WATCH: NC State LB Devon Betty Talks Fatherhood, Moving Outside & Assures there will be No Drop Off This Year

NC State Senior Linebacker Devon Betty met with the media after practice yesterday, and shared how fatherhood is treating him, his excitement to move back to an Outside Linebacker position and that people shouldn’t expect a drop off at the Linebacker position this season.

After starting every game last season at the MIKE Middle Linebacker position, Betty has moved back to the outside this season, at the SAM Linebacker position.

“It’s going pretty good actually (moving outside). Loving it. As y’all know, I started outside. It’s honestly where I played my best ball at, back in 2021, playing WILL Linebacker. I’m loving it. I trust the guys in the middle and on the other side. It’s a good deal for me.”

Betty is the lone Senior in the Linebacker room this year, and he is taking his leadership role seriously.

“As a veteran, and an older guy, it’s my job to lead. My job to keep the guys right. To come in every day and do the right things. Just making sure everybody is going 100% every day.”

NC State began Western Carolina game prep yesterday, and Betty said they aren’t taking the Catamounts lightly.

“Treat them like every other team. Expecting them to play hard and play fast. Just because they are in a lower conference, they could still come in here and whoop us if they come in with the right mindset. Our job is to just come in every day in practice and treat them like any other team.” 

Betty became a father during the season last year, and it’s changed his life, and his game.

“For young dads, I would just say time management is the biggest, especially when you’re in a sport like mine, and still doing school, time management, prioritization and scheduling everything out makes things a lot easier. 

Fatherhood has been good. It’s definitely a learning process every day still. My baby girl is almost 1 now. I had her last year Virginia week, and missed that whole week of practice. It’s been good. I’m learning every day, and I’m loving it. It’s my peace of mind after this. She’s the only thing that can calm me down, literally. 

It gives me a different type of motor, just knowing I’ve got someone depending on me at home, I know I’ve got to come in here every day and bust my butt. Just knowing that I have another ‘why’ is big for me. It motivates me every day to come in here and work hard. 

NC State has helped me a lot being a parent. We have a lot of resources outside of football. A lot of our coaches are dads. Every now and then the chip in a little advice on fatherhood, and all I can do is take it in, and learn from them. Obviously, they’ve been doing it before me. All I can do is learn every day from them.” 

The coaching staff has highlighted the fact that Betty is in the best shape of his collegiate career this offseason.

“I would say, just looking over the years, seeing what I was missing over the years, I just realized I could be better, in the aspect of my body. Being more in shape. Being more fit. Being more mobile.”

With consensus All-American Linebacker Payton Wilson leaving, the perception by many has been that there will be a drop off at the Linebacker position at NC State in 2024, but Betty disagrees.

“We’re rolling. As y’all know, we’ve got Sean Brown in the box, and we’ve got Caden Fordham back in the middle. Look, we’re rolling this year. There’s no drop off. I know everyone is saying Payton Wilson left, so it’s going to be a huge drop off. I promise you, Sean Brown can get the job done, and I can’t wait till y’all see it this year.” 

“That’s been a thing. No drop off. We’re hearing it everywhere on Social Media. Like I tell everybody. We don’t get into Social Media. We kind of just prove it on the field. So y’all will see. There won’t be a drop off this year.”

Being the lone Senior in the Linebacker room gives Betty an edge, making him more familiar with Tony Gibson’s defensive scheme than everyone else.

“It helps me play faster a lot, honestly. When you know what you’re doing, and where you’re supposed to be at, when you know where other guys are at next to you, it allows you to go, trigger right now. Being a veteran guy, knowing the defense so well, it allows me to play faster than a lot of guys that are still learning.”

In practice, the Linebackers get plenty of experience tackling the Wolfpack Running Backs, and Betty thinks they’re all good, especially Redshirt Senior Jordan Waters.

“They’re all good. I like our Running Backs this year. Jordan, Hollywood, Kendrick, all of them. They all are good. I’m glad Jordan came to join the Pack. Good competition every day. It allows us as backers and defenders to get a good feel off of him. He’s honestly probably going to be the best Back we see.”