Chris Ingram: "I Feel Like A Kid Again"
NC State senior cornerback Chris Ingram is back in action for the first time since 2019, and he discussed the start of fall camp recently with the media.
How does it feel to be back out there with the guys after missing so much time?
It's an amazing feeling, man. It's been a blessing. It's been a long time, so just to be able to be back around the team and with my guys on the field, it's really been an honor.
How tough was the rehab process the last year? Not only having to rehab [but] having to do it obviously with COVID being there and all the protocols in place.
It was pretty tough and more so mentally. I feel it helped me as a person overall strengthen my faith, but it wasn't really just me, myself. It was a lot of my teammates. We lost a lot of guys, so pretty much all of us, we all just rehab together, and we have one goal. It was to come back so we can all compete together and come out for the next season.
How are you feeling right now? How's the knee been feeling throughout camp?
I feel amazing. I'm just glad to be back with the team. We're all out here competing. We're all holding each other to a standard regardless of if we're coming off of a injury or however we did last year. We’re just glad to be out here.
Chris, how do you balance competing for a starting job, but also being a vocal leader? I know you've talked about it in the past, being one of the leaders at cornerback. How do you balance that while you're out there?
As a leader I hold everyone to the same standard, and we all hold each other to the same standard. We all want to compete, regardless of who's a starter, it doesn't matter. Competing is in our DNA in that cornerback room.
I just feel honored because this group of corners is, I feel, it's been the best since I've been at NC State. So I'm glad to be with those guys.
When you came in, you were recruited to play cornerback, but being away for a while, is it like riding a bike, getting back out there in that sense – or was there some rust for you?
Pretty much.
Like you said, pretty much my whole college career I've been at corner, so I feel it's like riding a bike. It's going to come back to you. Those instincts are going to come back to you. It's just the scheme, getting your feet back under you, and the chemistry of the defense that's going to be really big.
I feel the more we get reps, it's just going to be like you said, riding a bike, it's just going to click.
A week into practice, where do you feel like in that metaphor of riding a bike? Are you able to change gears yet? Or just where are you at in that progression?
For sure, I'm changing gears. I'll pop a wheelie. I feel it's just... it's fun. I'm out here. I feel like a kid again, man. I wasn't able to play football, so once you're out of there, it's just full go.
The football conditioning – is that maybe something that you still need to get, or are you flying?
No, because I feel I worked on my mental so much. Once you're mentally tough, I feel that football shape is going to come straight to you once you get out there... you push yourself. All you got to do is push yourself. It's all about the mental.
Every player has really talked a lot about the mental part of the game. Is that something you guys have really done as a team, or is that something just individually you've sought?
I feel this offseason has been pushed as a team because a lot of our mistakes last year were mental mistakes, pre-snap penalties, stuff like that. Once we get that down and we become mentally tough, no matter the environment, we execute -- and then it's going to be real good.
Missing that year, last year, how were you able to still impact the team as a leader last year?
My favorite part of football is the classroom and knowing the scheme. So just being involved in that meeting room and just being involved giving my input, watching the film, we were like, "Okay, you could have did this better or next time read this and then go here."
Basically reiterating what the coaches are saying, from the field, I feel that is part of what I do already on the field, even when I'm playing. So I feel I was still a part of the team.
Do you remember the exact moment when you got hurt? Did you ever feel in that moment that you would be gone for so long?
What I do remember of the play, I just remember the game was going pretty well. It was right before halftime. I put myself in a position where I feel I could have put myself in a better position where I wouldn't have gotten hurt, but we can't get that back.
It's just something I learned from. It was a learning moment.
Coach Doeren said last week that the cornerback battle in campus is one that he would keep his eye on. He was even interested to see how it shapes out. You guys have so many guys who have started a bunch of games. What's the competition like at that position? How much does it push you guys? And how do you get separation, when there are so many guys with so much experience?
To hit on that last question, the separation, I feel you want that separation, but at the same time, I don't want too much separation from the first guy to the last guy because I feel if it's a drop, somebody go down, God forbid, or something happens, somebody tired. We can put the next guy in.
I like that depth in the cornerback room. That's why I'm so excited to work with those guys, because it's so much competition. I feel it's been the best group I've been able to be around since I've been at NC State.