Payton Wilson discusses first full game back with the Pack
Payton Wilson made a statement on the first defensive snap of NC State’s win over Texas Tech. Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson drew up a blitz that quickly got the linebacker into the opposing backfield and, as the Red Raider quarterback released the ball for what ended up being an incomplete pass, Wilson delivered a crunching hit.
Just like that, Wilson was ready to help the Wolfpack defense dominate for four quarters.
“It was exciting,” Payton Wilson said. “I had some nerves, and I haven’t played in a while. Getting back out there and coach Gibson called in a great blitz at a great time, doing what he does, it really helped me just get to the quarterback and get that first hit and get those nerves out. It was pretty awesome.”
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That hit set the tone for the rest of the night, and Wilson finished the game leading the Pack in tackles with 10. Gibson stressed the importance of that first play during his press conference Tuesday.
“Probably the best play he made all night goes unnoticed,” Gibson said. “It was the first play of the game, and he broke through and hit the quarterback. It was a big hit.
“I don’t know if that affected [the quarterback] the rest of the night or not, but it was good for [Wilson] on the first snap to be that physical.”
On one play during the win, Wilson stifled what could have been a significant gain on a quarterback scramble, showing off his elite speed and tracking down the Texas Tech signal caller on the sideline.
Wilson led the ACC in tackles two seasons ago, and he knew what he was capable of heading into last Saturday’s game. He said it felt nice to prove that to himself on the primetime stage.
“I think it was just a reminder that I don’t think I lost anything, and that I’m back, and I’m going to keep getting better than what everyone just saw this past Saturday,” Wilson said.
NC State improved to 3-0 with Saturday’s win and could go into its matchup against Clemson undefeated, but Wilson and the rest of the program aren’t focussed on the potential top-10 showdown. The linebacker credited the coaching staff with keeping them focussed on the upcoming game against UConn.
“It’s college football,” Wilson said. “Everybody knows what can happen. It’s really hard to win in college football, so you’ve got to go out there and prepare as hard as you can, work as hard as you can and approach every game the exact same.”
Wilson is not satisfied with last Saturday’s performance, saying he can still do a better job with technique and preparation. With that said, both the linebacker and the Wolfpack coaching staff are excited about his return to the field.
“It felt great,” Wilson said. “I felt better than I’ve felt in a few years, so practice this week has been going really good, prepping for UConn, and we’re excited to get back after it.”
