The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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56 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2015 sive linemen, three linebackers, four de- fensive backs) alignment to a 4-2-5 (four defensive linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs) significant or perhaps overblown by the media? "I don't think it was as big a deal as made out to be. It was just taking the third line- backer off the field and putting a fifth de- fensive back on the field. Now, it was a new position for those players that played the nickel position, and we did add some dif- ferent coverage structures with the change. "There was some new learning. It was not a lot of new learning for the defensive line, but for the back end — the linebackers, the nickel, the safeties — that's probably where the biggest thrust of learning was." How much more comfortable are those back end guys a year later? "Our secondary is going to be a strength for us. We were very young starting the fall last season and maybe it showed in some games. They were very green. I saw that group getting better and better as the sea- son went on, and at the end of the season I thought that they were playing at a pretty high level. "I saw that carry over into the spring. I really feel like that our secondary should be a strength for us." Is it fair to say that the defense became more aggressive about midway through last season? "It is accurate. I think it was probably about the week of the Louisville game that we reassessed where we were at and felt like we needed to become more aggressive. "We've got good athletes. We want to let them pin their ears back and have some fun and get after it a little bit. Take the attitude and approach of stressing the offense rather than being stressed by the offense. "I think the guys had a lot of fun with it. It was successful for us. That's really where we're going defensively." Do you sense that your players em- brace that? "I see a lot of confidence in the guys. I talk with the defense about having a con- fident swagger and not a stupid cockiness. I see a confident swagger in our defensive players. I like that. "It's a good feeling for me as a defensive coordinator. I just think their football IQ and understanding of who we are and what we are trying to do, the knowing and under- standing, is so much better now." What went into the move to have the nickel back move from the safeties room to your linebacker room? "He's an underneath player like a line- backer. There are times in some coverage structures where he is going to be in a deep coverage. Being in the linebacker room, he learns the flow of how things fit in an underneath coverage and the adjustments to motions and shifts, and he understands the run defenses as a linebacker. It's a posi- tive thing." Some would suggest the defensive line could be the biggest question mark on defense. How is it shaping up? "We've got a bunch of good football players on the defensive line with a lot of depth. We've got some guys coming back from injuries that weren't involved in this spring and are healthy now and are partici- pating in our summer workouts, guys that have played a lot of football: Monty Nel- son, Justin Jones, who was a true freshman last year but did play some and is bigger and stronger" "Mike Rose didn't go through spring practice, but he's been a staple for us at that field end position and gave us good play last year. We've got him back this summer, and he is healthy. "B.J. Hill was a true freshman last year who I think his first start was Clemson. He just played outstanding for a freshman, had a really good spring for us, and has gotten bigger and stronger. "At the end position we lost Art Norman. We did move Bradley Chubb there after the third or fourth practice, and, wow, what a great move that was for us. Bradley just brings a lot to the table for us with his speed and quickness. We are really excited about him, and Pharoah McKever played a lot last year in his first time as a defensive lineman. "I feel like we have some good depth there. Darian Roseboro, a true freshman that got here in January, got a lot of reps this spring with Mike Rose being out. We took Kentavius Street from the field end and moving him inside to three-technique, and he did a really good job. We've got a lot of good football players there with some experience, with Darian being the one guy that doesn't but he got a lot of reps this spring. "I really feel like those guys going into fall camp will be game ready." ■ "I see a lot of confidence in the guys. I talk with the defense about having a confident swagger and not a stupid cockiness. I see a confident swagger in our defensive players." ■ Huxtable Sophomore tackle B.J. Hill is part of a defensive front that Huxtable believes has the talent and depth to succeed this fall despite its youth. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN