WATCH: DK Kaufman After NC State’s Win Over Stanford (with transcript)

NC State Redshirt Senior Safety DK Kaufman returned 3 kickoffs for an average of 55 yards, highlighted by a 91-yard return in the Wolfpack’s 59-28 win over Stanford today. He also had 2 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and 1 QB Hit. He spoke with the media after the game in the postgame press conference. You can watch the video ABOVE, and read the transcript BELOW.

What were you seeing on that 91-yard return? What made you make the decision to go out of bounds?

Just being aggressive made me take it out. Coach was like, if it’s in the end zone, don’t take it out.

But just looking at film, I didn’t feel like they were that aggressive on kickoff return. Like a lot of times, even when the ball was kicked over the returners head, they still wouldn’t be inside the 30. So just looking at that, really just film study and just trusting my teammates, honestly.

One, in high school, had you ever had a play that long before?

In high school, that’s what I did, kickoff return.

I had a return in the state championship that gave us the lead right after we lost the lead. I love kickoff return. I always have.

When you bring one back like that, you go to the sideline and you see the juice that it creates, just describe that feeling.

I don’t even know how to describe it. I go to work with them dudes every single day.

And just to see them excited, because like it’s vice versa, they can do something, I’m excited for them. So just to have that energy, it’s just everybody feeding off each other. That just turned me up more when I get on defense.

And then offense, that just getts them moving. Now they got a short field.

What was the biggest difference today in kickoff return rather than the first eight games? Seemed like today was the first time you guys have really been able to find consistent success in that phase of the game.

We honestly don’t get a lot of returns. Honestly, I think I’ve probably returned the ball like under 10 times for sure. So just whenever we do get opportunities, just trying to capitalize, the difference today was just we wanted it more.

Not saying we didn’t in other games. It was just always one man away. But just between my teammates and me just running through the smoke, it was just one of those days.

Whether it’s kickoff return or defense, you’re always playing with a ton of energy. Is that a conscious decision you make, to play with that energy, to bring up your teammates? Or is it just kind of your play style? And has that always just been natural to you?

I think it’s natural. I really love football.

My biggest goal, we always do ‘one more.’ My biggest goal is always just to have fun. If you’re not having fun, it’s not worth it.

It’s my last year. I got three, maybe four more games left in college. I’m just trying to maximize that. I’m so happy with the decision I made to come to State.

I know my energy brings up other players. But that’s just natural.

Never taking a snap for granted. Anyone could be my last one, literally.

It feels like sometimes special teams is overlooked, and people kind of forget how impactful it can be in a game. What does it mean to have gotten to do that on such a big level today?

That’s huge. Special teams, you flip the script, you flip momentum.

We got dudes in the league that played 10 years on special teams. And it can, like you said, it can be overlooked sometimes. But like, that’s huge.

Special teams, that’s a part of the game. So you just got to maximize every time.