WATCH: Collin Smith Talks Connecting on his 1st Field Goal of the Season (with transcript)

Senior Kicker Collin Smith met with the media after practice this week leading up to NC State’s game against Duke tomorrow. Smith’s primary job all year has been kickoff duty, but with Redshirt Sophomore Kanoah Vinesett injured last week, Smith had to step up. Smith made all of his extra points (8/8), and connected on his only field goals attempt, from 23-yards out.

Doeren didn’t speak to Vinesett’s availability for tomorrow, so we will have to wait and see if Smith is back out there kicking the ball through the goal posts again.

You can watch the video ABOVE, and read the transcript BELOW.

You were a busy guy on Saturday. What was it like handling all of the duty?

First of all, I want to say Kanoah (Vinesett) has done a great job this year on field goal and extra point, but of course, the one game that I come in and play, we have the most kickoffs and field goals we’ve had all season.

So leg was quite tired, but it felt really good.

You kinda went into the portal for what, a couple of days last year? What was that like for you, and what brought you to come back?

I think, for me, I wanted to explore my opportunities, but the culture here at NC State’s great, and I wanted to rejoin that culture, as well as I’m currently getting my MBA here at NC State.

So that’s a tough thing to transfer. So I wanted to come back and finish that out.

What makes the culture at NC State great, in your opinion?

We have really good leaders here at NC State.

It’s been a culture driven by the upperclassmen. We’ve been here six, five years, you name it, and people like Payton Wilson, Drake Thomas, Trent Gill in the specialist room, they’ve set that standard, and we’ve kept it going throughout the years.

What was the conversation like with Coach Doeren when he told you that you were going to be taking the field goals and extra points this past week?

All trust. He trusted me, and I was able to step up to the plate.

This program’s had, as you mentioned, a great history with specialists, particularly you mentioned Trent Gill. What’s it been like being a part of that with a program that’s put out so many great players and some that have gone to the next level?

The culture’s been great, and just stepping into big shoes when it comes to Chris Dunn and Trent Gill.

But each of us have a duty, each of us has to step up to the plate. And as a leader now in the room, we’re calling other people up to the standard.

For a while this year, you were one of two kickers in the country that hadn’t allowed a kickoff return. Is that something you took pride in?

Absolutely. That’s my job on Saturdays, and that’s my expertise, so I take pride in that every single day.

How demanding and precise is Coach Goebbel as a special teams coach?

Great guy, love the guy, but very demanding.

Like I said, we have a culture here. We’ve had the standard of really elite kickers and specialists. So we’re not going to sacrifice that.

And Coach Goebbel’s going to be demanding as always.

Does a senior get a little nervous at this point, when you had that first field goal?

I’ve had a couple field goals before, a couple extra points back in the UCONN game about two years ago. So I’ve done that before, but new duty in a different game, still a little bit nerve-wracking, but it’s just another day, just like practice.