Dave Doeren’s Weekly Press Conference Before Texas Tech: BULLETED

NC State Head Football Coach Dave Doeren met with the media for his weekly press conference yesterday. You can watch it here, or check out a BULLETED breakdown below.

• Emeka Emezie and Kelvin Harmon were there.
• He gave the following perfect snide remark: “Interesting week in college football, I think a lot of people probably wish they would’ve won by one. This past week makes our first game feel a little bit better, seeing some of the teams go down in week two, but it’s good to be 2-0.”
• 83 players played
• Played complimentary football…blocked and tackled better…finished drives in the red zone (4-4).
• Strained more offensively…worked hard to get body on body.
• Didn’t give up a sack in protection for 2nd straight week.
• Running backs productive in the screen game…Jordan Houston made a nice down field catch for a TD.
• QB Devin Leary back to being himself…running the show…making plays buying time…extending plays.
• Good to see TE Chris Toudle make play in the end zone.
• 4 penalties…2 were pre-snap in the red zone.
• 1 turnover where RB Delbert Mimms lost the ball, led to the FG.
• Dropped 4 passes that were catchable.
• 3 takeaways on defense. Nickel Tyler Baker-Williams forced a fumble and had an interception. Jalen Frazier got a ricochet interception via Jordan Poole.
• Got off blocks better…especially at corner…and tackled…CB’s Derrek Pitts & Teshaun Smith did nice there.
• Tackled better…went from 26 missed tackles in Week 1 to 9 in Week 2.
• No pre-snap penalties on defense.
• Nine 3-and-outs…a 4th down stop
• Lost contain on a pressure that would’ve been a sack…something we’ve gotta stop.
• Had a Pass Interference by Aydan White that could have been avoided.
• PK Chris Dunn went 2-2.
• K Colin Smith kicked off well…eliminates a phase of the game for opponent.
• Punt coverage was elite (Daryl Jones, Chris Smith and Sean Brown)
• At Punter, can still do better at hang time.
• Punt return game was solid (2 good ones by Thayer Thomas and 1 by Jalen Coit)

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• Will be wearing all BLACK against Texas Tech.
• LB Payton Wilson and CB Shyheim Battle will be back this week.

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• 10 guys on on Defensive depth chart are Seniors or Grad Transfers.
• Texas Tech Head Coach Joey McGuire is a very good friend.
  • When Doeren was coaching at Kansas, McGuire was a 1st time head coach at Cedar Hill High School in Dallas, and he signed his first D-1 player there. Became a state championship coach there. Moved up and has done a great job in college.
  • Remembers eating pregame meal with his team…had the best chicken fried steak and gravy you’ve ever had.
• TT is coming off 2OT win over #25 Houston. Beat Mississippi St. in bowl game last year, and NC State didn’t play well against them in 2021. TT beat them convincingly.
• TT plays with a chip on their shoulder…has a lot of respect for them.
• Red Raiders have 10 starters back on defense.
  • Very long guys.
  • Tall defensive ends.
  • Athletic linebackers.
  • Different looks and pressures…lots of man-to-man coverage.
• Offensively TT is uptempo…spread…
  • Very long…rangy…outside receivers.
  • QB can run…great arm.
    • Won the game with his feet on scramble last week.

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• OC Tim Beck liked calling plays from upstairs, and will continue to do so.
• When asked about his name mentioned as a possible replacement at Nebraska: “Dude, it’s Week 3 of the season, man. I’m so fired up to coach my team this week. So no, I’m so excited about playing at home and coaching the Wolf ack. It’s not the first time that names have been on lists. So, it is what it is when you talk about that, but I can’t wait to get ready for this game. This is a big one for us and a big season and a great group of guys. So that’s where my head and my heart is.”
• Wanted to play FR WR Julian Gray and SO Anthony Smith more against ECU…was disappointed they didn’t.
  • Don’t have to play as much as older guys, but need to play enough to develop and grow, because they’re very talented.
  • Need to keep getting them in the game, because the more they play, the better they’re gonna get.
  • They will be the future of that position down the road.
  • Porter Rooks getting on the field a little more as well…Jalen Coit is another one…made some plays.
  • Helps to play them not just in mop-up duty…something I believe in and need to stay on top of position coaches to get them in.
    • Not sure what the rep count is, but there’s gotta be a rotation where they are showing up in each half.
• Happy for Malik Dunlap [transferred from NC State to Texas Tech]. Enjoyed having him in the program. He’s having success and that’s great for him.
• Playing at night is great…love it…but playing 8 or 9 of them [9 in 2021]…particularly on the road…getting home at 4 or 5 in the morning…different conversation.
  • Asked ACC to be cognizant of that for player and coach health. Needs to be balance.
  • But loves what it does for fans. Good for recruiting. Players like playing under the lights.
• Excited about the access of the 12-game playoff.
  • Has so many questions…
    • Been in playoffs 2x as FCS coach…and how long those seasons were…played 16 games one year and 15 the other…
    • How it impacts academic schedule
    • What happens to bowl games?
    • Scheduled out far…what happens to some of those games
  • Excited conference champions from Power 5 leagues get automatic berth.
• Excited for LB Payton Wilson…he feels really good…in a good space.
  • LB Jaylon Scott has been playing really good. Be able to play both.
  • Also able to allow Scott to give other guys breaks, because he is cross trained at multiple positions.
  • Good to get LB Devon Betty in there to help Isaiah Moore.
  • Good to get LB Jayland Parker in to help Drake Thomas.
  • Against TT, they try to snap it as many times as they can, so rotation will be important.
• Not sure what other schools didn’t see in RB Demie Sumo-Karngbaye. They saw a really good football player…tough…vision…accelerates quickly…catches well…physical…yards after contact.
  • Weird time in recruiting…weren’t allowed to be out on the road…all video and zoom calls.
• Super happy for Sean Clark and his staff at App St.
  • His oldest son Jacob goes there.
• Always cheering for people to do well in our conference.
  • Big win for Duke against Northwestern.
  • Good win for Wake Forest against Vanderbilt.
• DE Travali Price plays really hard. Always straining. Never have to talk about effort…love that.
  • Not surprised he made the play on the QB.
  • One of the better speed pass rushers in training camp
  • After losing Daniel Joseph and Levi Jones, they need that.
  • Payton Wilson will help with rush…Jayland Parker and Jordan Poole did some good things rushing.