Zonovan Knight: "Everybody's On The Same Page"

NC State sophomore running back Zonovan ‘Bam’ Knight met with the media via Zoom ahead of the Wolfpack’s road contest versus Pitt.

Knight leads the Pack in rushing with 191 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. He’s also caught three passes for 30 yards.

What were the biggest mistakes the team needed to correct after the Virginia Tech game?

“I would say overall consistency because they had a good defense overall… just being consistent, the O-line and running backs, with the pass protections. Their blitz packages were unique, so being able to recognize those blitz packages and being on the same page as the O-line would be the biggest things for us moving forward.”

Has there been enough time spent correcting those mistakes so you can move on to examining Pitt film, or is there still time to continue looking at the film from the Hokies game?

“I feel like we’ve made the corrections. Pitt runs unique blitzes, as well, and we practiced it today. Everything was timed up, and everyone was on the same page. I feel like we’ve picked up on our mistakes.”

Did you feel like the team let Saturday’s game slip away?

“Yes, I do. We have to do a better job this week of getting guys riled up for the game, because you could tell in last week’s pregame that the energy wasn’t there. We have to do a better job of bringing energy all week leading to the game.”

How tough is it to win on the road?

“This year is a little different because the people [in the stands] make it difficult, but the team having the home-field advantage ultimately sets away teams back. We have to do a better job of just coming out to a fast start and deleting that energy from the home team.”

Is it up to the upperclassmen to get the team ready for what they’re about to get into?

“I wouldn’t say ‘upperclassmen.’ It’s everyone’s job, even for the ones that don’t play. Everybody has to be on board and has to motivate everybody to go out there and execute.”

The team spent most of fall camp without a full roster. Do you think that’s carried over into the first two games of the season?

“I don’t. Some people that were out came back and got into shape. I just think that, last week, it was a matter of not executing on gameday.”

Do you agree with the notion that the lack of crowd noise is inconsequential once the game actually starts, or is the absence of attendees noticeable?

“It’s something you don’t really notice. During warmups and pregame, you notice the fans, but once the game starts, you don’t really pay them any mind until you come off the field onto the sidelines.”

Growing up in Bailey and going to Southern Nash, how much did you hear about Julius Peppers? Do you have any relationship with him?

“He was praised a lot when I was growing up, especially with my high school coach. He always talked about how he was a great player. I never had a relationship with him, but my dad played in high school with him, and they were pretty close back then. He recently told me that he just got in touch with him and had a pretty good conversation.”

Does the team appear to be taking the recent loss more maturely than last year’s squad?

“Last year, coming off the West Virginia loss, you could tell in that following practice that people were kind of down. This year, you see guys lifting people up during the meetings and even on the practice field. The overall energy of the people has changed. Even the freshmen that have just gotten here are trying to help motivate upperclassmen. That’s the biggest difference we have here.”

You led the team in yards per carry last year and currently lead this year through two games. Do you think about trying to make each rush as valuable as possible? Do you pay attention to that statistic?

“During the game, I don’t really pay any mind to how many yards I run for, but every year, I do set goals. My goal every year is to at least get 1,000 yards, but last year, I didn’t reach that. My goal this year with the condensed schedule is to get 1,000 yards, so I have to average around 100 yards per game.”

How do you like being involved in the passing game?

“It’s a great thing, especially with last year. I just came in from a school that didn’t really throw as much. The biggest thing for me was getting my hands right, and I think I’ve done a good job with adjusting to the quarterbacks.”

Who were your football influences growing up in the Wilson area?

“Probably Julius because that’s who we grew up around. That’s somebody that everybody praised around us. Hearing so many stories about him, you want to be as successful as he was. As a person, they talk about him like he’s as great a person off the field, as well. That’s somebody who I strive to be like.”

Does Coach [Dave] Doeren’s demeanor change after a loss versus after a win?

“He’s been the same guy. He’s been pretty consistent coming into the locker room. When we played terrible, he didn’t catch an attitude with us. He was calm and explained what we did wrong and what we need to work on. He was good with throwing it out of the way, telling us that we just have to go back to work next week. That’s what we’ve done this week, and we’ve started off good."