Around the Atlantic Division: Wrap-up of what every team was saying

MIKE NORVELL: Good morning, everyone. Just wanted to start off, our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Bowden, Miss Ann. The news came out yesterday about the condition with Coach Bowden. I just want to reference his words. As he's at home, as he's resting, he talked about being at peace. I think that even speaks to the legacy of who he is and what he's all about. That's what life is about. To be able to go through a journey, be in a challenging place, a challenging moment, be able to be at peace.

Because of the impact that he's made, because of the man that he is, the coach that forever changed a university and a place, but just a tremendous example. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and the relationship I've had and have been able to form with Coach Bowden, just for who he is, the impact he's made.

To Coach Bowden, we love you. We thank you. As he's resting at home, just know we're thinking about you, the impact you've made, that you continue to make by who you are. Wanted to open up with that from all of the Seminole family to Coach Bowden, Miss Ann and the entire family. We're thinking about you and love you.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.

Q. Your first year at Florida State, a pandemic year. What can you say about navigating through that first year and what you can take from it, at the same time trying to establish some culture there for yourself.

MIKE NORVELL: Absolutely. I think 'unique' is an understatement to the year we just experienced. I'm grateful for this year. People can easily point to the challenges of what we experienced and the things we had to go through.

I'm grateful to be able to have been a part of it with this team, with the guys I get to coach. As we come in, there's been a lot of change at Florida State over the last few years. To be able to be with my players, with our coaches, it provided an opportunity through each challenge to be an example of how you respond.

That was something that we talked about throughout the course of this last year, something we still talk about today, is how you respond to all those situations. There are moments in this last year we saw great highs. We had a big win, a top five win. Then there were moments of great lows. There were things we had to adapt, adjust. We were able to do it together. I believe that really helped set the foundation and build the trust throughout our team of who we are, what we're aspiring to do, where we're aspiring to go.

I'm grateful for the challenges that we got to experience, and I'm grateful for the relations that have been built through those challenges and what that really sets up to do moving forward.

We're extremely excited about the year that's ahead, excited about the personnel we have, the guys we get to coach, the opportunity that's in front of us to help get Florida State back to where it deserves to be.

Q. Talk about the two quarterbacks in Milton and Travis. What do they bring to the table for the offense?

MIKE NORVELL: Two incredible players, also incredible young men. Who they are on the field, I mean, they're play-makers. I think you've seen that throughout the course of their careers. Jordan this past season did some remarkable things through some extreme challenges, dealing with injuries, missed time, continuing to grow and respond throughout that year.

With McKenzie and his story. Somebody that I have great familiarity with, having to compete against him, now getting a chance to coach him day in and day out.

They're two young men that they bring it every day. The appreciation for the opportunity, the appreciation for what it takes in the process to grow and develop.

But then also an appreciation for who they get to do it with. There's a lot of guys that go through college football with a sole focus on themselves. Those two young men, they care about who they get to be with and who they get to represent on their journey.

They're a joy to coach every single day. To see them compete with each other, the quarterback position is unique, and those guys are both battling, bringing out the best of themselves and bringing out the best of each other in how they grow and how they develop and what they do on the field, off the field, in the weight room, on the practice field.

Tremendous leaders for our program.

Q. Florida State had barely one sack a game last year. Talk about the impact of Jermaine Johnson on your pass-rush, getting the heat on the quarterback?

MIKE NORVELL: That was something that was a big focus for our staff as we were going into this year. We know we need to have that impact there on our defensive front. Jermaine is a young man that has shown the ability to do that at a very high level during the course of his collegiate career. An opportunity to come to Florida State, be a guy that can truly help be the face of the defense.

The embrace that he's had, much like we just talked about with the quarterbacks, it's easy to point to the opportunity that he's looking for, but a thing that's been most impressive to me is from day one he's poured into the guys on the defensive front, talking about the expectation, about the challenge, talking about the investment in being able to make an impact in everything they do from the practice field to the weight room.

That has to be a strength for us. When you look through the years of our program, the great history that we have, that has always been a staple. It needs to return to that. I think Jermaine is a guy, the sky's the limit for what he can accomplish. People look through his career, there at his last institution, you saw the pass-rush ability, you saw the impact that he can make.

The thing I've been most pleased with is his commitment in the run game, how hard he's practiced, the physicality he's shown. He's truly looking to be the complete player and helping bring guys around him that are going to help elevate that, like Keir Thomas, like Fabien Lovett, the guys on the defensive front that have great talent and have an opportunity to get us back to where we need to be.

Q. Going into your second year, how important is it to get full spring practice, summer camp, fall camp? How important is that for your team and yourself?

MIKE NORVELL: It's been great to kind of get into that rhythm, the daily expectation of what's to come. This summer was really just a joy to be a part of, to see our guys going through that eight-week program, getting that time with Coach Storms, our director of strength and conditioning.

The work they're putting in together, it's something that's necessary because each of those experiences, the opportunity to invest the work, that's how you build a continuity, how you build relationships.

We have a handful of transfers and freshmen that have come in and joined this program, they're building their way, being able to invest and go through the challenges of the workouts, go through the spring practice, really put on display their identity and the impact they're going to be able to make within our program.

I'm grateful for the spring and all that we were able to accomplish. Leading that into summer, really excited about fall camp that's ahead.

Q. To go back to McKenzie, going up against him in the American, what can you say about what really fit in that conversation you had to bring him into Florida State, why it worked for you, why you feel like it's going to work for him?

MIKE NORVELL: McKenzie is the ultimate competitor. We had some of the greatest games in college football history going against each other. Just seeing the way he would respond. Getting to see the impact he made, not only on the field with his physical ability, but also making guys around him better.

The person that he is is what truly makes him special, kind of how he helped change a culture there at a place, the success that followed that. When McKenzie and I got a chance to connect and talk about this opportunity, that's what I promised him. I promised him an opportunity to come and compete. That's what he was looking for, that's what we were looking for, is somebody that could come in, the leadership that he provides, the way that he embraces that process. I think it makes everybody around him better.

Last year we were the youngest football team in all of college football. To be able to bring in guys like McKenzie, like Jermaine, that have come in and played a tremendous amount of football and have had that success, but also the way that they embrace the process of growth and preparation. I think it's really provided a great example for our young guys and what they can expect, what they can do in that locker room when coaches aren't around.

We're all excited about that opportunity. I definitely believe McKenzie is going to make the most of it each and every day.

Q. Just want to get your thoughts on the opportunities via NIL and some of the things you've emphasized to the players, their approach to these opportunities.

MIKE NORVELL: I'm grateful these guys have an opportunity now to benefit off their name, image and likeness. We've tried to be very proactive at Florida State with our Apex program. We were on the forefront of that, pushing that program, helping provide the education for our student-athletes. I'm grateful for the state of Florida and the proactive approach that we've had as a state in being able to push this and really change the entire dynamic of college sports.

For these guys, they are now their own business. Building that brand, understanding what they want that to represent beyond just the collegiate opportunity that they have, being able to manage and make the decisions of where they want to invest that time, what they're looking to do that might benefit in the short-term but also the things they're still continuing to invest for what they want to do in the long-term as college football players, as student-athletes, as the men they're growing and developing to be.

For us, it's all about the educational aspect of it. I'm excited about the opportunities that have been provided for our guys, some of the things they're already getting to benefit from here in a short period of time.

I think it's exceptional for them, it's exciting for what the future holds.

Q. You leave a program in Georgia that has a rich history of pass-rushers. You come to Florida State that has also a rich history of pass-rushers. What do you feel like as an edge rusher you bring to this defense?

JERMAINE JOHNSON: I feel with my experience, multiple levels, just my experience playing the game for this length of time, I feel like I just bring experience to the table.

Like Coach said, we have a lot of young guys, the youngest team last year, I feel like a lot of experience and also technique. I like to value myself as a technician because first thing I learned getting on this level is a lot of guys will match your skill set and your talent level. The thing that sets you apart is your technique, how serious you approach that can determine how far you go in the game.

I think I bring a technician aspect, experience aspect, just a leadership role overall.

Q. Coming from Georgia, why was Florida State the right fit for you? Why did this one make the most sense?

JERMAINE JOHNSON: That guy right there, Coach Norvell, he called me. Everything he said just made sense. He believed in who I was as a man. He believed in who I was as a player. He believed in who I could be. I feel like we share those values. I couldn't wait to get here and give everything I had to him and this program.

Every day I wake up happy and I feel blessed that I'm able to give all I have to this program. It just feels like it's right, feels like it was made for me. I'm just blessed to be in the position I am.

Q. You've had kind of a crazy, unique journey in college starting at Independence. Are you ready to be the guy on the Florida State defense after being a contributor?

JERMAINE JOHNSON: Of course. I mean, like I said, I'm just looking to give everything I can to this team, be available in any way I can, and whatever Coach or whatever my teammates ask of me, I just hope I can do and deliver for them.

Q. You have seen a great deal of change over your last three years. What is it about yourself that you have learned through all of this change?

JERMAINE JOHNSON: What you believe is what you believe. Your thoughts are very powerful. What you choose to think, that's what will become a reality for you.

So just tuning out the outside noise, good or bad. Having a strong foundation and a sense of who you are as a person, and in my case as a man. I feel like that has carried me through all of my triumphs and everything else.

Q. How much have you enjoyed this opportunity to lead younger players? Probably a unique position for you to be one of the elder statesmen on the team.

JERMAINE JOHNSON: I love it. I love it. I wake up every day, like I said, I feel blessed. Coach Norvell told me what I was walking into in terms of a role that I had to step and be that guy and influence and lead other guys.

I don't take that lightly. He's trusting me with an incredible role. My teammates trust me with an incredible role every day.

I can't have a bad day. I can't come in and be flat. I have to come in, like I said, give my all to this team on and off the field. Tons of things nobody sees. Just have to do the right thing and push the right things forward for your team. So I'm just glad that I am in this position, and I'm blessed, truly blessed. That's all I can say.

Q. I know you've talked about the road coming back. Can you share with us maybe some trials and some triumphs that you've had along the way in this journey leading you ultimately to Florida State.

MCKENZIE MILTON: Yeah, it's been a long time since November 2018. Just a number of surgeries, infection in the leg, just a lot of ups and downs, a lot of ups and downs.

But I'm grateful that back at UCF I had a great medical staff. I feel like the biggest moment for me where I saw, like, light at the end of the tunnel was being able to go out there and practice again last year. That was probably the most fun I had in college football. Yeah, just getting back out there with the guys. Something I won't take for granted again.

Just having this opportunity to come to Florida State, play for Coach Norvell, everything that he's about, everything this program's about. Man, it's something you couldn't write up. So I'm definitely grateful for this opportunity.

Q. Yesterday we had your business partner, D'Eriq King, up. You guys have been spearheading the Dreamfield corporation with the NIL. Can you talk about your impact, what you think on your side that you bring to that and the outreach to college athletes?

MCKENZIE MILTON: Yeah, D'Eriq and I, we're older heads in this college football game. I think just being part of Dreamfield has just given us the opportunity to think about life after football and at the same time help educate these college athletes on filing taxes, setting their market rate for what they feel their value is, getting in contact with local businesses, whether it's an autograph signing, to get connected to fans, get some free food, things like that.

Just little things that we weren't able to capitalize off of before, just being able to see that has been pretty cool the past couple weeks.

I'm excited to see what these college athletes, what they run and do it, whether it's making podcasts, YouTube podcasts, channels, whatever their own merchandise. It's something that's pretty cool.

Like Coach said, you're becoming your own business and your own brand. That's something to take into consideration when you're 18 years old, now I'm 23, going to be 24 here in a few months. But, yeah, it's an exciting time in college football, for sure.

Q. For you, everything that you've been through, what were maybe some of those turning-point moments that you can go back to, those pillars to get back to standing here today and playing college football again? Some of those people along the way that you want to credit for helping you?

MCKENZIE MILTON: Oh, man. I mean, there's so many people that helped me through this process. The first one that comes to mind, Mary Vander Heiden, the head AT at UCF, Dr. Bruce Levy, my surgeon, out at Rochester and Mayo. There's so many people, assistant trainers, student trainers. Darn near everybody got their hands on my leg at every point at UCF, even at FSU.

I would say the big thing for me was getting the range of motion back in my knee, feeling comfortable enough to go out. If I were to get bent on the football field, I would be comfortable taking a hit or something like that.

Being able to get out there and run scout team last year at UCF, being able to practice, get my feet wet, feel comfortable running, cutting, throwing, getting them live bullets at me, the defense rushing me and whatnot. Just being able to do that. Those are big pillars for me, those are big steps for me.

Obviously going through spring ball, competing at a high level, just doing that, just going through summer workouts, feeling good this past year, not missing days, not feeling like, Oh, man, I can't do this today because my leg's too sore.

I feel like I'm right where I need to be in terms of health. Shout-out to my mom, too. She's been here every step of the way since I got hurt, every day she's been living with me. There's days I couldn't bathe myself and stuff like that. That's something I'll never be able to repay her for.

Yeah, shout-out to Mom.

Q. Offensive line has been something of a question mark at Florida State for several years. Here in 2021 the Seminoles have 73 aggregate starts in the offensive line. As a play-maker like yourself, how will that translate into helping you make plays?

JORDAN TRAVIS: Offensive line, I give a shout-out to them because they've been working very hard this off-season. Every single day they go out 100%. We do player practices. They're out there every single day going full speed. I'm blessed to have them.

