Dave Doeren meets with media before Connecticut game

NC State football coach Dave Doeren met with the media Thursday for one last time before Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Connecticut. The game will be at Carter-Finley Stadium and can be seen on RSN.

A transcript of Dave Doeren’s availability is provided below.

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Dave Doeren Pre-Connecticut

On health status of super senior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams and fourth-year junior running back Jordan Houston:

Dave Doeren: “They’re day-to-day. I expect both of them to be back with us soon, but I’m not going to tell you before the game what we’re doing.”

On biggest takeaway for Saturday’s game:

Doeren: “I just told them it’s our fourth game. We want to see the best version of us. Last week we got better in a lot of areas. There’s still areas we need to improve in, and doesn’t matter which side of the ball. It’s completely about getting better each week of the season.

“Kids practiced hard in the heat this week. Had a really good, focused day today. Expect to see that.”

On Payton Wilson’s week in practice after first game back:

Doeren: “Feels good. He was sore, Tuesday. Was happy sore though. It’s a good sore. He had a really good week of practice. He’s in a really good spot.”

On seeing Texas Tech linebacker Bryce Ramirez in the hospital:
Doeren: “If my son was in the same situation in another city, I would hope that someone will do that for him and for my son. It doesn’t matter, this profession is a brotherhood. I’ve always looked at coaching that way. We’re competitors on game day, but if you’re in this for the right reason you’re in the young men, trying to help them be better.

“I just felt like it was something I could do to help him in a tough moment because he had really an incredible story. Really, really uplifting young man. You go in there and he’s got a smile on his face after a second surgery.

“It was good to meet his father.

“Sometimes you get an opportunity no matter what we do to help someone else, and I felt like that was an opportunity for me to do that. Coach Thunder [Dantonio Burnette], Coach [Brandon] Howard, Adam Clark from my staff went with me. It’s nice to be able to go out there and make him feel better.”

On if he talked with Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire before going to visit Ramirez:

Doeren: “No, I didn’t. He hit me up after thanking me for going. Our stuff just talked about it. JJ Daugherty from my recruiting office had a good idea of putting together that basically giant get-well card that well signed for him.

“It was just the right thing to do.”

On kickoff coverage:

Doeren: “Coach [Todd] Goebbel does a great job, first of all. It’s not just scheme. It’s the fundamentals and the energy that he gets those young men to play with. They understand that they’re not the third wheel of our team. It’s equally important to everything we do.

“They’re performing well. Devan Boykin had a great tackle inside the 20. Sean Brown, Colby Johnson, those guys that are just getting off blocks and straining.

“We talk about setting up our defense, making their offense having a long field increases our odds of stopping them and vice versa. Getting our offense a shorter field increases our odds of scoring.”

On CJ Clark comparisons:

Doeren: “He’s a little bit more like Justin Jones, to be honest. Really a guy that gets off the football just like Justin did, very quick. It’s good to see him get back into the statistical categories of sacking the quarterback. I know he was really excited after both of those plays, and we need that from our front.

“He’s a really good player. It’s good to see him continue to get over the hurdles of the injury he had. I think there’s a process you go through with an injury like that. He’s feeling very confident right now, which is a great place to have him.”

On Bryson Speas:

Doeren: “Speas was voted captain for every game. He’s one of our 6 captains. He’s had a great journey here. I think he’s done a lot for our team. He’s done more than I can explain in this setting, but he’s a great leader behind the scenes to a lot of guys, not just o-linemen. There’s kids on our team that really respect him, and coaches alike.

“He’s a hard worker. He’s a guy that shows up every day the same, and he’s going to give you everything he has. He treats people with great respect. He’s an incredible human being. His parents raised him very well.

“I been fortunate with the Covid rule to get some guys back for a sixth for a lot of reasons but to have a guy like him on your roster, it’s a pleasure to be around Bryson Speas.”