Dave Doeren’s Weekly Press Conference: Week 1 (BULLETED)

NC State head coach Dave Doeren hosted his weekly press conference yesterday. Here’s a BULLETED breakdown of his main points.

Previewing Wake Forest

• NC State vs. Wake Forest is longest continuous ACC rivalry
  • 3rd-longest in the nation.
  • Series began in 1910.
• Wake has advantage of having played a week.
• Unique style of zone-read offense with the mesh and the RPO game.
• Lost a lot of skill on offense.
  • Players they have showed a lot of athleticism against Clemson.
• Returning tailbacks with lots of stats.
  • Speed and strength.
• Slot receiver Taylor Morin is a playmaker.
• Up-tempo offense.
  • One of fastest no huddle offenses they will face.
• Defense has very experienced Front-7
  • More depth and rotation on D-Line.
  • Lots of respect for RS SR DL Carlos Basham.
• NC State’s D needs to get them off of the field.
  • Tempo offenses struggle when they can’t get a 1st down.

Isaiah Moore Wearing #1

• He earned it.
• Represents team as a person, student and as an athlete.
• What he’s doing in the community right now.
• Likes holding people accountable.
• Speaks from the heart.

Health

• Have about 95% of guys back

LB Louis Acceus Stepping Away From Playing Football

• Continuation of injuries he’s been dealing with.
• Best thing for him was to become a coach.
• Has tremendous respect from players and coaches.

Tim Beck’s Offense

• Won’t see whole playbook.
• Slowed down by COVID set back.
• Began repping what they needed to begin season with.
• Will see some formation similarities, but system itself will be a lot different.

Rotating Players

• Going to be a lot of rotation.
• Some backups will play as much as starters due to tempo, 1st game, and COVID setback.

“F” Position on Depth Chart

• Like an H-Back.
• Will align in a lot of places.
• Tight Ends have a lot of alignments and assignments in this system.

SAM Linebacker instead of BUCK Linebacker

• SAM, MIKE and WILL are how Tony Gibson has always done his system.
• Gibson has cross-trained through camp.
• Drake Thomas plays multiple spots.

“OR”on Depth Chart

• Those players have earned the right to be called starters.

Moving Ikem Ekwonu from LT to LG

• Played G in High School.
• Wanted to have best 5 blockers on field, and this got Tyrone Riley out there at LT.
• Can always bounce back to LT if Riley gets tired.
• Tim McKay has had a great camp.

Empty Stadium

• Team has to be great in supporting each other.
• Cutouts of Zach Galifianakis and Bill Cowher in the stands.
• Fingers crossed there will be fans at the next game, because there isn’t another home game in September.

Porter Rooks

• Consistent.
• Makes plays every day.
• Mature.
• Learned playbook very quickly.
• Catches ball naturally.
• Good route runner.
• Earned trust because he’s the same every day.

Cornerback

• Shyheim Battle and Cecil Powell have been very consistent.
• Teshaun Smith is a proven player who has played a lot.
• Malik Dunlap played a lot last year.
• Those are 4 corners we can play and rotate.
• Freshman Aydan White has done really well in camp.

Chris Ingram

• Not ready to go. Week-to-week.
• With NCAA allowing this to be a zero year from an eligibility standpoint, going to see how long it takes for him to get back.