Yeah, of course, offensive line, it starts there in the trenches. We can't do anything without the offensive line. So I'm thankful for them boys.

Q. For you to come into this season having McKenzie come in, how have you kind of played off of one another? What can you say about the competition? How do you improve McKenzie and how does McKenzie improve you?

JORDAN TRAVIS: First off, I have to give a shout-out to McKenzie also. That boy, he works hard every day. He's been through a lot. I've been looking up to him for many years now. I'm just seeing where he came from. I'm blessed to have him here.

I'm ready to get ready to work with him. If I'm next to him, if I'm behind him, I'm thankful for every opportunity I have. I'm thankful to be at Florida State.

Q. Looking back at last year, you guys were 111th in red zone efficiency. How do you kind of take the reins and improve that? What's going to be the key this year?

JORDAN TRAVIS: We just got to keep getting better. There's nothing else to it. We just got to get better. Last year was last year. It was a tough year. We went through a lot.

This year we've been working hard. Every day we go out there, we're working hard, we're getting better. This year is our year, for sure.

Q. You're a Seminole scholar. What is the balance in keeping academic and football straight, level, on a high level?

JORDAN TRAVIS: My parents did a great job with that, just forcing me every single day. Even in elementary school, middle school, just go home, school is first. We're student-athletes. So school's important to me.

My brother went to Florida State. He had all As and Bs. I'm not there yet. He's been pushing me to get better every day.

Q. Can you detail some of the struggles you had switching from Coach Taggart's system to Coach Norvell's system, especially without spring practice?

JORDAN TRAVIS: I'm just thankful to have Coach Norvell here and Coach Dillingham.

The transformation, it wasn't tough. I transferred from Louisville first. My brother has always taught me just to be ready for change. Change is good sometimes.

I'm thankful I have the coaches here now because they've helped me a ton. A year ago today I didn't know if I even wanted to play football anymore. These coaches came in and I love the game again. I can't wait to get back on the field.

Q. Your offense obviously is different. What would be the ideal run-pass balance?

JEFF HAFLEY: I don't know if there's any balance. Going into each game you have to look at it, see who you're playing against, what their scheme, who are their DBs, how good is their front seven. I don't think we need to put a number on that.

When I was in the National Football League, one of the biggest things for me was the NFL pass game was really hard to defend, really hard to defend. That's what I wanted our offense to look like. Now, I want to run the ball. I think you have to run the ball. But I think you have to throw the ball to score points.

Frank Cignetti and our offensive staff have done a really good job doing that. I think we have a quarterback that can throw the ball. But we're also going to run. We've got a really good O-line, a lot of experience coming back. We've got some good running backs. To put a number on that's hard. I think you'll see us run the ball a little bit more. We're going to throw the ball down the field. We're definitely going to get better at doing that, as well.

Q. Your first year at BC, pandemic year. A very unique experience for you to say the least. What can you take away from last year and how do you assess a year that was so unique and so different as you're trying to build a new era at Boston College?

JEFF HAFLEY: Yeah, good question. Really unique. I basically get the job and all of a sudden we're all sent home, you don't really get to know your football team, you don't really get to meet them, spend time with them. You get to know them on Zoom, and you do the best you can. You don't know if you're going to play a real football game, you don't have a team meeting room. First time in front of media like this since I've been a head coach. So it was different.

Here's what I took away. We got a bunch of guys who came together and they didn't make excuses. We had over 8,000 tests, and up until the last week of the season, we didn't have one kid test positive. We had a bunch of guys who were told they wouldn't be able to do something, and they proved that they could. When you coach football or you play football, you deal with adversity. Usually it doesn't come right away.

For our guys, it came right away. For our staff, it came right away. Our guys decided to get together and sacrifice. We didn't miss a game, we didn't miss a practice. We were competitive. Our guys started to love each other and believe in each other. That's what I take out of the pandemic.

So it was hard. It was really hard, guys. Like I said, I barely met the team and we were getting ready to play a game. But we didn't make excuses. We got some great men and we got some great coaches. I learned more about myself and more about our football team going forward because of the pandemic than I probably would have in four or five years being the head coach at Boston College.

So I'm grateful for the men, I'm grateful for the leadership, Father Leahy, Pat Kraft, our coaching staff for what they were able to do in year one. There's a lot of excitement right now about Boston College because we got some special, special players that you're going to hear from in a little bit.

Q. Scoring totals last year, BC was bested on average for the year by only six points. BC allowed 312 points, BC scored 306 points. How do you flip those numbers?

JEFF HAFLEY: On defense we got to get off the field on third down. I think that was the biggest takeaway looking back at our film. We didn't give up a lot of explosive plays, which is a good thing. I'm a defensive guy, I think you have to eliminate the explosive plays. We have to play better in the red zone. I think those are going to be keys.

I think what you're going to see from us is with really a limited spring football and limited training camp, we're really vanilla. I think Coach Lukabu is a really good defensive coach and a great coordinator, and we got a great staff. I think you're going to see some new things on defense that are going to help us do that.

But we're going to eliminate explosives, we're going to play better on third down, we're going to get better in the red zone, especially in that low red zone area.

Q. You mentioned third down. Offensively you converted 44% on third down. Was that a good number last year? How did 44% feel with third town conversions on offense?

JEFF HAFLEY: Good starting point. But we'll get better. I think we found ourselves behind the sticks a little too much, meaning there's too many third-and-seven, eight, nine ten. We're going to run the ball better this year. I think we'll have more of an identity, who we are running the football. I think that's what spring ball was all about.

Being able to run the football is going to get us into or manageable situations, third-and-two, third-and-three, third-and-four. Then you have a quarterback who can throw the ball down the field, make the throws, stay in the pocket. What you're also going to see is a quarterback, 225 pounds that can run the ball. When you can do that on third down, it's hard to stop when you get into those third-and-short or third-and-medium situations.

Q. Place kicking has been kind of a spotty thing at Boston College. This year you have one of the ACC's most accurate kickers in Aaron Boumerhi. Talk about Aaron, what he means to your team, offense.

JEFF HAFLEY: I'm glad you brought up Boum. I appreciate you asking that question. A lot of times it's about the quarterback, the guys who protect the quarterback or about the guys who sack the quarterback. To bring up a kicker in Boum, I appreciate that.

I'm really grateful he came back. I wasn't sure if he was going to. He had a game-winning kick for us last year, had some big ones in some really big games. I think he only missed two. Truthfully, I think I put him in bad positions on those kicks. I'll take the blame for those. I told him that.

Boum is a guy I trust. Boum is a guy that I'm going to be able to go to this year and say: Hey, what do you think, man? Ball is on the 36, third-and-nine, want to go for it?

Because I trust him and I believe in him. I'm really excited that he's back. I'll tell you this much. I've been a defensive guy my whole life, so usually I didn't pay much attention to the kickers. You don't pay much attention to the kickers until you become a head coach and you realize how important that kicker is. Now that guy's one of the my best friends on the team. I'm going to make sure I treat him well.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about Phil's development and comfortability in your system. Touch on one aspect of his game that you're looking for him to improve on this season.

JEFF HAFLEY: Confidence. He's so talented. He can throw the ball all over the field. He's big, he's strong, he's hard to sack. He sees it, he can process. Here is what I saw of him in spring this year. All right? You can ask him, because obviously he's here. He'll probably do a better job answering this question than I will.

I saw confidence and I saw leadership coming in and out of the huddle as each practice went on. I told him. I mean, there were some days I was like, Man. I was like, This guy is getting better every day.

Just by the way he called the plays in the huddle. Because we still huddle. We're kind of different. We don't sit there and signal everything. We actually get in the huddle. The way this guy breaks the huddle and walks through the line and approaches it, you can see the confidence building, the leadership coming out of him, which is what excites me.

Then the other thing with Phil, think about this. The guy hadn't played since his senior year in high school. He comes to a new team, doesn't know the team -- harder than me, guys, and I'm the head coach trying to figure this out. Imagine you're the guy playing quarterback, guys from Clemson are trying to knock you out. I didn't have to get hit.

Here this guy comes in really without a spring ball, training camp was kind of every other day we were practicing. So does he know the offense well enough to do it in his sleep? Probably not. He goes out and plays the way he did. I mean, that's why I'm so excited about him, how hard he works, the leadership, the confidence. But confidence and leadership is what I see. I'm really excited about it.

Q. You've obviously coached with crowds. You have now coached without crowds. Is coaching affected whether or not you have a crowd?

JEFF HAFLEY: Well, I've never been a head coach with really a crowd before. So that will be interesting (smiling).

I'll tell you, every game, this is where my mind would kind of play tricks on me. Every game I've run out of the tunnel, right, I'd get so worked up, so excited. The smoke would clear, my mind would play tricks on me. I would look for people. There were the damn cardboard fans every single time. I swear, the smoke would be there, here they are. Then it was the cardboard again.

I don't know. When you put on the headsets, you kind of forget. The only part that was weird is after the game, there's no traffic on the way home. So it will probably be a lot more fun knowing that my wife and kids and family and parents, all their parents, can come to the games. I'm excited about that again.

But once the helmet is on, it's football. But for the fans, for the families, I can't wait. I honestly can't wait to run out of the tunnel, whether I'm getting booed by another crowd or applauded by ours, it's one of the reasons I want to come back to college football, just the atmosphere. I'm really excited to be a part of again.

Q. Boston College women's lacrosse won their first national title earlier this year. What does that national championship do not athletics department and the side benefits for football?

JEFF HAFLEY: I think it means so much to the university, what Acacia was able to do. I found myself going to a lot of those games, bringing my kids and wife to a lot of those games, seeing Charlotte North just tear it up. Want to see maybe if she has any interest in playing for us. She's incredible.

But it means so much. It shows what we can accomplish at such a great university. So congratulations to them, all that they've done, all the notoriety they brought. I think our guys got behind them. The cool thing about Boston College is this: it's such a good community feel. All the teams kind of get together, coaches go to games, the players go to the games. It was a lot of fun for me to get to experience and be part of that.

So congrats to them.

Q. You just heard Coach speak about the team, the situation, going through the pandemic year. What was the craziest part for you to go through this past year? What was cardboard -- how did you take the cardboard fans? What are you looking forward to the most?

ZION JOHNSON: I mean, I would have to say for me, my family usually goes to every game. I mean, they did in 2019. With the pandemic, last season, they weren't really able to go to as many games, we had the cardboard fans. That can actually affect you.

But I also think that our team did a great job of handling that and making the sacrifices necessary to go out and win when we needed to.

Even with the cardboard fans, I think our guys did a great job of sparking that inner fire to go out and play to their maximum potential, so...

Q. In your practices with Phil behind you, what is it like blocking for him? What is the dynamic nature of Phil being a leader? How well do you guys jibe with each other?

ZION JOHNSON: It's awesome. Phil is a great leader, a great player. He's talented. He's a great guy. It's really awesome blocking for someone you know, even if everything is not perfect, he can scramble out the pocket, make something work, throw a bomb down the field.

Especially as a leader, he's grown as a leader. Just coming here last year. Now he's a big voice in our locker room. We love having him.

Q. Your offensive line has 126 aggregate starts. You went through some unusual situations in the pandemic. Last year Phil was under heat a little bit. How will the extra experience help you keep this guy over here standing up?

ZION JOHNSON: Oh, the experience will definitely help us. I think last season with the new offense, the new scheme, we weren't really masters of our scheme yet. We're still learning. We had guys moving positions.

But this season we're ready to come out and keep Phil upright and we're going to make sure that we do that. Alec, this next year, he's gotten so much better through the spring in every aspect. Ben has been doing a great job. Christian Mahogany, he's a young guard, he's doing a great job as well. Let's not forget Tyler. He's been doing a great job, getting better as a run blocker, as a pass blocker, as a leader. I think that's the biggest thing we've seen.

A lot of our guys up front, whether it's Christian, Alec, Ben, Tyler, even some of the young guys, are becoming better leaders not just to themselves but to other people on the team. They're leading other leaders. That's what we need in order for us to take that next step next year.

Q. Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, what can you say about what he's done with this offense, how you kind of describe his leadership and the plan that he's putting forward?

PHIL JURKOVEC: Coach Cignetti has been great. He's had so much experience in both college and the NFL. What he brings to us is NFL scheme, really an NFL style, which I think makes us a little bit different than every other team in the ACC.

With that comes a learning process, so that's taken some time for us. But now that we're in year two, he's really guiding us, and we're feeling a lot more comfortable with it.

Q. You have one of the more dynamic play-makers in the country on the outside in Zay Flowers. Can you talk about how your relationship continues to blossom, what your expectations are for you guys this year?

PHIL JURKOVEC: Yeah, Zay has been my locker room mate since I came to BC. I've known him from the start. Just being able to talk to him every day, he's driven and just such an exceptional talent. I've really never seen somebody be able to stop on a dime like he does, how fast and explosive at the same time.

He's so impressive.

Q. Hunter Long made a lot of clutch catches for you. He's gone on to the next level. You said you have Zay coming back, Jaelen coming back. Talk about the receivers you have, the options you have in this wide-open passing game, and what the extra year of preparation will mean to building the chemistry?

PHIL JURKOVEC: We have so many weapons. Kobay White didn't play last year, but he was the most productive receiver for BC the years prior. We have him back, CJ Lewis, Jaelen Gill, Zay Flowers. We have transfers, Trae Barry from Jacksonville State and Alec Sinkfield from West Virginia to go along with our other running backs.

I don't know. We just have so many options. I know everybody's going to want to ball, but it's going to be fun just to see the different personnel groupings we can go with, just all the different options that we have.

