Grant Gibson: "This Team's In A Very Good Spot"

No. 12 NC State center Grant Gibson met with the media ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup versus Connecticut.

NOTE: Click the video to watch the interview.

How do you feel about where you guys are at? It's kind of a pivotal moment in the season; you've got UConn and then the Clemson game, which was circled all year long. How do you feel about where the team's at overall?
I feel like this team's in a very good spot right now. We've worked hard this whole season. Each week I feel like we've improved in multiple ways. The first week we saw some things that we didn't like, and we look like a whole different team from that first game. So to just see the ways that we've grown has been huge for this team.

What didn't you like that had to be improved?
We just thought of some things on our side that we didn't execute. We saw some plays that we left out on the field. That's something that we've talked about the past few weeks about. When we get into these games, we need to make sure that we execute each play, because we're starting to get into some good games now for this year.

UConn, with them coming in here, we need to make sure that we can make every play that we can make.

When you get a team like Uconn that's not really good on paper, can you just focus on what you guys need to do? How do you approach a game like this?
We take each team the same way. You know what I'm saying? Each team has our respect. Cause if you guys have noticed, anybody can get beat any day. We make sure that we come out here and we're like, "We had a hard day today." We want to make sure that we're trying to clean up the stuff that we need to clean up. We feel like if we can fix the things that we can fix, then that will help us out this weekend.

Have you gotten to the point where you're no longer surprised by some of the moves that Demie is able to make?
Oh yeah, it's amazing. I saw somebody told me that his nickname now was the Slimy Shark, which I thought was cool. But I'm proud of him, though. Just all the hard work that he's put in. And you know what, he's going to learn from the stuff that he did this past weekend as well. That's a part of growth – just starting to grow and become a better player.

The Texas Tech linebacker that broke his leg during the game, what was your reaction at that play? How have you seen maybe the team or community respond since?
I didn't find out until after the game that it was his leg. I thought it was something with his neck, but we all just said some prayers for him on the field. We went over there when he was on the cart to just let him know that we were just going to pray for him. We also, as a team signed this, I guess it's like a poster just saying, "Get well." We know it's hard to get taken out of a game like that. I think I heard that it might've been his first start, but we just wish him the best and hope that he gets well soon.

Since your quarterback is sitting in the back of the room, you want to say a few words about...
Oh listen, that's my guy over there, man. Listen, that's the man. Man, listen, just seeing him and how he has complete control over his offense. He has all my respect for him. It's an honor for me to play with him, because that's the guy on this team and that's the leader. He's got my respect.

Where are you seeing his biggest development in these last couple of years?
The way that he leads, now. You know what I'm saying? Me and him both kind of grew up in our leadership roles over these past few years. I didn't say much. Just seeing him grow up in... He's the one that talks to the whole team now. When he speaks it’s dead quiet.

Everybody's like, what does he have to say? But just seeing how he takes complete control of the offense on the field, as well. Even during the game this past weekend, he's coming up and out of the side like, "yo, let's go, let's go. Let's get it going." He's trying to make sure that the offense is on point, which I like.