LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Wolfpack Players
Several NC State players met with the media following the Wolfpack's 45-7 win over Furman Saturday evening at Carter-Finley Stadium.
NOTE: Click on each player’s respective thumbnail to watch each interview.
Tyler Baker-Williams
What was practice like this week after the Mississippi State game? What was the message within the team coming into this game?
The main message was really to keep focusing. We’re supposed to be focused on the main task at hand: playing the brand of football that we know our defense plays and our team plays. We’re just staying focused on getting back on track and playing the type of football that we know we can play.
Was it important to play the way you guys did tonight, knowing what you have coming next week?
Yes, but we don’t really look ahead. We know who we play. We don’t really look ahead. We really take that 1-0 mentality seriously within the team, so we just go out each week, focus on our opponent that we’re playing, and just prepare the same way each week for whoever we’re playing.
What are some things that stood out to you in the first half?
We ran to the ball every play. Everybody did their assignment correctly, but I know everybody went to the ball every play, and that’s all our coaches want: 100 percent effort on every single play.
What was the mindset coming in to force more turnovers?
Mainly just doing our jobs correctly. Being detailed in our jobs and detailed in our assignments, and the plays will come. We just need to be focused on being detailed in everything that we do. The plays will be made. We just need to make our layups and make every play that comes our way.
Was “making the layups” a point of emphasis this week? What were some of those layup plays?
Just making tackles, fitting in the right gaps, setting the edges, and doing the little details that make our defense successful and make everybody’s job easier. That’s the main thing that we do. The details in our assignments make everybody else’s job easier.
How proud are you of the guys to go out there with two of the starters down?
Very proud. We’ve been taking the “next man up” mentality since I first got here. Everybody’s staying ready. I was the same way when I was younger. We preach it in our meetings. We preach it on the field. We preach it on the field. We preach it everyday: next man up and being ready when you have the opportunity to be called on.
Zonovan Knight
How anxious were you to get back on the field after putting the ball on the turf? How comforting was it to have the success you did on the following drive?
It definitely helped my confidence out a lot, especially since last week at Mississippi State. [Dave] Doeren talked to me after I fumbled last week. He told me to keep a positive mindset, keep going forward, and not to let it set me back since I got a little emotional on the sideline because I felt like I let my team down. This week, I had a positive energy after I told him I wasn’t going to let him down again, and I went from there.
How nice was it to play as well as you guys did, knowing what’s coming next week?
It was great to get back in the rhythm, especially after last week. We weren’t really functional as an offense last week, so to get back out there and get a rhythm is definitely giving us a positive mindset going into next week.
What made Devin Leary so effective tonight?
I think it’s trust, honestly. We’ve been working on routes whether it be with receivers, running backs, tight ends, or whatever. We just have that chemistry. I think all that time during the summer, the offseason, and then fall camp getting his rhythm back has ultimately made him more comfortable back there.
Was last week a wakeup call for the team? How did the team respond during the week leading up to this game?
Last game, I wouldn’t say that we kind of started getting comfortable because of the first win. I think it was just a lack of execution. This week, we emphasized executing little, small details this game. Everybody was getting each other hyped in the locker room prior to the game. Overall, it was just an energy shift this week. It helped motivate people going into the game which led to more execution today.
How do you approach a game when you have a big lead and the game virtually won?
Honestly, I don’t think like that. I still look at it as 0-0. As long as the coaches are willing to keep me in, I’ll stay in. Tonight after halftime, Coach [Kurt] Roper made the decision to pull me, so I have to respect his decision and go from there and help motivate guys like Jordan [Houston] and Delbert [Mims] who doesn’t get the opportunity to play a lot. I keep them motivated and let them know where they need to keep their eyes and stuff.
Devin Leary
What were some of the layup plays that you made this week but didn’t make last week?
Taking what the defense gives us whether it’s coverage, blocking, or blocking on the perimeter as well. All the little things that only we can control, we need to execute on, and I felt we did a good job with doing that tonight.
How do you plan to carry tonight’s momentum into next week versus Clemson?
Taking it one day at a time and one week at a time. I give credit to my offensive line. They did a great job of giving me time back there, helping me get into rhythm, as well as the running backs doing a great job of blocking and protection. It all starts in practice. It’s very common to hear around here that we go 1-0 every single day, and being able to take that same approach from a play-by-play standpoint is very important to us.
What was the difference in connecting with your receivers this week as compared to last week?
I think it’s the execution overall on the play and on the offense as a whole. Once we get into our rhythm and execute on plays, it’s a constant flow of executing, making completions, making the right runs, making the right blocks. When you get out of that rhythm, it’s difficult, so I would say the difference was the rhythm of the game and being able to execute this week.
How much does Knight moving on from fumbling the ball by moving the ball well on the next drive rub off on the rest of the team?
It’s a huge reflection on us. We know Zonovan wants to do everything possible to help us win. When the ball’s on the ground, he takes that very personally. He told us on the sideline that he wasn’t going to do that again. He was going to pick himself up, and seeing that and seeing the player and person that he is is very rewarding.
What’s your relationship with Anthony Smith like?
Anthony’s a great player as well as a great teammate. He brings great energy to the room every single day. It definitely reflects off the different people. As a football player, he’s a tremendous athlete, and I’m very thrilled to have him as one of my receivers.
How does the defense getting three-and-outs help the offense from a complementary standpoint?
It helps us tremendously. The defense has been playing tremendous for us. Something we always talk about is playing complementary football, and I thought we did a good job of doing that tonight.