Q. Take us into the mind of a quarterback. You had five interceptions last year. How do you process an interception? What do you do with it? How do you move on?

PHIL JURKOVEC: Really have to start with the coaches. Coach Cignetti and Coach Hafley, I remember a threw a terrible pick just into double coverage against Duke first game. I come off, and Coach Hafley just like, Hey, forget about it. On to the next one.

That's kind of their view on it. Like we're just going to let it loose and go out there and play, have fun, play free, don't be worried about making mistakes, don't be afraid to lose. That's the mindset that we try to keep.

Q. You played behind a couple of great offensive lines at Notre Dame, now Boston College. What have you noticed at those two spots? More of the coaches there or more of the intangibles with the players and the coaches on the recruiting trail?

PHIL JURKOVEC: The O-line, they're kind of like a cult on the team the way they stick together, but it's awesome. They're so tight. You can tell they care so much about each other. It's a little different position than anywhere else because of how you have to work together.

But the O-linemen, I love 'em. They're really close at BC. They're all veterans. I mean, Zion up here. To go along with the four other guys, they're all veterans. They're nasty guys (smiling). I'm just excited to see what they can do now that it's year two under this new scheme.

Q. What does coach's NFL experience help this team?

MARCUS VALDEZ: I think it goes a long way, just from the tape we watch. I mean, even with my position coach, Coach Oghobaase, we're always watching NFL tape. It really shows you the techniques they're teaching us are taught at the next level. There's more buy-in from players. We know what they saw and what they're teaching was huge at the next level. I think it goes a long way.

Plus he has so much experience from the next level, the kind of defensive running is really different from what other colleges run. I think it's excellent.

Q. Last year Boston College forced 21 turnovers, I think 6th against the run, 10th in pass defense efficiency. As a unit, what are your goals this year defensively? What do you feel like you need to improve defensively this year?

MARCUS VALDEZ: I think we need to improve on taking the ball away. Also we had a couple good games that we took the ball away three or four times. That's great, but it has to be every game.

We really put an emphasis on that during practice. We're always doing takeaway circuits for each position. The secondary, linebackers and D-line, whoever gets the most takeaways at practice gets to wear black shirts at practice. Kind of incentive there to take the ball away.

I think we need to improve on, like Coach Haf said, getting off the field on third down, personally rushing the quarterback. We got to get there and get the quarterback on the ground, so...

Q. Can you talk about the player protection rules and how that's affected the defense maybe the last couple years, things like targeting. I've seen a couple of instances last year of calls that were made. Talk about how those player safety rules have affected your defense.

MARCUS VALDEZ: Yeah, I mean, we're always teaching how to tackle, how to tackle properly, not targeting for the head and stuff like that. So, I mean, we're always working on tackling correctly. I mean, it's something we work on.

It's obviously affected the game a lot with people getting out and being suspended and stuff like that. We're very aware by that. We probably had a couple people affected by it.

We're always teaching how to tackle safely and following the rules. I think it's good for the game, so...

Q. How would you describe on and off the field your head coach?

MARCUS VALDEZ: I really feel like he's the same guy on and off the field. He's always going to keep it real with you, tell you the truth. He's always going to motivate you. I love what Coach Haf preaches: tough love, compete, being for the team.

There's always sacrificing towards a bigger goal. Always good to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Really that belief. He's really instilled confidence and belief in everyone. I think that's gone a long way and it will show up this season, so...

Q. You talk about being bigger than yourself. BC is very involved with Team Impact in the Boston area. Speak to your experiences with Team Impact.

MARCUS VALDEZ: Yeah, so recently we just had a kid join us. It was amazing. The whole team showed out. You don't have to come, but everybody came. It was really overwhelming for him. He loved it. He comes around a lot. We were working with him on the field before, quarterback Dennis was throwing to him, Phil was throwing with him, too. It was really good.

I think it's for a really good cause. It goes a long way for him and for his family, and even for us, too.

Q. You used the word 'overwhelming'. Why was it overwhelming?

MARCUS VALDEZ: Just to see his expression. I don't think he was expecting that. I think he was expecting a little smaller get-together. Really the whole team showed up. We have great guys on the team. Everybody showed out and showed him love. He really felt part of the team.

Q. Over your career and in this particular case, what is the advantage of returning a quarterback who has both game experience and a knowledge of what you're asking him to do?

DAVE DOEREN: I think any time as a head coach you're going into your summer and you know who the starter is, there's just a different feel as a head coach. Going into a fall camp and having a competition, it's going to happen. Not having that allows us to focus on a lot of other things.

I think for your team, that piece is really critical, for them to know who the shot caller is, for him to be able to lead the team throughout the summer like Devin has, all the things that they do without coaches present, it's a big part of I guess you would say putting yourself ahead of the game from other teams that are still trying to figure that out.

Q. In your secondary you had some issues with injury and targeting suspensions. Despite the missing players, your secondary performed pretty well. They're all back. What are your expectations for this group? Could this be your best secondary ever at NC State?

DAVE DOEREN: I hope it is. I hope it's the same guys playing every game. I think Coach DeForest played six different players at free safety last year. Felt bad for him.

Continuity is a big deal. We have experience. We have a lot of people that have played because of the injuries, as you mentioned. So we've got great competition in training camp.

I think it's one of the things I'm excited to watch, is who comes out on top. It's nice to have a rotation back there because with the pace of the offenses we play, the DBs can get tired. There's a lot of running at that position group. So to have a rotation, to be able to jump in and out of some dime packages with extra DBs at times, it's going to be fun.

We have experience. We have some guys that are hungry to play again. Chris Ingram hasn't played in a long time, Teshaun Smith hasn't played in a long time. Excited for those two to be back in the mix, compete with who is coming back.

Tanner two years ago wasn't ejected from a single game, and last year three games. That hurt us a lot. He knows he needs to stay on the field. Tanner wants to play in the NFL someday. Part of his profile is going to be learning from last year, showing him that he can play the way he does, but play where they're not going to take him out of the game for how he's hitting people.

Q. Obviously your pre-season last year was completely disrupted, all that. Was there anything you learned from going through that experience that you apply to a normal training camp? Any sort of battlefield lessons? Was there anything you learned from going through that?

DAVE DOEREN: Well, I didn't even know what virtual learning was 18 months ago, right? Obviously I've heard of it, but I've never had to be the instructor, the speaker in a Zoom setting prior to. So it does allow us to have that as a way for our assistant coaches with our players, particularly if they go home.

I do think the way that things got spread out last year, the players were allowed to be around the coaches the last two weeks of July in a different setting than normal. We don't get to do that this year, but I think it did teach our staff that it doesn't have to be training camp to get your team ready to play. You can do things differently. We can adjust. We can look at how things are done and apply. Maybe it's not going to be three day in a row normal scheme. You're going to have a walk-through day, more of a teaching day on your feet.

We had to do a lot of that last year, and I think it did help our guys situationally be better. I think we learned a lot, not just from a coaching standpoint but from a management-style standpoint. I think we all have comfort zones where if somebody is not at work with you, you think they're not working, right? Now to have somebody that needs to be home with their family, something is going on, you can communicate with them in different ways, there's a lot of other things you can do to stay connected.

Q. The offensive kind of scheming under Tim Beck, what can you say about what he's brought to this offense, how things are looking at this point, stepping into 2021, from what he tried to build during the pandemic year?

DAVE DOEREN: I'm glad that Tim has a full year to work with his guys, first of all. I think it can't be said enough. What he had to do last year coming in new, not knowing any of the players, not getting to go through spring ball with our team but three practices, he had no idea really what our talent was going into the season.

So we were a watered-down version of what we will be. I think our offense will evolve quite a bit now that they know him, he knows them. They're speaking the same language. They've evolved. He's now been in the ACC, knows the league better as well.

For Devin and Tim to have the relationship they now have going through a year together, finishing Tim's sentences for him, I'm sure Devin will tell you he knows the offense at a completely different level than he did a year ago.

The continuity of the staff, too, those guys working together, I'm not going to say it's better, we have to go prove that it's better, but it has an opportunity to be much better than it did a year ago.

Q. After playing last year without divisional play, now going back to it this year, do you have a preference as to which one you would like to see going forward?

DAVE DOEREN: I think I've been on the record of saying I would like a different rotation than we have. I'm not saying realignment or any of those things are necessary to do that.

I really don't like the fact that I don't get to play everybody for every seven years. Every seven years I'll see Duke on our schedule or Virginia Tech, these teams that are close by, Virginia. I don't think that's fair to the student-athletes at any of these schools. If I'm a North Carolina person, grow up -- Payton Wilson is a great example. Grows up going to Duke football games, he comes to NC State, he gets to play them one time. Some of our guys don't ever get to play Duke. I just don't think that's a good way to put it together. That's my opinion.

I loved last year, playing as many teams as we got to play from the other side. What's the best way to do that? That's not for me to decide. I would just like to see a little bit more of a rotation. How that gets done, is it getting rid of divisions, realigning, adding another conference game? I don't know. That's for people ahead of me to decide.

But that is the one negative of our current setup that I think a lot of us would tell you we don't like.

Q. You said with Devin being back, having an experienced quarterback, that gives you opportunity to focus on other things. With 20 starters back, I imagine that gives you an opportunity to focus on other things. What are some of those things you want to focus on in 2021?

DAVE DOEREN: I think just because there's returning starters doesn't mean there's not competition for those jobs. There is. And we've brought in some transfers that are good players that were starters at their school. They want to start for us, too.

So I look forward to watching the competition in training camp. I look forward to seeing the depth develop in those spots, whether it's the DB position that I already mentioned to you, there's some spots on the offensive line with Joe Sculthorpe leaving. To watch those guys compete. We lost Cary Angeline and Dylan Autenrieth. To see Dylan Parham step up in the tight end room, Trent Pennix assume a new role at the tight end position. Kam Walker, how he steps up from being a young tight end to a guy we need. There's some great competitions that are going to happen.

As a coach, you recruit, you develop, you retain these guys, and they just can't wait to play games. Well, it's now time to practice to see who gets the right to play the most in those games. So we're excited to go watch that happen, see these guys compete and get ready to do it.

Q. Tight end has been an important position for you, especially run blocking. Talk about what you see happening there. You have Grant Gibson, arguably one of the best centers in America. How quickly can this offensive line gel?

DAVE DOEREN: Well, they've gelled already. It's a really tight group. Grant can speak to that when you get him up here. Excited for Grant, what those guys are doing together.

The tight end is a critical piece in our offense. They do a lot of things, whether they're in the box or out of the box. Dylan Parham is a guy we're really excited for. He's been injured a lot in his career. He's worked really hard. He's one of the most physical blockers at that position I've been around. It's just about not having the nicks that he's had in the past to keep him off the field. He's worked really hard. He's in a position to excel at that spot. The guys behind him have a chance to now -- who is going to take those balls that Cary Angeline had, right? Those were touches that Devin needs to give to somebody else. They have to go out there and prove that he can trust him, they're going to be where they're supposed to be, they're going to be open and make that catch, they're going to make that block. That's what training camp is going to be for that position group.

I know Coach Goebbel and that group is really excited to go prove themselves.

Q. What can you learn from what happened with the state baseball team? What have your conversations been with your team? Do you have a percentage of where you guys are trying to be or where you're at right now as far as vaccinations?

DAVE DOEREN: First of all, it was heartbreaking to watch. Our coaching community, I guess you would say, we love Coach Avent. He's been a great friend to me. What they had, what a season. To see how it ended was heartbreaking.

It's an opportunity to learn for our team. We're going to talk about it when we get together collectively. Our guys have seen it. We've talked one-on-one with several of the players.

Like everyone, my job is to help these young men grow, help these guys compete, put them in the best places they can be, and keep them as safe as I can keep them.

At the same time, it's not my job to make medical decisions for our football team. All I can do is educate them, get them around the people that can help them make great choices. That's what I'm trying to do.

Where we're at numbers-wise, we're going to be in a good place. I don't know exactly what our percentage is today. I feel comfortable with where we're headed. Guys have to make decisions for themselves. I just want to know why they're making those decisions, and can I help them get the info to make the right ones for them and protect us, protect our team, but ultimately make them feel good about the decisions they've made.

Q. 20 starters back. Coach was talking about the competition at so many positions. As an older guy, is this one of the deepest teams you've been around? Talk to the experience you have.

GRANT GIBSON: So this NC State team that I'm on right now, this team is great. Just the guys that we have that have played that are going to come back, but also we're close as a group.

I think this team that we have, we're so tight-knit. Last year really brought us all together just with all the events that happened. I think the guys that we have that came back is going to be huge for us this year.

Q. This past year and a half obviously has hopefully taught everybody a lot. What have been your biggest takeaways off the field? On the field you talked about this being a family. How that family stayed close?

GRANT GIBSON: So last year when we got sent home, we talked as a team. It was like, Listen, we need to grow from this. We didn't know how long we were going to be at home. We were home for I think about three months. But during that time, though, we had Zoom calls, just trying to stay in touch with all the guys so that we could perform well next year.

But I think this past year has just taught us as a team that we can fight through anything. There was a lot of thing off the field, too, like George Floyd got killed. I think that brought us together as a team, as well. We had some tough talks amongst our team about how we can grow from these issues, how to teach other guys. I think last year as a whole taught our team a lot.

Q. When I talked to Devin last week, he was talking about the fact there's so much leadership on this team. There's guys, every single player on this team can talk and everybody else will listen. What is the leadership like in this program going into this year?

