North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Quotes from Media Day
8/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 11, 2003
NC State Quotes from Media Day
Head Coach Chuck Amato
Addresses leadership issue on defense
"I think that's starting to work itself out. From the middle of last season, we had two youngsters that started to assert themselves as leaders. They were [Andre] Maddox and [Pat] Thomas. In the spring, you could add Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay to that. In the summer, there was Manny Lawson. Everybody was concerned about what was going to happen when Levar [Fisher] left and it took two to replace him (Dantonio Burnette and Terrence Holt), so it might take four to replace the other two. All coaches are concerned about leadership and senior leadership, especially. We don't have a lot of seniors on defense. We've actually had some seminars on leadership and they actually like them and enjoy them. I think that's one of those things that once you get it going, it starts to be handed down automatically. It kind of becomes a tradition."
On depth at the cornerback position
"We've got that quality depth at some positions. You play more than two corners in a lot of situations because of three wide receivers, four wide receivers and five wide receivers that the other teams are going to use. You see it so frequently on offense that a guy will run a take off and then he'll come out of the game, but the defensive back has to trot back 50 some yards, get back in the huddle, break the huddle and cover another guy. But we have the ability if that happens, we'll just say if they run a take off, the covering corner will come out and his replacement come in. We feel awfully good about what we have there, and the same thing at wide receiver. When we start getting that in the lines we'll really be in a great situation."
Freshman Defensive End Mario Williams
Talks about how the perception of NC State football has changed in recent years
"NC State football has had a big jump. A lot of players are coming here now. Before, I really didn't keep up with NC State when I was younger. Now, they're shocking a lot of people and proving a lot of people wrong. A lot of people are starting to see that NC State is a program on the rise. There's a buzz going on around here and Chuck is a big part of that. He's a great coach and a motivator."
Linebacker Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay
Discusses linebacker corps for 2003 season
"As a group I think we're better, but as far as one person being better than Levar Fisher or Dantonio Burnette, we haven't gotten there yet. We've got a lot of talent and some guys that have experience. We know what we're doing, so it's just a matter of going out and doing what we have to do this season."
Sophomore tailback T.A. McLendon
Doesn't think about individual awards like the Heisman Trophy
"That's individual stuff and right now I don't think anybody on the team is thinking on an individual level; it's a team thing right now. If we win anything, we want to win the ACC, win all of our games and the national championship. That's all we're really trying to do."
Feels more comfortable going into his second season
"I know what to look forward to. I know how the defensive lines are going to be. I know how the linebackers are going to be. I'm just smarter on the field and know more about what's going on."
Senior quarterback Philip Rivers
Can NC State go undefeated?
"That's a goal that's definitely at the top of the list. That's your ultimate goal but there are a lot of little ones that you have to reach to get there. It's certainly something that we don't shy away from talking about. Our goal is to win every game. I think this year being ranked as high as we are going into the season and having the schedule that we have, if you win them all you'll play for the national championship. Last year, that probably wouldn't have been the case. We have everything out there for us. It just comes down to how we handle it and how we go get it."
Talks about the national recognition the NC State program is starting to receive
"It's kind of been neat to be a part of it. Coach Amato said that he's going to build a championship program and the guys here are starting to believe it. It's going to happen. I think gradually that we're going to gain that respect where you say 8-4 and that's a down year for NC State. That's the way it should be. We've got to keep it rolling. We won 11 last year and as hard as it is, we should shoot for more."
