NC State defeated Louisiana Tech 30-20 this past Saturday, improving to 2-1 on the year. Check out Pack Insider’s Highlight Reel from the Wolfpack’s victory over the Bulldogs.

Senior Linebacker Devon Betty met with the media after practice today. He broke down the need to stop Clemson from making explosive plays, his daughters 1st birthday this week, and how the Linebacker’s are doing thus far. You can watch the video ABOVE, and read the transcript BELOW.

How are you feeling going into Clemson?

Just like every other week. The main focus every week is always us, never who the other team is, no matter who the team is. As a team, I feel good, we feel good. We’re going to go down there and get this dub and come back home.

Is this week extra special for you with it being the birthday of your daughter?

It’s special. Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to make it the party, because I’m going to be there obviously. I’ve got something to play for this weekend. She’s going to be 1. It moves fast, man. Kind of sad I’m missing it, but it comes with the sport. I’m going to mush my face in the cake just like her.

What have you seen from Clemson on film?

As we know, every year with Clemson, they’re a balanced team. They play hard. There’s a reason they got natty’s. We’re all on scholarship. Just like they play ball, we play ball. Everyone has a reason they play, or a why. I don’t see them any different. Nothing special. Nothing out of the ordinary. Same stuff, honestly, from the previous years. Balanced team. Same mindset every year with them. We kind of know how they’re going to play, and we’re ready for it.

What I take from App St., is you’ve got to be ready. Nothing against App St., because I think they’re a good program, but when you watch the film of the first half, it’s just explosives…touchdowns, touchdowns all across the board. I don’t know if it was miscommunication with them. Over here, we know what the plan is. We cannot give up explosives. That’s our motto. That’s our mindset. Do not give up explosive passes.

What leads to explosive plays?

Communication and do your job. The only way you give up explosives is if you give up a big tackle, or just have a blown coverage.

How do you feel like you’ve played through 3 games? How do you feel like the Linebackers have played as a unit?

For me, I feel like there’s more to be done for me. For me, it’s still new (moving to outside linebacker). I’m still getting the balance of it, but it’s getting better weekly. As a group, I feel like we’re playing well. There’s some little things, like some missed tackles. Other than that, we’re fine. I think Sean’s (Brown) doing well, especially coming from Safety. I think Caden’s (Fordham) doing a good job controlling the defense as a MIKE Linebacker.

Not allowing explosives to turn into more explosives. 

There have been a couple of times this season when an explosive play turned into a long drive, that ends in a touchdown or field goal. If you give up an explosive on a drive, and then do it again, it’s probably going to end up in a touchdown, because everybody doesn’t know what to do, and gets kind of crazy in the head. That’s why you’ve got to win 1st and 2nd down, and not give explosives up, because if you stop them on 1st and 2nd, because then if you get a stop on 3rd down, you’re off the field. Teams like Clemson, if you stop them on 1st and 2nd down, it kills the drive.

Thoughts on CJ Bailey 

CJ’s (Bailey) a guy. I know he’s young, but he’s a guy. He’s confident. We love that about him. Like I told him last week when he got in, I was like ‘Bro, don’t think about nothing. Do what you do best. Do what got you here, and we’ve got the rest on defense.

On Saturday, NC State will be starting True Freshman CJ Bailey at Quarterback against Clemson on the road.

Last Saturday in the Wolfpack’s game against Louisiana Tech, Redshirt Senior Grayson McCall left the game late in the first half due to injury. At the time, NC State was losing, and True Freshman CJ Bailey came into the game, and helped lead the Wolfpack to a 30-20 comeback victory.

The last time NC State started a True Freshman Quarterback in a road game?

You have to go all the way back to 2000, when a guy by the name of Philip Rivers was the Wolfpack’s starting Quarterback.

As a True Freshman, Rivers was NC State’s Quarterback from Day 1.

While his first road game was against Indiana, Rivers’ first ACC road game was ironically also against the Clemson Tigers.

Rivers’ was 21 of 48 for 370 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. His spectacular effort wasn’t enough to propel NC State to a victory in Death Valley, with the Wolfpack losing 27-34.

Despite winning the turnover margin 3-0, NC State couldn’t muster enough rushing yards against the Tigers, rushing for only 32 yards on 23 carries.

The loss was the first of Philip Rivers’ collegiate career, after winning his first 4 games as a starter as a True Freshman.

Regardless of when McCall returns this season, it was apparent before the season began that NC State believes that Bailey is the future at the Quarterback position. Even though it wasn’t a perfect performance, Wolfpack fans got the opportunity to see what his coaches have seen in him to give them that confidence.

Sometimes your opportunity comes sooner than expected, and sometimes it presents itself to you when the odds seem to be stacked against you. Currently, the Wolfpack is a 20.5-point underdog heading into Saturday’s rivalry matchup.

Bailey has an opportunity to go into Death Valley and do what Rivers’ wasn’t able to do as a True Freshman…walk off the field after a win over the Tigers.

After beating Louisiana Tech 30-20 last Saturday, NC State now has the 8th best odds to win the 2024 ACC Football Championship heading into Week 4 against #21 Clemson. Prior to the game against the Bulldogs, the Wolfpack was tied for the 4th best odds.

NC State’s odds went from +1800 to +2800.

The top three are the same as last week: Miami, Clemson and Louisville. Prior to Week 3, Virginia Tech, NC State and SMU were tied for the 4th best odds. Now the Hokies have sole possession of the 4th best odds, and SMU, Boston College and Syracuse are tied for the 5th best odds.