GRANT GIBSON: Oh, it's great. I mean, like, all of us here can speak for it. It's so many guys on this team that can lead. I think when you want a team to be great, that's what you need.

Like when we work out and things like that, it's not one guy that talks the whole time. It's 18 guys that talk the whole time. I think when you can hear from all over the place, that helps the team grow, that helps keep the team on track.

Q. You received team awards last year for your winning attitude, your integrity, your sportsmanship. Who do you attribute your character to?

GRANT GIBSON: My mom and my dad. Like, I would not be here without them. My dad helped me get to this point just with all the workouts that we did back when I was a kid. Like he helped me get here.

I can't thank him enough for that.

My mom, as well. She taught me the importance of school and trying to treat others right. That's something I pride myself on, is that I try to treat each person the same way.

So I thank them both for what they've done for me.

Q. You ranked 12th last year in total offense, which is kind of surprising considering your strong one loss record. What do you feel like you can do better this year starting with the offensive line in terms of generating more pass yardage?

GRANT GIBSON: We just need to execute better. I think last year there were times where we didn't execute. The small things killed us, like the false starts, the post-snap, things like that. We talked about this as a team, that we need to execute and cut down on those small things so we can be better this year.

Q. How much does it help you going into this season to have so many of your receivers back and your offensive linemen and your running backs, to kind of have that chemistry already built in?

DEVIN LEARY: Yeah, I think it helps me out tremendously. Like you said, being able to have so many guys back in the receiving corps, running back, our offensive line, everyone has great experience where it just makes my job that much easier.

I mean, Coach always said, Just be the point guard of the team, distribute the ball, make everyone else make the plays for you. Being able to have everyone back is very helpful.

Q. How have summer workouts been with Emeka Emezie, Thayer Thomas? What attributes do they have as receivers?

DEVIN LEARY: Summer workouts so far have been good. Even with Coach Thunder getting our entire offense prepared for the season. I think just being around guys like Emeka, Thayer, Devin Carter, I mean, the list goes on. I think it truly shows how much they truly love this game.

We're doing everything as far as throwing routes on there, working on different footwork drills, even to in the film room. These guys are as hungry as everyone else on the team.

For me to be able to see how hungry and eager they are to play, it just makes me that much more excited.

Q. What did you take away from last season prior to the leg injury, just what you saw out of yourself looking at that film? Where have the improvements come post leg injury?

DEVIN LEARY: Yeah, I think there's always stuff to take away from film. I think last year before my injury there was multiple different plays or multiple different things I could have done better that I could take off of film, whether it's within our offense or studying different defenses.

I think post-injury that's my biggest emphasis, is just trying to study defense as much as I can and prepare the best way possible.

Q. After playing last season with no or few fans in the stands, what is it going to be like running out the tunnel with a full house?

DEVIN LEARY: It's going to be amazing. I can't wait. It's going to feel some type of normal I feel like for our whole team, just going back to what we're used to. It's a feeling that you can't really describe. I'm really looking forward to it.

Q. Can you walk me through what the advantages of having a season of experience as a quarterback and a team returning a quarterback that it's familiar with?

DEVIN LEARY: Yeah, I mean, I think it's a great advantage. I mean, last year obviously we had to go through different protocols and different things with COVID that kind of affected I guess our overall learning. Like Coach Doeren said, we had to do a lot of things virtual.

I think now this year being able to see everyone in person, being able to pick everyone's brain, be able to communicate better with our offensive system is going to help us out so much more.

Q. You talked about after your injury finding a love for the game in a different way. Can you talk a little bit more about the lessons you've learned off the field, how you plan to use that in this season.

DEVIN LEARY: I think really what I meant by the love of the game in a different way is I never really necessarily experienced an injury like I did last year. I think it kind of just puts things in a different perspective as far as just the smallest things, like celebrating in the locker room with your team, just every little thing you never really take for granted anymore. That kind of gave me a different perspective.

Now post-injury, you're playing every single day, working out every single day like it's your last. I'm going to continue to take that approach.

Q. Grant touched on it, you work out, so many leaders in the room. What is different this off-season?

PAYTON WILSON: I think like Grant said, not many people -- nobody's ever had to go through COVID like we did, like everybody did in the country last year. I think it's something that not pushed us further away as a team but brought us closer together. It brought a lot of different leaders out. People had to step up. They had to become leaders.

We got people bike Grant, Devin. On the defensive side of the ball, we have some of the best leaders I've ever seen like Isaiah Moore, Drake Thomas. The leadership varies throughout the team. Like Grant said, it's not just one person talking all the time. Everybody throughout the team has the same mission, the same goal, and we're all on the same page.

Q. You played a lot of games with pain last year but still led the ACC in tackles. How is your health? What drives you to play this game no matter what?

PAYTON WILSON: I'm actually 100% healthy. I'm healthier than I've ever been since the beginning of high school. Doctors and the trainers did an excellent job of getting me back.

I think these injuries, the reason that I play the way I do, the way I play so hard, is because I know this game can be taken away from me in some simple play. My knee could be gone, my shoulder could be gone. Every play I want to go out there, I want to make that play. I want my teammates to know I'm putting everything on the line for them because I would want them to do the same for me.

Q. What was it like playing last season with basically cardboard cutouts in the stands? How much does having a full house add to the experience and help you, especially as hard as you play?

PAYTON WILSON: Like Devin said, it was weird last year. The first couple of games, nobody's cheering. You could hear everybody on the field. You can hear your coaches talking to you. It had its pros and its cons.

Having everybody back in the stadium, playing in front of Wolf Pack Nation is going to be awesome. Having the band, my parents out there, that means the world to me. They couldn't come to some games last year. I play for them, I play for God. Having everybody out there is just going to be awesome.

Q. You mentioned Isaiah and Drake a couple minutes ago. What can you say about that linebacker corps, your decision to return, what the three of you bring to the table not just for NC State but for the ACC?

PAYTON WILSON: I mean, I'm here today representing us. But Drake and Isaiah, they make the thing up. Drake and Isaiah are very smart players, they make me who I am. They help me day in and day out learning the game. Our linebacker corps is very deep. We have a guy like Vi Jones, who is a game changer. Young guys coming in that will make a huge impact. Caden and Jordan Poole. We're so close together, it's almost like I'm out there playing with my family.

Q. What is it about NC State that you love so much?

PAYTON WILSON: The coaches and the atmosphere. Coach Doeren is an amazing person. He makes all of us be the best that we can be. He teaches us to chase two dreams: he helps us achieve academically and athletically. One of the main reasons is I love my family so much. I really didn't want to leave them. NC State gave me every opportunity that I needed.

Q. Payton Wilson grew up watching games at Duke. Maybe you did as well. You have three trips back to your home state this year. What are your thoughts about the schedule, all the travel back and forth between Louisville and North Carolina?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: It's exciting for me. I grew up right there in Durham, grew up selling -- playing for Hillendale, which is right beside Duke University, my rec league team. When we were little, on Saturday game days, we had to sell 10 programs to get in the game free.

I remember my mom working the concession stand in Wallace Wade for our organization. I never played or coached inside of Wallace Wade. Getting to go back this year. Exciting. Right there in Durham. Should have a lot of family and friends in that game. We get to go to Raleigh and Winston-Salem. Those three trips back to North Carolina, where I was born, grew up, it's going to be awesome for me personally.

But also for our team, it's exciting. Two years ago we made a trip to Winston-Salem and Raleigh, as well. Both good games for us. Yeah, it's not a bad trip at all. We're excited about it.

Q. What can you say about the offense moving forward? On your coaching staff there's been some shifting. What can you say about running the offense and what we can expect this year?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: Yeah, we got a new offensive line coach, new running back coach come in. But we're running our same offense. We're going to be doing the same thing. The way we do things is a collaborative effort within our coaching staff, trying to get the ball in the hands of the best players is the bottom line.

We sit down as a staff and go over the game plan. Everybody's on board with everything that we're doing. I'll be calling the plays on Saturday, but utilizing a lot of help from our coaching staff. We'll be a similar offense as we've been in the past. We're going to run the football, do a lot of play-action, be able to utilize the running ability of Cunningham at the quarterback position. Dynamic player.

Marshon Ford, who is here today as well, is a guy who has been as an H back for us, tight end side. He'll be in a more expanded role as now a little bit after receiver as well. We'll be able to utilize him to do that. We did lose two great players last year to the draft with Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick, and we also lost a running back to free agency.

There are some new faces that are going to be in the offense this year, but I'm very excited about the guys we are bringing back, the guys that can play. They'll be producing at a high level. Just some of the guys we don't really know, they're not household names yet, but hopefully they will be at the end of the season.

Q. In your third season as you evaluate your program, are you able to compare 2020 over 2019 given everything that we all experienced last year?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: It would be difficult to do that. It would be like comparing apples and oranges. It's not the same.

You don't have the three and a half months, four months, we didn't have our guys around. Are we playing, are we not playing? We're just trying to get through the season once we decided to play. Still we had a productive year as far as the yardage goes, offense, defense, things that we were able to do.

The one stat was the turnover margin which is not where it needed to be. We lost several close games. It's kind of hard to compare. Both seasons, games came down to the wire. In 2019 we were able to win some of those games, go on to win eight, go to a bowl game. Last year we did not win some of those close games. I think that's probably the biggest difference. What do you point to? A couple of factors. Obviously turnover margin is one of those factors.

Now this year, a lot of positives going into this year. Defense is continuing to get better. Offensively guys have a great grasp of what we're doing on offense. We have a lot of talented players that are going to be able to play.

Offensive line I think is the most depth we've ever had since we've been there, at least eight guys that can go in and play at a high level. I'm excited about what we're able to come this year and what we'll be able to play in this league.

Q. You did lose a lot of speed in Tutu Atwell, Javian Hawkins, Dez. Can Tyler Harrell help fill the speed quotient? Do you see some other great speed on the team? You were fifth in total offense, but 90 in scoring offense. How do you get more points for your offensive production?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: I think one of the differences was last year was the big plays. We didn't have offensively. We were driving the ball, had some yards, but not those big plays. Even Tutu last year didn't have as many big plays down the field for whatever reason.

We got to be able to get more of the big plays, the plays where you're going the distance, not just a 40-yard play, with you ones that go all the way to the end zone. We got to be able to do that.

Tyler Harrell is a fast player, fastest player I've ever timed in my career, and I've had a lot of fast ones over that time. He's 195 pounds. Not like he's tiny. I think he'll be one of the guys that will be able to knock the top off the defense, to hit some of those home run plays, some of those big plays.

Hassan Hall is a guy who didn't have as good of a year as he did two years ago. He's back to his form. I think he's another big play guy. He can run. Number three in the country in kickoff returns in 2019. He'll be this year a guy that can be that type of player as well.

Outside you also have Watkins, who is a really good, talented player. A freshman last year from Louisville that I think will end up being a great player for us, as well. Shai Werts, the transfer that we got from Georgia Southern played quarterback, now is playing at receiver for us, another guy that can really run. Excited about what he's going to be able to do as well.

Cooley is a guy we just signed from the Raleigh area, running back that I think he is extremely fast. He'll be a talented guy in the backfield as well, the home run threat type guy, even though he'll be a true freshman.

Q. Year three for you now, specifically talking about the defense, you made a jump every year. What do you expect out of this group this season? Do you feel like you're as close to what you wanted depth-wise defensively since you got here?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: Yeah, we're gaining on the depth part of that. I think some of those positions we have some great depth, at others we're still trying to build it.

I think the two things that we want to be able to do defensively this year, better than what we did last year, although we have come a long way in the last two years defensively, number one is create more pressure on the quarterback. We have not been able to create enough pressure and create enough sacks. I think that will help our defense. I think when we do, that that's going to help our number two thing, which is creating more turnovers.

Those two things I think will be a next step for our defense to be able to become one of the top defenses in the country. I think we are headed in that direction with our defensive line that we have. We signed five D-linemen last year. Sometimes you hit on it, sometimes you don't. We hit on these five. These guys can play, these freshmen that we brought in, and some will play right now for us.

YaYa Diaby is another guy who I think is going to have a year where he'll be known in the ACC. He's going to be one of those type players as a defensive end position for us.

I'm excited about where the defense is headed, what we'll be able to do this year.

Q. You brought up Malik Cunningham a little bit earlier. Where have you seen the most improvement from him? What quarterback are we getting this season?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: Yeah, well, Malik over the past two years has been a very productive quarterback. 55 touchdowns responsible for in two seasons. Two years ago was one of the highest QBRs in Louisville history. He's an extremely accurate passer. When he gets a clean pocket, he's hard to beat.

The thing that he's got to get better at obviously is taking care of the football. Not all the turnovers were his fault last year. There were some other circumstances with that. But the thing that he's been able to do this past off-season, get in the film room, study the film a lot more, understand where his strengths are, how to expand on that, take those negatives that he had and try to get rid of those things.

The thing bit, I've told a couple guys today, any time you got a quarterback that's able to extend plays like he is, there's a fine line there where you have to say, The defense has this one, let me throw the ball away, as opposed to I can always make the play. There's a fine line there.

That comes through experience. He has to understand when he can and can't make those type of plays. He's capable of being one of the best quarterbacks in the country this year, I believe that. He has a lot of guys around him that will help make that happen. With the depth we have up front, we'll be better protected for us. Open up more running lanes for us, which in return will help the passing game. He can have an outstanding season for us.

I think obviously when he plays well, then so the Cardinals will play well as a team and we'll be able to win some games with that.

Q. As you continue to grow and evolve as a coach, do you find your perspective on recruiting changes? Are you recruiting differently now than you may have in other stops? Is there a personality you can assign to the way you recruit?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: Well, we certainly haven't changed the type of player we want to recruit. I think it starts with that. Obviously you want outstanding football players. You want some of the best players in the country. I also want to get the high-character player. You want to get the smart player, the guys that are going to do things right off the field because we know that translates on the field.

If you're that high-character person, you're showing up on time for class, you're showing up time for your job, that translates on the football field, where as a coach only has to tell you one or two times, Here is what we need you to do, those guys are able to do it. I've also seen players that don't do things right off the field. You have to tell them over and over and over on the field.

We're trying to recruit the high-character player, the player that cares around people around him. When we get in the locker room, that's the type of player you want to play for and coach. So much of it is not just the football piece, it's the person that they are.

I think when that happens, you have that kind of character, you go through adversity like we all go through, you're going to be able to fight through it and come out the other side as a winner. That's what we're looking for.

Q. How do you approach pre-season rankings as a team or individual accolades that may come before the first ball is snapped?

SCOTT SATTERFIELD: We really don't talk about it much. Whether you're picked to win it all or you're picked to finish last in your division, pre-season it really doesn't matter. You got to just do the best you can, stay in the moment day-to-day. I find that pre-season polls are often of what you did the previous year. I've been a part of teams where we were picked No. 1. Our first year at Louisville we won eight games, won a big bowl game.

It's how you approach each and every week, every day. That's what we focus on. We stay in the moment, we tried to do the best we can with that.

Q. Describe the decision-making process when evaluating whether or not to return.

C.J. AVERY: Well, it was just between me and my family. I decided that it was a better chance for me to come back, better my future, then just end my career here at University of Louisville on the right note.

Q. Since Scott Satterfield took over this program, how have you seen this defense change? What does this defense look like compared to the last few years?

C.J. AVERY: I just think this defense trust each other, better well-rounded defense at each position. We have new guys at the safety position, but I think they'll come up and step up big in their roles. Cornerback position we look great. Front seven, we continue to get better each year. This defense just turned it around completely.

Q. Only two ACC teams that are playing this year were better defensively than you were in terms of scoring defense. What makes this Louisville defense so hard to score against?

C.J. AVERY: I think it's just the passing game. Our corners and our safeties, linebackers as well, we do a great job of coverage and tightening up the coverage.

Now all we got to do is bring pressure with that, we'll create more turnovers. That will make us one of the top defenses for ongoing years.

Q. An overall look at Louisville going into 2021, where has this team improved the most coming out of the spring and how do you define what this team will be stepping forward?

C.J. AVERY: I think within our program we've improved the most with leadership. We have a lot more guys willing to be leaders and step up, make sure the team comes together and plays at one. That's the key thing. If you don't have any leaders on your team, it's kind of hard to be a great team. That's what we've improved the most.

Q. It is rare these days to find a five-year starter on a team. What is it you want to accomplish this year?

C.J. AVERY: I want to accomplish the ACC Championship with my brothers. Simple as that. We're working hard. We're just trying to get to that ACC Championship and turn this Louisville program around.

Q. Taking a look at your progress through the system, you're in your master's program, why is it important for you to have a master's degree?

C.J. AVERY: I just think it's extremely important to open up doors for yourself. I work my tail off my whole life. I tried to get everything I can out of the University of Louisville. I'm proud to say that I'm working towards that master's degree to get me in doors that I never could have imagined I could get into.

Q. You heard Coach say where he feels your improvement has come. Looking back at the film, looking over these last couple seasons, what have you seen in your game? Where are the improvements?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: Definitely the improvements going to be in turnover margin, try to keep those things down. Turnovers not something you can work on. I spend a lot of time in the film room, building the confidence in my receivers, those guys to make plays for me this year. So that's what we're going to do.

Q. Almost every school in the league this year has a returning quarterback. 13 out of 14. Think back to when you were a young quarterback. What are the advantages of being an experienced guy as opposed to when you're trying to get used to college football, learn the system?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: When you're an experienced quarterback, you seen a lot of ball, been around a lot of coaches. I've been around two coaching staffs. I learned a lot from both coaching staffs, added to my game. The confidence you build when you're an older guy. Having those young guys look up to you is always that a plus in that type of thing.

Q. Last year you had 600 more yards compared to 2019, but you did have seven more interceptions last year compared to 2019. What have you done in the off-season to try to get one number to go the right way and the other number to go the other way?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: Turnover is not something you can work on. Like I say, I've been spending a lot of time in the film room learning from my mistakes, trying to capitalize on those things, turn those things around.

Q. You watch your film from last year. You had a couple of really long strikes. Would you rather air it out or do you like the shorter passes better?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: I definitely would love to air it out (smiling).

Q. Hoping to see that smile.

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: (Laughter).

Q. What is the biggest difference for you this year to when you look back to 2019 when you were fighting for the spot?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: Difference now until then, I know I have a role on this team. I had a role back then, but the role is bigger now. Being the leader of the offense, leader of the team. Those guys look up to me, know I have to come through for those guys when we need it most.

Not just be there when everything is high and good, got to be there for the lows. They have to have somebody to look up to and I'm that guy.

Q. What is it like practicing against C.J.?

MALIK CUNNINGHAM: He's a very experienced guy. Me and C.J., actually came in together. Good seeing him on the other side of the ball, looking you dead in the eye, knowing he might know what you're about to do. It's good going against him. He brings a lot to me, and I know I bring a lot to him, as well.

Q. Your unique story of being a walk-on, elevating to where you are right now representing your team, what can you say about your specific road to get here, what you would say to walk-ons in general that there is that open opportunity and dreams can be realized?

MARSHON FORD: You're always counted out as a walk-on. You always got to take advantage of your opportunities, like each and every way.

For me, I was blessed to be able to get an opportunity from Coach Sat. I tried to take advantage of it, and I did. He rewarded me with a scholarship. Ever since then I've been humble and grateful that I was able to get that scholarship.

Q. You open the season against Ole Miss on television, the kickoff in Atlanta. How exciting is that?

MARSHON FORD: It's a great opportunity. This is actually my second time playing in Atlanta, but my first time playing in Mercedes Benz Stadium. I am very, very happy we get to do that. We get to showcase the work that we put in each day and out, yeah.

Q. You've been at Louisville since 2017. You're the old man in the bunch. What are you teaching the younger kids these days?

MARSHON FORD: Take advantage of your opportunities. That's what I get. As a tight end, you really don't see the ball that much, unless you are in Coach Satterfield's offense. When you get a chance, make the play. Each day and out, make that play. You might not know if you get the ball or you get the chance again. Take advantage of your opportunities.

Q. Can you speak a little bit more to being a tight end. You've played that position since high school. What is it about it that you like? What fits your eye?

MARSHON FORD: I like the contact. I like to hit people. I like to do the dirty work. The dirty work is always unseen. That's the type of guy I am.

Q. You like hitting or catching better?

MARSHON FORD: I like both really (laughter).

Q. For you this season, you bring Josh, Airon and Taj. I wanted to start there, the leadership of these three gentlemen, why they're the proper representation for Syracuse this year.

DINO BABERS: Let me start with this. Taj has been an amazing player for us. Came in as a young man, battled an upperclassman, ended up becoming a starter his true freshman year. If things go right this year, he's going to be an opportunity to be the leading wide receiver in the history of Syracuse football.

Syracuse history goes back a long way. There's been a bunch of not only fantastic collegiate wide receivers, but NFL wide receivers. For him to have an opportunity to be in that light, I felt like he deserved the right to be here.

When I talk about Josh Black, and I talk about Airon Servais, there's no doubt they're leaders on our football team, but the thing I appreciate about that class is the six super seniors that are coming back to help lead this team, to have the redemption from the last year that we had, is so important.

There's no way we'd be able to bridge the youth on this football team with the season that we're going to have and we're trying to have without the super seniors coming back.

All six of those guys, they have their degrees. All six of those guys could have started their lives. All six of those guys could have had shots in NFL camps. But they decided to come back and do one more year because something just didn't feel right with them.

Their attitude is the attitude that I want to radiate not only throughout the football team but throughout the staff and throughout the community. I will give them all the power I have to have the type of season that they want to have at Syracuse.

Q. The big boys up front. Only two teams in the nation gave up more sacks than you last season. What are your expectations for this year with your offensive line?

DINO BABERS: I think the first thing is we need to call it exactly what it is. We had major injuries, domino effect of injuries in the offensive line. Most of them not on the football field. Most of them happening walking around campus. Just fluke things.

When you're playing nine football games with your fullback playing guard so that you can be one of I believe two ACC teams that played every entire game, never had a stoppage because of COVID in their program, you're going to have some difficulties.

Now, we're not happy with those numbers. There's no doubt about that. That needs to change. But when you talk about the effort that that offensive line put in, and the people who were unselfish, Chris Elmore, other people who changed positions to give us the best opportunity we could to keep those guys upright, to keep us functioning, I really do appreciate their efforts.

We've had some changes. We've got some different coaches at some different positions. But I think the main difference is going to be that those guys are healthy, and we're not going to be having a rotation of a bunch of young guys in there with some older guys. We'll have an older group, and they'll are ready to be. It always starts with the O-line and it always starts with the defensive line. You can't be good in football if you're not good at those two positions.

Hopefully we've got the health that we need to have the season that we want.

Q. There's a rarity of NCAA Black football coaches, you're one of the better ones definitely in the ACC. Can you speak on that impact, what being an African American coach in college football means to you.

DINO BABERS: Every day I want to be known as a football coach. Watch how I say this. I want to be known as a football coach, a good football coach, and I appreciate you saying that.

There's no doubt when I look in the mirror, I wake up in the morning, I see an African American staring back at me. The responsibility is to make sure that the things that I do in this position allows other people to have an opportunity to enjoy and embrace the same profession. It gets difficult sometimes. Sometimes it's just like, Wow, I really would like to do that but I can't do that.

But you got to understand that not only are you doing it for your family and your university and your community, but you're also doing it for others. I am not perfect. I'm not always right. I try to be good as much as I can (laughter), and not bad.

But there's no doubt that you make sure you cross Ts and dot Is because you want those opportunities to happen to other people like me, to have the same opportunities that I had.

Q. Five seasons in, what is the assessment for you as you look back on these five years at Syracuse as you head into year number six, those big points that maybe you wanted to hit at this point, maybe if you have gotten to some of those pillars?

DINO BABERS: I think the biggest thing is that we had a bad season, and we've had a really, really good season. I don't think we're as bad as we were in the bad season, and maybe we're not as good as we were in the good one.

But the thing that I really want is consistency. I want to be consistently good, not occasionally great. If we can find that consistency, I think we can find the support and the foundation that we need not only for the university but also for the community.

It's really important to me that they have a football team they can be proud of. That's very, very important.

Q. You open up against a stingy Ohio team. This is an Ohio team that's made bowl appearances 10 out of their last 11 seasons. What challenges do they present to you?

DINO BABERS: It's huge. Now that Frank Solich has retired -- I have an unbelievable Frank Solich story. He's an amazing coach, he's been an amazing competitor. I think back to when I want to say I was the offensive coordinator at the University of Arizona in 1988. I want to say it was 1988. In the Holiday Bowl, we were playing Nebraska. Frank Solich was the defensive coordinator. It was an amazing game. He's a fabulous defensive coach.

We ended up winning in the very last drive, one-minute drive at the very end where a walk-on, Brad Brennan caught a ball in the back of the end zone. Now, he had a scholarship at the time that he caught it, but before the season started he was a walk-on. An unbelievable catch. Nebraska got the ball back and almost won, but the defense ended up stopping them.

But we came down the elevator, I was talking about the drive. Then I said, There's like 30 yards. I can't even remember what happened.

A voice in the back of the elevator said, You did this, and it was a scramble. You did this, and it was a quick out. You did this on a draw, which was a heck of a call. That's how you got down there. I mean, bang, bang, bang.

I turned around, Who? It was Frank Solich. From that day we've had an unbelievable relationship. I respect the heck out of him. They've always been a good football team. They've always had his personality.

But it's going to be more difficult because now they have a new head coach and a new personality. We haven't played them. So it's going to be a difficult game. I'm sure they'll try to win that one for their new coach and their old coach. It just makes them a lot more dangerous.

I have a lot of respect for the Ohio Bobcats. I have tremendous respect for Frank Solich. I'm sure their new coach will do a fabulous job in the opening game.

Q. This is going to be your deepest group of running backs this season. How will that change your offensive game plan and schematics this year?

DINO BABERS: First of all, you better not leave out Cooper Lutz. I mean, that was the guy that house called Notre Dame at the end of the season when we got some of our offensive linemen back.

They're very, very deep. The coolest thing about having that type of depth, and we do not have it everywhere, we just don't, is to see the way they compete in practice, the maturity that their position handles their business. It's rare. It's really rare.

I think nothing but good thoughts about that group. They need to come to work every day because the guys they're competing with, there's some cats that aren't going to miss a day. I'm telling you right now you can throw some of those guys in a hat and mix them up, they're all about the same. There's some special ones in there, but I think we can win with every name that you mentioned at that position. They're a really, really talented group.

Q. Trill, Cisco and Iffy are gone. Do you expect the young DBs to take any sort of step back with the older guys out of the way?

DINO BABERS: They better take a step forward unless they're backpedaling. No, this is an opportunity. They got a chance to play early.

