Connect with us

NC State Football

NC State’s James Smith-Williams Meets with the Media at 2019 ACC Kickoff

Published

5 years ago

on

NC State Graduate Senior Defensive End James Smith-Williams represented the Wolfpack today at the 2019 ACC Kickoff (Media Day). Here’s the transcript of what he had to say:

Q. You were thinner in high school. What have you done to fill out so well?

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: He’s talking about maybe 60, 70 pounds ago. I was a 195-pound kid. I think buying into what the program is teaching us, the weight room and the nutrition plan with our staff, it’s helped
me grow a lot.

Q. Can you describe the competition, the push to get better, that goes on between you and Larrell Murchison.

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: I love him. He’s a great football player. He’s a great guy. We’ve grown very close. I would say that every day he does something new, I’ll do something new. We’re trying to copy each other or teach something that we learned. It’s helped us both grow.

Q. With so much experience and depth on the defensive line, how much confidence do you have coming into this season?

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: We have a lot of confidence. I think that comes from experience, but also comes from knowing the system, knowing who is around me, playing beside Larrell Murchison gives me a sense of confidence. We’re excited to play and we’re excited to get going.

Q. How would you describe, in your opinion, from your viewpoint, the Wolfpack, what Coach Doeren has done with this team, elevated this team and this program not just in the ACC?

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: Right. I think Coach Doeren has a standard, and that standard is raised every day. He set the bar high. He’s shown us also what it’s like to be a man, handle your business. I think that’s reflected on the field, as well.

Q. We had the commissioner in here earlier. A lot of talk about the ACC Network, ESPN, all that. Do the players talk about that? Is that on your radar in any way back in your apartment or anything?

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: We’re definitely intrigued by it. It’s cool to get more coverage, especially for the other sports that are outside of football, that they’re all getting covered, being played on TV as well. We’re definitely aware of it. At the end of the day we’re here to win games, you
know.

Q. For several years now you have been really good at stopping the run. Less good at stopping the pass. I believe last year was a little better than previous years. You would agree 11th is maybe a little higher in the league than you’d like to be. You returned three of your four top players from the secondary. Is this the year State gets better in the secondary

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: I think those guys have the experience and knowledge that we need to be the best possible defense on the field. I’m excited to play with them. I know they’re excited, too.

Q. What is it like to wear the No. 1?

JAMES SMITH-WILLIAMS: It’s a massive honor, if you look at the guys that came before me, Jaylen Samuels, Steph Louis, were all hard-working guys that were well respected in the program. I think that’s reflected in the No. 1. I’m excited to be wearing it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, James.

ACC

Related Topics:

Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

NC State Football

Colorado DT Transfer Chazz Wallace is Taking an Official Visit to NC State Tomorrow

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 6, 2024

By

NC State has offered Colorado Defensive Tackle Transfer Chazz Wallace (6’2″/295), and he confirmed with me that he will be taking an Official Visit to Raleigh tomorrow.

Wallace played in 10 games for Coach Prime this past season, starting in 4. He finished with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 56.4.

Prior to Colorado, Wallace spent his first three years at Old Dominion.

Continue Reading

NC State Football

NC State Offers FCS DT Brandon Lane

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 6, 2024

By

NC State offered Stephen F. Austin (FCS) Transfer Defensive Tackle Brandon Lane (6’3″/300) yesterday.

Lane started in 6 of the 11 games he played in for Stephen F. Austin this past season. He finished the year with 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His PFF Grade was 74.6, which ranked 4th on the Lumberjacks Defense. His 79.9 Run Defense Grade ranked 3rd on the team. In 2022, Lane played 7 games as a reserve for Stephen F. Austin, recording 11 tackles 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

Lane spent his first two collegiate seasons at South Dakota State (2000-21). In 2000, he played in 1 game. In 2021, he played in 3 games as a reserve for the Jackrabbits. The 2000 season was the Covid Year, and the 2021 season was his redshirt year. As a result, Lane still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Around a week-and-a-half ago, Lane committed to Michigan St., but then he decommitted from the Spartans on May 2nd.

I don’t think Michigan St. is necessarily off the table, and he has visited Washington and West Virginia.

Continue Reading

NC State Football

Congrats to NC State Football’s Spring Graduates!

Published

3 days ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

Congratulations to the 7 NC State Football Players that just graduated this Spring.

Image

2024 Football Spring Graduates

Linebacker Devon Betty (1 year of eligibility)

Defensive End Davin Vann (1 year of eligibility)

Cornerback Aydan White (1 year of eligibility)

Offensive Guard Anthony Carter Jr. (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Matt McCabe (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Tackle Patrick Matan (2 years of eligibility)

Offensive Lineman Brendan Lawson (no longer on the roster)

Continue Reading

NC State Football

Proposed Bill in the NC House Would Require NC State & UNC To Play One Another, as well as ECU, UNCC and App St.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

A bill has been proposed by members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that would force NC State and UNC to play one another, as well as East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

According to House Bill 965, which you can read here in full, NC State and UNC would be required to play one another annually in Football, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball. The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels would also be forced to play a game annually in all three sports against either ECU, UNC-Charlotte or App St. Every six years, NC State and UNC would be required to have played a home and away game against each of the three school in all three sports.

Here’s the exact wording from the proposed bill:

Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in each eligible sport: (1) Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i) another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. (2) Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution.

For glossary of terms being referenced above:

For the purposes of this bill, “High-enrollment institutions” = NC State and UNC, while “Eligible constituent institutions” = East Carolina, UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State.

It’s worth noting that NC State already has games schedule against each of these teams home-and-away in Football between now and 2031.

2025 – East Carolina (H)

2025 – @ App St.

2026 – App St. (H)

2028 – @ East Carolina

2030 – Charlotte (H)

2031 – @ Charlotte

What are your thoughts?

For more details, check out this article at WRAL.

Continue Reading