Dave Doeren meets with media before Syracuse game

NC State football coach Dave Doeren met with the media Thursday for one last time before Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Syracuse. The game will be at JWA Wireless Dome in Syracuse and can be seen on ACC Network.

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

Dave Doeren Pre-Syracuse

On if Jack Chambers will start at quarterback if Devin Leary cannot play Saturday at Syracuse”

Dave Doeren: “You’ll find out on game day.”

On how practice went this week trying out new quarterbacks:

Dave Doeren: “It’s been a great week of practice. The guys are excited to play a really good Syracuse team.

“We’re not trying out any new quarterbacks. They are the same guys we’ve had since training camp started. So, everybody’s practicing and working hard.

“It’s definitely that point of the season where you can tell we’ve had two really physical games. They are giving us everything they got. I’m proud of how they’re pushing through. I think our bye week after this one will come at a good time to try to get some guys you know, back to feeling normal.

“We are going to have a healthy Tyler Baker-Williams, so that’s a very happy addition gaining him back. Outside of that it’s been a great week and proud of these guys for how they’ve managed these five strange night games that we’ve had and the number of times not gotten home till three in the morning and everything else.

“It’s a remarkable group”

On if playbook changes depending on who is at quarterback?

Dave Doeren: “Well, did you watch the [Florida State] game? (Reporter: “I did”). Well then you saw that it changes a little bit.

“Everyone has a different skill set and Devin’s in the game it’s his offense. If Jack’s in the game, or MJ [Morris] is in the game or Ben Finley’s in the game, they all have things that are strengths that we’ll try to play to”

On Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader’s improvement:

Dave Doeren: “He’s impressive. He’s one of the more improved players I’ve seen this year — 70 percent completion rate.

“I went back and watched our game last year and he really struggled throwing the ball. He ran well against us, but to be 10 touchdowns, [one] interception, 70 percent completion rate, based off of what we saw last year, he’s done a great job and so has their staff.

“The changes that Dino [Babers] made have paid off, and you look at the way Robert [Anae]’s running that offense and using his skill set. [Sean] Tucker is still leading the ACC in rushing, so it hasn’t taken away from his production.”

On Syracuse receiver/tight end Oronde Gadsden II and his ability to play in the slot:

Dave Doeren: “ECU had a couple of guys in the slot that were really good players, but Gadsden plays everywhere. They move around, and you look at Robert Anae’s offense at Virginia he did the same thing. He moved players all over the field and found ways to get in the ball: motion them and made it hard for you to locate them and isolate one player on them to stop them.

“I think Robert does a good job with that schematically, and Gadsden is definitely their target. Their second leading receiver is the tailback. At the wide receiver position, Gadsden is very important to them, and we need to know where he is.

On if Doeren is surprised by Syracuse’s success:

Dave Doeren: “They got a lot of players back. I said this multiple times in the offseason when asked about the Atlantic Division. Whenever you have a starting quarterback back, which all of us do in the Atlantic, it allows you to improve your roster dramatically differently than when you don’t.

“And so I’m not surprised that any of these teams that return their starting quarterback are better, because they’re not worried about that piece of their offense. You can do a lot of other things. And we have the same thing.

“Unfortunately for us, losing Trent Pennix was a big blow for our offense when you talk about getting better.

“We look at what’s going on up there, they’ve been very healthy offensively. And I think Shrader was year one in that system, now he’s year two with the new OC.

“Dino’s a very resilient guy. I have a ton of respect for him. He’s a program builder. He did it at Eastern Illinois, did it at Bowling Green, he’s done it at Syracuse now twice and, doesn’t surprise me that they’re playing the way they are.”