Out of those three guys you mentioned, Iffy was the only one that finished the year, if my memory serves me correctly. Last year the injuries were so numerous. But they better take a step forward. Those young people have had a lot of playing time.

The thing that I'm excited about is they've had an opportunity to change their body. Now it's going to be one of those deals where they have some knowledge because they did play and they were out there, and reps make you better, but take that new body with the reps that you learned and let's see if we can get a different type of production out of that group.

It's going to be a group that's going to be around for a while. There's only two things that are going to happen: they're going to stay around, play a lot, graduate, or they're going to get really good and leave early. Either way is good.

Q. Name, image and likeness is obviously something that's front and center right now. How have you addressed that with the student-athletes? What is your overall take on moving forward knowing this is a real thing right now?

DINO BABERS: The first thing I talk to them about is I'm really excited for them. It's new. Not only is new for them, but it's new for coaches. We've probably had two or three things in the last six or seven months in coaching for changes, more changes than we've had in the last 30 years. So some of it we have to adjust, we have to adapt, improvise, make sure we're changing with the times so to speak.

One of the first things I said in a team meeting, I'm going to teach you guys about contracts, what happens when you sign your name to something, it's legally binding. Just making sure when they're going out there and they're exercising their right to some of these opportunities, that they're not getting tied up in a situation where it could cost them later.

They're going to have classes. There's three classes that we're going to have, teach for them, to help them, help them with their brand. We're going to, how do I say this, introduce them to certain people that we think can help them if they don't have their own type of representation. People not to represent them, but people that can talk about representation, what they're looking for.

We're going to have to wait and see how this thing goes. I think there are some schools that are obviously way ahead of other schools. But I don't think we're going to be far behind. We're just a little slow to go. Once it gets going, state of New York is a big state, has a lot of people, I'm sure there's enough name, image and likeness for everyone.

Q. You decided to come back. It's felt like maybe to you you've been at Syracuse for a decade. What can you say about this decision, now that the season is so close, why you came back, then maybe a little bit to Airon as well as leaders of this team, why it was so important to take the bad taste from last year and make sure you had something to do with what happens this year?

JOSH BLACK: Right. One of the main reasons I came back is actually to lead this team. I'm not going to get up here and talk to everybody about what happened last year. I put a lot of responsibility for our season last year on myself personally just for not fulfilling the role that I needed to be. I needed to be a leader throughout the entire team.

It's easy to lead only your defensive line or your unit, but I didn't reach out to the entire team. I needed to get everybody involved, and that's where I put a lot of responsibility on myself personally. So that didn't sit right to begin with with myself.

Secondly, I can't go out on a losing season. Just 1-10, those numbers are horrific. You look at that on paper, it like, Oh, man. Just something didn't feel right, didn't sit right with me.

I know personally a lot of the guys felt the same way, too. Felt like last year was not a representative of who we are as a football team. It's part of my job to make sure we get on the right track before I head up out of here.

Q. Fans in the stands, they do make a difference. Exactly why do fans make a difference?

JOSH BLACK: Right. So just feeding off the energy of the fans itself makes a huge difference just based off of adrenaline. Getting ready to run out the tunnel, that's where you get all your energy from. The fans are electric, especially in the dome. Just not having the fans last year was a little bit different. I'm not trying to get up here and make excuses about anything. But it was just the fact that the fans are what we feed off of.

We're known as the Loud House for a reason. That's one of the elements we are carry over there. Without having fans, it was definitely a little bit weird. When you're in the game, when you line up, when you play the first snap of the ball, you kind of push everything aside anyways.

Just from like a pregame type of standpoint, the adrenaline sometimes doesn't feel there, and that's up to you to make that up for yourself.

Q. We've had guys that opted out last season, decided to come back this year, transfers coming in, freshmen that enrolled early. What is the team starting to look like coming out of the spring? What's the dynamic knowing there's returning faces that you know, new guys coming in transfer-wise, then obviously the freshmen?

JOSH BLACK: Yeah, definitely. Right now it feels day and night from spring. Just from our last game at Notre Dame, I feel like we're a mile ahead from where we were starting in the spring.

Like you're talking about the freshmen coming in, this group of freshmen coming in, they're very well-prepared. They're more mature than I was coming in as a freshman. They're able to grasp things a lot quicker, which is really nice to see that they can rely on them if need be.

Just overall I feel like just cohesively as a group, we're miles and miles ahead of where we were last year. Just one of those good feelings. Looking around the locker room, the culture has changed. Everyone has bought in, which is something that we needed and didn't really have last year. It's definitely awesome to see.

Q. You spoke about having fans back in the arena. The Carrier Dome and Syracuse athletics is the heartbeat of that city. Talk about how important you are to the city and the fans.

JOSH BLACK: If anyone knows anything about Syracuse, the only thing we have there is the dome and the mall. Being, like you said, the heartbeat of the city itself, you have to walk around town with your head high. Everyone knows the athletes around town.

It's a good feeling to have that walking around town. Hey, how you guys doing, et cetera, all that stuff. But also puts a lot of responsibility on us to make sure we give back to the fans over the great support they provided us for years.

That's where having a very difficult season last year, I just feel responsible and kind of feel bad for that season. We're not giving back to the fans what they deserve. It's all about them at that point.

We need to get that back on track to make sure they get exactly what they deserve because they support us so well.

Q. Last season you talked about having a lot to learn, leadership-wise how you wanted to carry yourself. How have you grown as a leader? Knowing you step into this season with the opportunity to make a part of history, what that means to you?

TAJ HARRIS: It's definitely big being a leader, like all over my whole career I've been a leader. But definitely shaping into the leader that I am today took a little while. But I feel as though I'm coming along, doing a better job, helping out the younger guys that came in.

For this season coming up, I feel as though I have a good chance at fulfilling the things I have ahead of me. I feel more confident in our offense.

Q. You just talked about what you can do on the field making history. There's a Hall of Fame wide receiver by the name of Marvin Harris. How do you feel being mentioned with a name like that?

TAJ HARRIS: It's pretty big to me, sir. It was definitely big knowing, being taught about the things that he done on the field, playing for Orange. It's definitely big being able to be categorized with him.

Q. You caught balls from a lot of different quarterbacks last season at Syracuse, but still were able to be a steady producer for the offense. What does that say about you and your game?

TAJ HARRIS: Well, off-season, there's really no off-season, it's grind season. Every day three or four times out of the week we're throwing with the quarterbacks. It's not like another quarterback step up and it's like we don't have any rhythm. We're throwing three our four times out of the week. I'm throwing with every quarterback there is slinging it to me. It's not like I'm trying to get a rhythm, it's like we already have a rhythm going into it.

Q. You just brought up the fact different quarterbacks, you're getting into a rhythm with everybody. What can you say about the quarterbacks this season? How comfortable are you with multiple guys?

TAJ HARRIS: The quarterback room is looking pretty good. It been looking good since I got here.

Tommy pretty good, Shrader pretty good. But it's not just those guys. JaCobian Morgan, Luke MacPhail, a bunch of young guys. I feel there are talented guys that can sling the ball.

Q. You were an accomplished quarterback in high school. Did that position and that experience helping you in your role today?

TAJ HARRIS: Yes, I believe so. Being able to play the quarterback position, I was actually throwing the ball, I know what it looked like on their end of the ball, having to get it to us. It's definitely something I play hand to hand, playing wide receiver.

Q. Obviously a new offensive line coach this year coming from San Diego State. How has he been so far? What have you learned from him?

AIRON SERVAIS: Coach Schmidt has been great. He has made a couple tweaks and stuff technique-wise and scheme-wise. The biggest thing he's brought to our offense and offensive line is a shift in mentality. We really want to get after guys, get off the ball, really attack me. So that's what I'd say, yeah.

Q. Keeping with that line, we've seen a lot of shifting. You played multiple roles. Do you feel in 2021 we're starting to firm up where certain guys are going to be? How would you describe the makeup of this offensive line?

AIRON SERVAIS: I would say we're definitely starting to firm up people's roles. We have the entire line from last year coming back. Being able to know what we're doing, have that extra year of chemistry, I think it's been really good for us up front.

I feel good about the spring that we had. I thought a lot of guys developed a lot. I'm really excited to see how that development continues during camp and going into the season.

Q. Tell us what it takes to make the change from center to left tackle, even to right tackle? You've seen time at all three. To the average fan, they would say maybe it doesn't take a whole lot of transition.

AIRON SERVAIS: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me is being at center and starting there, I kind of need to know what everyone is doing at all times so I can make the right calls up front.

By the time that I had moved to tackle, I kind of knew what the assignments were. I played tackle in the past. I had played tackle when I first got here. That's the position I originally came in at. So it's not like I was a stranger to any of that stuff.

Q. I asked Josh, Why come back? For you, 1-10, you spent a lot of time at Syracuse, why did you feel like you needed to come back and put this on your shoulders?

AIRON SERVAIS: Yeah, in making that decision I think it really came down to three things for me. One, there's a lot of uncertainty of what that draft process would look like this past year, whether it would be senior games, if there would even be a combine, things like that. That certainly played a role.

Two, I was this close to finishing my master's. To be able to come back and finish that up is really huge.

Lastly, I know Josh talked about it a lot, that season last year left a bad taste in our mouths. Especially being seniors, we're the leaders of the team, we put a lot of the weight of that season on our shoulders.

That's certainly not the way we wanted to leave our legacy, the 2020 legacy. Yeah, we definitely wanted to come back and right some wrongs.

Q. I'd like to speak about your backup quarterback as of now, Garrett Shrader. We know about his ability to run the ball. As a lineman, being as experienced as y'all are, how comforting is that to have a guy potentially like that that could come into the huddle, take advantage of this offense?

AIRON SERVAIS: Yeah, I mean, Garrett is definitely a talented guy. He's actually my roommate right now, so I've gotten to spend a lot of time with him.

Yeah, I mean, it doesn't really matter who's behind us. Up front, if we can't keep him standing upright, really doesn't matter how talented they are. There's definitely a lot of talent in that room. Good to see those guys competing. But we got to do our job up front so those guys can really shine.

Q. I feel like the Syracuse crowd hasn't gotten a great representation of how good Florida transfer Chris Bleich is. What do you expect from him in 2021?

AIRON SERVAIS: Yeah, I think he's developed a lot since he got here. It's been great to see him going through practices and getting in those team periods and practice and all that.

He's a really talented guy. He's a big, strong dude. Yeah, I'm excited to see how his development continues.

Q. Offensive lineman, you don't really gather any stats, hear your name over the PA system. Why do you like being a lineman so much?

AIRON SERVAIS: I think that's part of the thing I do like about it. I embrace the pressure a little bit. The only real stats that you do have are all the bad stats, right? I love the position. I love how gritty it is.

We are hitting someone every single play. I love that. I embrace that. It takes a lot of physical ability, it takes a lot of mental ability. I just really embrace the challenge every single play.

Q. This season as you step forward, seven years, five bowls in seven years. What can you say about the evolution of Wake Forest football, where we're heading in 2021?

DAVE CLAWSON: I think we've made a lot of progress. We're certainly proud of the fact that we've been to five straight bowls for the first time in the history of the program.

But we want more. There's a whole 'nother level that we want to get to. I think it's really good that I think our program is now one that expects to be in a bowl. But taking that next step in our league is difficult. But we think we have a group this year that's capable of doing that.

Whether it's New Year's Day bowls or being in contention to win the ACC Atlantic, obviously that's a very high standard in the ACC, but that has to be our goal. We'd love to get to that second to last game in November against Clemson with it meaning a lot for both football teams.

Q. As someone who coached in a 16-team playoff at Richmond, then later in the Group of Five, now in the Power Five, what is your view of the proposal to expand the College Football Playoff? You seem to have a unique perspective from all those experiences.

DAVE CLAWSON: Well, that's a loaded question. We got a presentation yesterday from the athletic director at Notre Dame, Jack Swarbrick, that was extremely well done. The amount of thought, study that went into this.

There's a lot of different approaches to it. Quite simply, from a Wake Forest perspective, we're for it. We're in one of the two toughest divisions to get to the playoffs. So to have the opportunity to play in games in late November that you're trying to get to the Orange Bowl but you're still in the hunt to be one of 12, there would be a lot more games of national significance.

However, if you ever want to add something, you're also taking something away. If there's a way of doing this and preserving the bowls, I think they're already starting to lose part of what they used to mean. I mean, used to come down here every year, and every team's goal was to get to the Orange Bowl. Then last year our ACC representative in the Orange Bowl had four of their best players not play in it.

Does that problem get compounded with a 12-team playoff? I think the difference is this: in FCS football, there's a 16-team tournament, but that's all there is. There is not a bowl system. You're either in the playoffs or you're not. There's fewer players at that level that are considering opting out because they're going to be high-level draft picks. For some of them, that's the end of their football career if they're seniors.

We have had so many incredible bowl experiences at Wake Forest. 2017, staying in this hotel, playing in the Belk Bowl against Texas A&M. A lot of the players who played at Wake Forest would tell you that was one of the most magical weeks of their life. For our team to be able to go to D.C. in the Military Bowl and see the nation's capital, the Pinstripe Bowl, see the 9/11 memorial, see a Broadway show, the Birmingham Bowl. Those have all been incredible life experiences for our players. It's a reward. It's a celebration of your season.

The playoffs aren't there. The competition part of it is awesome, trying to win a national championship. But it's a much different experience than a bowl experience.

So whenever you add something, you have to take something away. I think for those of us who have coached for 20, 30 years, and have had such wonderful bowl experience, we're certainly concerned about the impact that a bigger playoff system would have on bowls.

