LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Wolfpack Players

Several NC State players met with the media following the Wolfpack's 38-22 win over Florida State Saturday evening.

NOTE: Click on each player’s thumbnail to watch each inteview.

Bailey Hockman

This is the second week in a row where the offense is producing well. What does that production do for the team’s confidence, especially in back-to-back weeks?

“The guys are playing great. The offensive line is playing their butts off. The wide receivers are playing great. The running backs are playing great. When everyone is playing well and all 11 guys are doing their jobs, that’s the chemistry that builds, and it keeps building and building. That’s why you see that execution and love for each other. It’s awesome to be a part of it."

Did you have to tell yourself to remain calm and do what you need to?

“No doubt. There were a few points in the game where I’d get hyped, especially after a touchdown. I was like, ‘All right, calm down. Back to the basics. Just do what you have to do and get the ball to your guys, and they’ll make plays for you."

What’s it like to have a sure-handed receiver like Thayer Thomas that you can rely on?

“It’s awesome. He’s a great player. He works his butt off every day, and I’m lucky to have him as a teammate. Last week, he had one catch for nine yards. I told him after practice this week, ‘I’m coming to you. I’ve got you, bro.’ He told me, ‘Let’s just keep working. We’re going to get it.’ It just happens, and sometimes that’s how it goes. I’m proud of him. He did a great job."

Did you give any kind of postgame speech?

“I gave a little bit of a speech. I told the guys I love them and I’m proud of them. I told them, ‘Let’s go get these next three wins.'

How personal was this game to you?

“No doubt it was. When you play a school you’d committed to, went to, and loved, it’s definitely a little personal. It’s not revenge or anything like that. Hats off to them; I hope they become a great program and continue to keep going. It was great to get the win."

Isaiah Moore

How big was it for the defense to have a game like this tonight after giving up 40-plus points in back-to-back games?

“It was definitely big for our confidence. We didn’t finish the way we wanted to, so we went back and corrected throughout the week. We’ll take the win. It’s definitely a win we can build on and move onto next week."

How big was the stop on 4th-and-1 early in the game with the Wolfpack ahead, 7-0?

“It was definitely huge. We had a similar situation last week where we weren’t able to get the job done. That was definitely a confidence builder to get them off the field on fourth down and give it back to our offense."

The defense hasn’t been able to pull out the “takeaway bone” in the previous two weeks. How big were the defense’s takeaways tonight?

“It was huge. We know we can create turnovers and make it easier on our offense to put us in a better position to win. That’s one of the biggest emphases we’ve been putting in over the last couple of weeks. We were able to bring it back out, and that was definitely a big boost for us."

What does tonight’s game mean to you personally?

“It’s definitely big. I give all glory to God, to my teammates, and to my coaches. At the end of the day, I’m just happy about the win. All the personal accolades and stuff will come, but I’m just happy about the win."

How quickly does the focus shift to Liberty?

“We’re going to come in tomorrow, watch the film from this game, then put this game to bed. We’re on to Liberty. We’ve got to attack the week, just like we have every other week this season, and get ready to play them."

Thayer Thomas

What was this week like in practice this week with Hockman?

“This whole year, the quarterbacks and receivers have been practicing our butts off. On Saturdays, it’s showing off. One guy might have a good game one game, and another guy will another game. I feel like we’re practicing so hard, and we’re reaping the reward from it. We had a walkthrough on Sunday after the loss last week, and we were walking out of the indoor [practice facility]. Obviously, I’m a team player first. I’m upset we lost to Miami last week. If we would’ve won, I would’ve been perfectly happy with winning the game. Bailey probably saw that I had one catch last week, and I didn’t say anything to him at first. He said, ‘I saw we didn’t get you the ball as much as we wanted to. I’m definitely going to change it this week; I’m going to look your way a lot.’ I was like, ‘We’ve got to keep going and believe in each other.’ I’m a team player, but this night happened to be my night."

How important was it to finish the job, especially after a fast start?

“Coach [Dave Doeren] preached all week that Florida State won the first quarter in every game they’d played so far this year. We knew that was a pivot point of trying to get an advantage on them by starting fast. Our ‘one more’ for this week was to finish. We had a really good, six-minute drive at the end of the game to put the game away. That was our ‘one more,’ and I think we accomplished that. We preached this week to finish the game."

What do you think the biggest change in Hockman has been since the bye week?

“I think it’s all about reps. He and Devin [Leary] were rotating a little bit, so he would get half the reps with the ones. Obviously, we’re trying to get both quarterbacks in there to see what they can do, but it’s hard for receivers to build chemistry with the quarterback when it’s constantly being switched like that. Devin had a stable three-week period, and you saw his growth from week to week. At practice, he was with the ones for a decent amount of time. Now, we’re seeing Bailey’s growth. The consistency with him running with the ones every day at practice is growing. It’s building his confidence and our chemistry even more."

How much does this change your confidence with three games left in the season?

“I’ve always had confidence in myself. In my second career game, I had over 100 yards. I was always capable of doing stuff like that. I’ve just got to make the most of the opportunities that come my way. This year, I feel like I’ve made the most of every opportunity I’ve been given regardless of the situation. I’ve just need to keep my head down everyday at practice and go to work. During quarantine, I took this game and this season very seriously, and it’s paying off for me at the moment. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, continue to work hard, and finish the season strong."