Dave Doeren’s Press Conference After WCU: BULLETED

Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren spoke with the media after NC State’s 41-0 victory over Western Carolina yesterday. You can watch the press conference here, or check out a bulleted breakdown below.

Opening Statement

• Really proud of a lot of the guys in the game.
  • Shutout
  • Hold a team to eight yards rushing.
• Started slow on offense…then got the run going
• Great for Bam Knight to get 1st 100-yard game.
• Jordan Houston gave good spark in second half. Change of pace.
• Tight Ends got involved in passing game.
  • 7 catches.
• Good to see takeaway at end of the game.
• Played 4 quarters.
• Played a ton of guys.
• 3 penalties today. Improved from 6.
• Outstanding on 3rd down defense.
• Red Zone offense much better.

Defensively…

• Kept the ball in front
• Tackled well
• No explosive plays
• Didn’t score any points.

Zonovan Knight…

• Didn’t handle Summer hype well.
  • Big head this summer.
  • Read press clippings too much.
  • Thought it was going to be easy.
  • Defensive Ends got after him and put him in his place in camp.
  • It’s a good experience to be humbled.
  • Finished camp well.
• Ran really hard today.
  • Lot of good yards after contact.
  • He’s physical.
  • Gets north and south.
  • 200-pounder, but he runs hard…behind his pads…drives legs on contact
  • Likes how he fights for extra yards and takes care of the ball.

Slow start on Offense…

• Today, I was disappointed in slow start offensively.
• Matt McKay wasn’t very sharp in the 1st. Didn’t give run game an opportunity with 2 incompletions in the 1st drive, but then he just kind of settled in.

Alim McNeil…

• Alim has to learn how good he can be.
• Probably never had to work as hard as he’s working now in high school
  • He could get away with it because of how talented he is.
• High-potential guy
• Still learning what he can be for us.
• It’s consistency, focus, and work ethic, because I think he could be a tremendous player, but Val Martin works harder than him, period.
• As he continues to pick up his work ethic, he’s going to be a really, really good player.
• The 1 thing we reward here is hard work, and if you’re the same guy over and over and over, you’ll be rewarded for that.

Trenton Gill Kicking it out of bounds twice…

• 2 years…hasn’t kicked it out of bounds once.
• Didn’t expect it.
• Hope it never happens again.
• He’s done a really good job on kickoffs.

Cecil Powell…

• Played on both sides of the ball.
• Great to get him a catch wearing C.J. Riley’s number.
• 2-way player in high school.
• May be fastest guy on the team.
• Just trying to use our roster.
• Also a guy back catching kicks.
• Really, really talented kid.
  • Trying to get him on the field.

Downfield passing…

• Has to get a lot better. Has to get a lot better.
• Won’t run for 300 yards on ACC teams if you can’t throw down field. Not going to happen.