Q. It's been no secret that the program's motto this year is: good to great. In the past two to three months, what steps have been taken, can be taken, and at what point are you just waiting for games to happen, whether the results can play out on the field?

DAVE CLAWSON: I think all that stuff is true. I mean, we have always been a program that takes great pride in our ability to develop players. I think the last few years, every year it's, Okay, you lost this player, who is next? Greg Dortch is an All-American. You end up with a year later Kendall Hinton with a thousand yards. He leaves. What's going to happen? Jaquarii Roberson steps up, becomes one of the best receivers in the ACC.

The unique thing about this year is with the exception of Boogie Basham, who was a second-round draft pick, a player who transferred to another school, everybody's back. So you get all that experience from the last three or four years back, plus it's not like the younger guys stopped developing.

So it's really exciting for us. It's great to get a Luke Masterson back for a sixth year. It's great to get a Ja'Sir Taylor back for a fifth year. Those guys in normal years would be gone.

But we also have all these younger players that we redshirted in '19. Last year was their first year. Those guys are better than what they were a year ago. They had a full off-season for the first time in two years. We had 15 full spring practices. So if you combine what's coming back, nine additional players because of the super seniors, plus the development that's going on in the program, we're certainly hopeful that the combination of those two things will allow us to take that next step.

Q. With so many returning starters and veteran players, is there one position group that has stood out to you that you can lean on for leadership this upcoming season, or just one position group you'd like to be able to brag on?

DAVE CLAWSON: I mean, it's hard to just pick one because when you have 20 of 22 starters back, right, who are you not going to identify? We got a lot of good football players back.

I think the one area that we really struggled last year is we got thin in the secondary. That was kind of, from game one, a patchwork deal. We went into the Clemson game, and we moved Nasir Greer two days before to play corner. We were down to our seventh corner for COVID, other reasons, game one.

The secondary all year became patchwork.

We've wanted to move Luke Masterson to linebacker for two years. We just never had the numbers to do it. If you say, Hey, where is an area you really think you can make a major step forward? I think for us it's going to be the defensive secondary.

Again, not that we're not good in other position, but that's an area clearly from a year ago that you would say has to get better. Between who's back, the development, guys getting healthy, and some transfers, that's a position that if we can make a step forward, our team has a chance to get a lot better.

Q. Wake Forest was among the very top teams in the ACC in both yards and points. The offense loses zero starters. What should we expect in 2022 from an offense that returns intact that nobody could stop last year?

DAVE CLAWSON: I think the things that we need to get better at are just -- it not always about numbers and stats and points, right? Part of it is situational football. So there were three times last year that we had double-digit leads in games that we weren't able to hold onto.

I think our ability to adjust our offense within the course of the game, to do what we need to do to win games, is more important to me than if we score seven more points or have 50 more yards, right? We had leads at Carolina, we had leads in the bowl game, we had I think three leads last year of 14 points or more that we didn't hold onto.

Sometimes the ability to slow it down and run the football, protect a lead, keep your defense off the field, that's the sign of a great offense. It's not just points and yards, but the ability to do what's required to do to win the football game.

So those are the areas that I really think offensively, as much as we put up big numbers and yards, can we get to a game in the fourth quarter with a double-digit lead and just take time off the clock, keep our defense off the field, play the field position game.

I do believe our defense has a chance to be a very improved unit this year.

Q. You said this is a program that now expects to win a bowl game. How do you foster and enforce that expectation with your team?

DAVE CLAWSON: I think that's something that's been built over seven, eight years. This is the longest that I've ever been at a school. The benefits to being at a program year after year after year, seeing the benefits of a culture, expectation levels. Whether that's the weight room or what we do in academics or community service, are all aspects of the program. There is just an expectation level within our program that doesn't necessarily come from the coaches, but it comes from the players.

When the players are setting the example and setting the bar and setting the expectation level, the younger players quickly fall in line. That's what's made it so fun to be at Wake for now eight years, is we get such good, well-rounded student-athletes.

We're extremely proud of what we've done on the football field, but academically what our guys do after football, and they get the big picture of football and of life. So at the same time they're extremely competitive in everything they do.

This is where I think this group has really said, Hey, for so many years here it was you got to a bowl, you got to six, you celebrated. We don't want to minimize that accomplishment. But let's do more. Let's raise this thing another level and, again, recognizing how difficult that challenge is in the ACC.

Q. We've lived with 85 scholarships for a very long time. This year you're getting the benefit of having more. Any part of you that would like to see some sort of expansion of that? The theory was always that it helped parity.

DAVE CLAWSON: Again, if you go back to the history of this, right, there was unlimited scholarships. Then in 1973, they created a cap of 105. Then in 1978, that cap went to 95. In 1992, they reduced it to 85, which is where we're at now.

What did a college football season look like in 1992? It was 10 or 11 regular-season games, and maybe if you were lucky a bowl game. So the maximum amount of games you were playing back then when they put the 85 rule in is I believe 12 games. There weren't playoffs. There weren't conference championship games.

To constantly be adding games, conference championships, rounds of playoffs, and then the roster pressure you're now getting from a one-time transfer rule, the roster pressure from people who opt out, and they're not just opting out for bowl games, they're opting out in October if they don't have the role they want or their agents are telling them in November, Hey, you don't need to play anymore, you're already a first-round pick, at a certain point you just can't keep burning it at both ends.

If we're going to make this move, and it looks like there's a good chance it's going to happen, add a tournament, add games, at a certain point we have to go back and look at the rosters.

We do not have the ability to sign guys off the waiver wire of another team's practice squad when we get hurt at a position with injuries or opt-outs in November.

I really think if this is good for college football, the powers that be deem that we should add games, make it a tournament, expand the playoffs, at a certain point you have to do things to help coaches manage the roster to make it safer for players.

Thanks for teeing that up for me (smiling).

Q. With the news of Donavon Greene unfortunately going to be missing the season, working with guys like Jacorey, but also Donald Stewart, Jahmal Banks, A.T. Perry, what has been some of the highlights working with the guys in the spring and some of the growing pains?

SAM HARTMAN: Yeah, no, it's definitely tough for Donnie. He's been working really hard. He's a great teammate, great kid. You feel for him.

But definitely a lot of highlights. You got a lot of young guys that have a lot of opportunities now to step up and make their names known. A.T. has had a great spring. Donald Stewart had another great spring, transfer from Stanford. Then Jahmal Banks is probably a guy you haven't heard of, but he's doing an incredible job. He's a great guy. You love to see guys being able to have opportunities to play at Wake in the ACC.

Q. You're in familiar grounds here in Charlotte. Representing this team with the coach that you have, what can you say about the vision of Dave Clawson, how it's come through for you and why you bought in?

SAM HARTMAN: Like Coach hit on before, it's a culture, it's a legacy that guys left before me, guys that stood on this stage, the Cam Serignes, Grant Dawsons, Cade Carneys, Justin Strnads. I believed in that program just based on meeting those guys, meeting Coach.

It's been an incredible ride. I played early, played at the high level. There's a job that's not finished. I'm looking forward to completing those goals that I set when I was a freshman this year and years to come.

Q. What was kind of the mentality during last season? Obviously a lot of teams faced challenges. For you guys having the three games canceled, how did you display your leadership, keep your guys focused?

SAM HARTMAN: I just kept reminding them of the goals we set at the beginning of the year. It was really easy with Coach Clawson at the helm. He kind of really set the example for us as players, what he did with his family in quarantining away for their safety. It was easy for us to kind of make that decision.

With that, you have an example to tell, Hey, you got your coach up there, staying away from his family to play this season. For us, it was kind of a no-brainer at the end of the day. We have a coach that's leading us like this, why not? Keep fighting for him because he's fighting for us.

Q. Describe your relationship with Coach Warren Ruggiero, how you work on your progression as a quarterback, but help him execute his game plan?

SAM HARTMAN: Coach R, he's the best. He's got quite the schemes. What we run is a little bit unique compared to the rest of the country.

Coach believes in me. He believes in me as a freshman and every year since then. It's been an honor to play for him and run his offense. I just try and do what the system tells me to do, and it works.

That's the best part bit. I've learned from freshman year when you try to kind of make plays, make things happen on your own, it usually doesn't pay out that well. There comes a point where you have to make plays, help him be right. Most of the time it works.

We kind of feed off each other. We work as a unit and have learned from ins-and-outs of the game. I've enjoyed playing for him. Hopefully he's enjoyed coaching me.

Q. For four years John Wolford had to win a quarterback battle, for two years you battled Jamie. Now this is two years where you kind of go into an off-season as the guy. Is it something you asked Michael and Mitch to push you, or do you push yourself from within? A mix of both of those?

SAM HARTMAN: Yeah, definitely different than being in a battle. But we compete every day. Mitch and Kern do a great job. They're great quarterbacks. They push me. I push them.

It's just a competitive atmosphere. I think like this spring, especially the defense, did a really good job. Every day was kind of a battle. I think it's more just our whole team as a unit competes. The D-line is pushing our O-line, the defense is pushing the quarterbacks, receivers are pushing the DBs, running backs are pushing the linebackers. And it's all around. It's a team effort. And the coaches. The coaches challenge us, Coach R, Coach Clawson, they push me every day to grow on and off the field.

Back to the first question about how we grow as a leader, and I've enjoyed that. It's not always easy, but it's definitely going to be worth it.

Q. At the risk of being a yes or no question, I'm hoping you can elaborate a little bit. Do you feel like a linebacker now or is that still to come?

LUKE MASTERSON: Yeah, I do feel like a linebacker. I put on 10 to 15 pounds this off-season. I think playing in the box has always come naturally to me. I think I'm a better football player when I'm in the box. I played rover two years ago. Throughout different game plans, I've been down in the box in different situations. I've always excelled there.

So it was a matter of putting on the weight, getting stronger as well. I definitely feel comfortable now.

Q. Coach Clawson spoke about the fact he wanted to transition you for the last couple years. Speak about where you've elevated that game, going to that point of these last two years, finally getting to have that spot right now?

LUKE MASTERSON: Yeah, I think I've been blessed to play three different positions at Wake. Obviously it's been hard to go back and forth. But there are blessings in that as well. I know what's going on behind me and what's going on in front of me.

The transition hasn't been as bad because I've been used to being in the box and behind the box in the secondary. I've been on board with this decision from the get-go. I'm really excited for this year.

Q. You're a three-year member of the National Honor Society. You finished high school with a GPA of 4.7. What is the secret in how do you integrate academics and athletics?

LUKE MASTERSON: I think it's all about time management. As student-athletes, at Wake Forest especially, Wake does a great job with helping us getting ready for life after football, then helping us manage our time when we were playing football.

At a school like Wake Forest, school is very important. It's hard. Finding that balance between football and school is tough. But as a freshman they do everything they can to give you the resources necessary so that you can excel off the field so that you're not thinking about that stuff when you're on the field.

Q. You not only return all of your offensive players, but all of your special teams guys. Coach talked about the need for the defense to do better against the pass. What is the potential of the defense to help transform Wake from merely a bowl team to a contender?

LUKE MASTERSON: Yeah, I talked about this earlier. I think at Wake Forest the past five years that I've been here, every single year the offense has been really good and the defense has been really good, but we haven't been really good together. I think that's what our goal is this year, ties make our offense an elaborate offense, a very explosive offense, but also have a defense that can back them up, get them out of tough situations.

That's the challenge, trying to find that season where we can put them both together and play at one complete unit.

Q. With you and Ryan Smenda, what are you trying to get out of the linebacker room this year? What do you see out of guys like Chase Jones, Jaylen Hudson, Zach Ranson?

LUKE MASTERSON: All the guys have been great. Chase Jones has taken great strides. Jaylen Hudson, as well, in the spring. I think the biggest thing for us is consistency. We all need to build depth, we need to be consistent, be consistent tacklers, consistent in all aspects of our game.

Building that depth so that if something goes wrong throughout the season, guys like Chase Jones and Jaylen Hudson are ready to take that step and fill in for guys. And not even if guys get hurt, but just being able to play more guys allows guys like me and Smenda to be healthy, play less snaps, remain healthy throughout the whole season.

I think just building that consistency in the room, completely buying into the mission is our goal for this year.

Q. You had a great 2020, now you're back. What are you looking to build on in your own game?

JAQUARII ROBERSON: I think the main thing is getting the guys in the room going, getting Ke'Shawn going. It's not more so about me. I'm going to go hard, I'm going to do what I have to do.

I think I have to be that type of leader to get those younger guys going. It's just going to be I'm going to have to prepare younger guys to get ready.

Q. This offense, the attack is a predicated on the zone read, even the delayed zone read. Receivers have made so much noise at Wake Forest. What makes this such a dynamic offense for receivers?

JAQUARII ROBERSON: I think it starts with Coach Higgins. He does a great job of preparing us for games. He does a great job for preparing us for practice. We go over defenses. He does a good job of breaking down things, getting us to understand.

He just does a great job position-wise, working at our craft. Then we also keep each other going. We keep each other motivated. We keep each other prepared. I think as our unit at Wake Forest, as a wide receiver unit, we have a good unit going, we have great coaches behind us.

Q. What have you seen out of Sam over this off-season, his development and leadership?

JAQUARII ROBERSON: Sam is a great guy. I mean, he came back after the bowl game just with his feet down on the pedal, man. He hasn't stopped since. He's handled it well. You know what I'm saying? He's a great leader. He's one of our best leaders on the offense. He keeps guys going, keeps guys motivated, accountability. He's very consistent. Sam is going to get after it.

