Here’s the transcript of NC State linebacker Germaine Pratt speaking to the media today at the 2018 ACC Kickoff.
Q. Germaine, tell me a little bit about your teammate there.
GERMAINE PRATT: Ryan Finley, he’s a true competitive leader. He’s pushing guys, making sure the offense is great basically. When he’s on the sideline he tells them let’s go get seven. He just stays focused and pushes the guys around him because they’ve got so much talent in that room. You’ve got to have somebody that’s a leader to hold them accountable, and I think he does a great job.
Q. Germaine, obviously one of your teammates, Darian Roseboro, has got a lot on his shoulders filling in for all the guys you lost up front. Talk about how he’s doing and the talent he brings to the program.
GERMAINE PRATT: He’s doing great. He pushes the young guys around him, pushes them around because we lost four of the huge starters, so I think he’s leading them in the right direction. He’s working hard, and he’s staying focused, and he’s not getting distracted from his mission.
Q. Germaine, what you can say about the Dave Doeren factor, what he’s done for NC State and what the environment has been like as you’ve grown through your time there.
GERMAINE PRATT: He makes people want to come to Raleigh, I think. It was a ghost town. When I first got there, it was a ghost town. People didn’t want to come back and work. But now people come back and ask to work. People wanted to even commit and come here to play with us because they seen what we had last year, seven people get drafted and go to the NFL. So I think everybody wants to come to Raleigh.
Q. You had a chance to show what you were capable of a little bit in a reserve role last year, but now Airius Moore, Jerod Fernandez, they’re gone. How much does it feel like an opportunity to be a leader on this defense?
GERMAINE PRATT: I mean, I take advantage of my opportunity. I don’t see it as different because they left. I’m just going to be the same me and don’t change and just trust in God, trust his plan that he has for me and stay focused and help the younger guys around me. Like Louis A., Brock and helping that linebacking corps be stronger than it ever was.
Q. You’ve not been a starter; has that been okay for you? You’ve made a great impact, but emotionally is it okay that you know you’re not starting?
GERMAINE PRATT: I mean, it’s a little bit up and down, but that’s part of life. You have adversity, and I think adversity creates you or it breaks you, but I think it has created me to be more stronger as a man because without football, who knows where I’d be. I’m going to be a great man, a great father for my children. That’s what I’m going to be. So I can tell them what I went through in life to push them and make them be the best they can be in life.
Q. I’ve seen some of your teammates and former teammates, Bradley Chubb being one, calling you Big Play Pratt on social media. You have been able to kind of earn that nickname in a non-starter role. How will that grow this coming season?
GERMAINE PRATT: Just trusting my coaching and stuff. Just seizing the moments, just taking advantage of the opportunity that I have. Whatever play, just doing my job, doing my job well, and if a big play happens, I just take advantage of that opportunity.
Q. Do you like that nickname?
GERMAINE PRATT: I mean, yeah, of course. You’ve got Bradley Chubb calling me Big Play, so yeah, of course I’m going to like it.
Q. You have quite a few players starting on defense who did not start last year. Talk about the challenges of that in the Atlantic Division where there are so many great offenses. What are the challenges that defenses face in this division?
GERMAINE PRATT: I mean, I don’t think it’s a challenge, I don’t think they would find it as a challenge. I think it’s an opportunity for them to showcase their talent since they’ve not been on the radar. They’re ready for their opportunity and showcase what they’ve got. We’ve got guys with experience, Darian Roseboro, Big E, Shug, James Smith-Williams, and then you’ve got guys coming from JuCo, Larrell, and you’ve got — dang, I can’t get his name out right now, but yeah, he’s ready to play.
And then you’ve got guys around that’s ready to play like Steven Griff, a transfer at nickel, he’ll be ready to play, and then a lot of guys that’s ready to take on a bigger role. And my role has only increased, as well, by pushing others and taking care of my job and ready to seize the moment.
