linemen.
It's impressive. If we continue to do that we'll be in a lot of games and be there to win them.
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