Q. What role do you see the NIL changes, how that fits into the world of recruiting, how much you've thought about how you may use that in a pitch when you're trying to get an athlete?

DABO SWINNEY: I don't see it changing a whole lot as far as what we do. The goal of our program is graduating young men, developing great men, equipping them with tools for life, making sure they have a good experience and win a championship. It's been that way since 2009. I don't see that changing one bit.

This is just another one of those tools that we have to help, come alongside and equip them with. We've been doing P.A.W. Journey for 12 years. P.A.W. Journey is a curriculum, and it has been for a long time. We've been doing financial literacy, agent education, all these things, for 12 years.

There's a couple other pieces we need to add to that. We are. We've got internal teams, external teams. We've made it as easy as we can possibly make it. The biggest thing is help 'em, educate 'em, equip 'em, help them navigate any opportunities that some of them may have.

Like I said, the goal, the target has not changed at all. I think, kind of like a bowling alley right here, we all know what we're trying to do as a program, we kind of got to be the bumpers so that we can make sure they hit the target.

These are young people. This is a different dynamic. Easy for maybe some of them to lose focus on maybe the long-term and get distracted maybe by the short-term. So our job is educate, equip, help them navigate, making sure they have every resource they could possibly need, make sure we hit the long-term target that we're all after.

Q. You were a little apprehensive about the NIL at first. Seems like your sentiments have changed. You are one of the top programs in the nation. Can you elaborate on how you're going to help players, if your current players want to approach other companies, how you're going to facilitate that?

DABO SWINNEY: I've never been apprehensive about NIL. That's not the story. People hear what they want to hear, then they write what they want to write, then people believe what they want to believe.

My comments were I'm against the professionalization of college athletics. Always have been, always will be. I'm for education, graduating, equipping young people through the game of football for life. That's what it's always been about for me. That's what it's always going to be about in college football.

This does not change the collegiate model. This is just common sense. To say that is inaccurate, all right? This is common sense. If a young guys want to go do an autograph signing, if a guy wants to go back and do a camp in his hometown, I worked all through college, there was never a day I didn't work on my time. I cleaned gutters, umpired, cut grass, sold Cutco knives. I worked non-stop all through college.

For our kids to not have the opportunity to work on their time, I've never agreed with that. That's a common sense thing to me. I would have liked more to have been done through the scholarship, to be quite honest with you, because then everybody could participate.

NIL is going to be for some, not for everybody. But we can't facilitate. We can educate. We can navigate. We can equip. We've got an entire educational library. July 1 didn't just get here and go, Okay, you figure this out. This is something we've been prepared for for a long time and built for. Like I said, through our P.A.W. Journey program, for 12 years.

Appreciate your question, but the beginning of it's not accurate.

Q. You have never shied away from being a strong man of faith and speaking on that publicly. What has that past year taught you and how do you use it as a leader?

DABO SWINNEY: What has it taught me? I think just an even more deeper appreciation for life, for family, for the ability to do what you love to do with people that you love doing it with. The little things, you know. I mean, just a deeper appreciation for that I think more than anything.

But most of all, that, hey, God is still on the throne, you know? My word last year was 'faith'. I don't ever know why my word is my word, but last year it was 'faith'. Certainly grew in my faith through this past year. Thankful that I've got a God that is there all the time and available 24/7, has paved the path for all of us.

Q. You got some good news over the summer, Justin Foster is coming back. How happy are you to have him back on your defense? How is his progress?

DABO SWINNEY: He's doing great, which is why he came back. I tried to talk him out of it in January, just say, Why don't we just give it some time here.

But he was ready to get out. He had a job. He was ready to kind of go. But in May he called me and said, "Coach, is there a chance I could still come back? I feel great."

He'd been training, running. Things had turned around for him.

And, "Absolutely."

He's just a great, great young man. He's one of the most respected guys on our team, incredibly smart. He's a graduate. He is a tough, tough, hard-nosed football player. So he just brings invaluable depth and experience and leadership to that position.

With him back, we have five guys, five starters, at defensive end. Just really thankful. I'm happy for him to be able to end his career. He's a guy that will have a chance to play at the next level. So to be able to see him kind of get back to a good place, because it was a really hard year for him. So I'm thankful and grateful that he is where he is now.

Q. Did you attend Jack Swarbrick's playoff presentation last night? If so, did it allay or perhaps even affirm some of the concerns you voiced to your local media the other day?

DABO SWINNEY: Yeah, I was there. Man, he did a phenomenal job. I will say this: the four people, I can't remember who all it was, but the four people who I guess authored it, put the presentation together, spent two years trying to study and come up with something, research, take the charge that had been given to them I guess by the presidents or the committee or whatever, they did a phenomenal job.

No, it doesn't change my stance at all. Again, my opinion, it doesn't mean anything because that train's left the station, you know. I think sitting around and talking about what this coach thinks or that coach is a waste of time at this point. I think expansion of the playoff is inevitable. I think the conversation needs to be, How do we get it right for the player, end of the day? How do we save the bowls?

I think we're past the point of -- not that's a foregone conclusion that it's 12 teams or whatever. I think there's a long way to go and a lot of conversation to be had on what's going to happen. I think expansion is going to be inevitable.

Money's driving that. I assume that's what the fans want. But I think most importantly what do the players want. To ask these guys to have to show up earlier, to have no open dates, to have no break between the championship game and another game, to play more games, I don't think -- that may be what's best for the money, what's best for the fans, but I don't think that's what is best for the player.

That's my opinion. Nothing changes. So I think if we're going to expand, I think you should talk about the season as well. Maybe you go to 11 games instead of asking these guys to play more. Having been there to say -- I can just visualize being in Tampa after beating Alabama with one second on the clock, and then being out there at Levi Stadium, you've been in a championship game, you've been in a playoff game, you've been in a national championship game. Now you sit there and look at these guys and say, All right, guys, we got one more. You're just spent. You're exhausted.

What it takes at that level. People say, It's just one more game. To me, that is a total lack of appreciation for what it takes to win a game, to prepare for a game, to play in a game of that magnitude. When you get to that level, you're talking about the best of the best, the elite of the elite. These guys all have, at that level, NFL aspirations, and a lot of them are going to play in the NFL. You got combines, you got a lot going on.

So I think there's a lot of -- lot of discussion. It was a fantastic presentation. He did an awesome job. But, again, we'll play whatever system, whatever rules we got. I was not for a four-team playoff. It's not like anything has changed for me.

I just want the players to be considered in that. We should not ask more of the player, in my opinion.

Q. Why is it so important for you to bring back former players like the recent news of Tajh Boyd joining your staff, what they bring to your staff?

DABO SWINNEY: I mean, Clemson is Clemson family. We've talked about that from day one when we built our program. I love being able to give a former player opportunity where it's warranted. It's been cool to see so many guys pursue coaching. I got another one right over here that's going to be -- he's like Pete Rose this year, player coach. But Skalski is going to be a coach whenever he's done. I love being able to nurture that. I love giving former players opportunities.

I think there's nobody more invested in your program than those who have put their blood, sweat and tears into it. So all the way from Tony Elliott who I coached, who was a captain for me. I think we've got 22 former players that are either full-time coaches, coordinators, P.A.W. Journey, strength and conditioning, player development, analysts, whatever it may be. I think their perspective is priceless. They've lived it. They've done it.

Most of them, most all of them, played for me. I'm not here if it wasn't for the player. So for me to be able to give a guy an opportunity to played for me is a big deal.

I'm also here because Gene Stallings gave me the opportunity. He could have given that opportunity to a lot of people, but he gave the opportunity to me because I had played for him for three years. I had been a GA for him for three years. Then, boom, he hired me full-time after that.

Without that opportunity to be that graduate assistant, that opportunity to learn under him, come in and work, I'm probably not standing here for sure.

To me, I love giving a former player the opportunity and, again, the perspective they bring to your team.

Q. Coach Swinney said he would hate to ask you guys to play another game. You've been through the grind of playing 15 games. How would you feel about expansion, having to keep going as a player?

MATT BOCKHORST: I would say I definitely share Coach Swinney's sentiment, that I don't necessarily feel comfortable adding another game. I think if we're going to talk about expansion of the playoff, we also need to consider shortening the regular season.

As an offensive lineman, when you start getting up to 14, 15 games, that's quite a few snaps. Given the situation we were presented with last year with lack of depth, the snaps add up quickly. That's some wear and tear on your body that's hard to describe.

I'm not here to get anyone's pity, but it's much easier said than done. That's where I stand.

Q. The offensive line this season, what can you say going into 2021, your assessment of the line at this point?

MATT BOCKHORST: First thing I'd like to say is that our offensive line has had an incredible summer. The competition that I've witnessed from our group is unmatched during my time here at Clemson. I think the energy of the young guys, coupled with the experience of myself, Jordan McFadden and Will Putnam, I think we're in store for a special year.

I think that all really needs to come to fruition in camp in a couple weeks. I know we'll be well-prepared heading in to play Georgia, given the fact we get to compete against a good offensive line every day in practice.

Q. A bit on the lighter side. You have 1,352 career snaps. Is there one you remember most and one you'd like to forget?

MATT BOCKHORST: I'm going to go ahead and couple those as the same one. When we played Alabama in San Francisco for the national championship, the 2018 season, John Simpson's helmet got knocked off in I believe the first or second quarter. Let's just say I did not anticipate to actually play in that game. I go out, run my happy butt out there, first quarter of the national championship game, line up against future top five pick, Quinnen Williams. Safe to say I did not run the play correctly. I came out the next play (laughter).

That's how she rolls sometimes.

Q. Is there a different approach in blocking assignments when there are different quarterbacks at different points in the game?

MATT BOCKHORST: I'm not sure that I would say there's a different approach. I think that different quarterbacks bring different strengths to the field. At Clemson we're lucky enough to have pretty talented quarterbacks as of late. We just kind of try to do our job and make sure their jersey stays clean.

We're very fortunate obviously the past couple years having Trevor Lawrence, this year's No. 1 overall pick, now moving into this year with my good buddy D.J. over there. We're in pretty good hands. As long as we take care of our business, they can take care of theirs.

Q. Talking about D.J. there, I noticed you guys out yesterday together riding scooters. You're already out protecting him on the city streets. What kind of voice does he have in the huddle with you guys?

MATT BOCKHORST: I don't know if he needs me protecting him on the city streets. He's a pretty big guy.

D.J. has come in and just been a steady worker. He's got great confidence and poise for a young guy. Obviously we saw what he could do last year on the field when he was kind of forced to step in. He performed exceptionally well.

We all know how D.J. is as a player, but he's an even better guy. We enjoy being around him.

For me being a guy going into my fifth year, I certainly respect him. I know I can speak for my teammates when I say that.

We're really looking forward to having D.J. with the keys to the offense this year. I know he'll have our backs just like we'll have his.

Q. You had five weeks between games mid-season last year. Did that affect the team in any positive way, any negative way? What about the rhythm and that disruption?

JAMES SKALSKI: I think you got guys like Trevor going out, D.J. having to step in, you got key pieces to your team that missed some time, that allows young people to step in. Overall I think it helped us ultimately. Gave some guys more experience in some crucial times later in the year.

Q. People are accustomed to player turnover at Clemson. Your defense this year is unusual in that you hardly lost anybody. What are your expectations for your unit this year?

JAMES SKALSKI: It's the same every year. It's play good team defense, be in the top five in most of the categories. But for me this year, I just want to see all three levels playing together. I think last year was just a little dysfunctional at times. I think we have all the things we need to glue it all together and have a great defense.

Q. As you talked about the defensive pieces, the continuity, one of those key pieces Lannden Zanders, what have you seen from him in the off-season and what do you expect from him?

JAMES SKALSKI: Very unique guy in his athleticism. Real bendy. Great tackler, too, great in open field. We're real deep across the board everywhere.

Lannden is a guy that puts in work, keeps his head down, stays quiet. Does his job.

I think another year, I think he was battling injury a little bit, so a whole 'nother year in the weight room, I think you'll see a completely different player this year.

Q. Can you tag on to what Coach said about you ending your career as a coach and what has influenced you to take that decision?

JAMES SKALSKI: I just show up every day and I'm in love with what I do. When you get old like me, you start to think about, What am I going to do for the rest of my life? I'm getting to that point.

I just can't think of my life without the game of football or sports in some way. Maybe I'm not the next Coach V or Coach Swinney, but in some form or fashion I'll be around this game. That's just how I see it.

It's something I love. I can't get enough of it. So I got to have it.

Q. Not many people get to say they played six years of college football. With that being said, how excited are you to get the season started especially against Georgia?

JAMES SKALSKI: I mean, I'm very excited. It truly is the last one, so... I got to go out with a bang (smiling).

We usually end our regular season in Charlotte. It's a pretty cool experience getting to play a team the caliber of Georgia in a place luckily we're familiar with. It's exciting.

We're happy we get that caliber of opponent so that we can hopefully prove some people wrong.

Q. For you last season the couple games you got to get into when Trevor was out, what are your takeaways to go back to that film, what you can say about stepping into this season as the true leader?

D.J. UIAGALELEI: Some things I would definitely say was definitely a true blessing to be able to get some starts into the game last season. I got a whole week of preparation becoming the starting quarterback, be able to get into that Notre Dame film.

Definitely a lot of things I can take from last year. I learned a lot backing up Trevor, seeing the way he runs the field, see the way he just treats off the field, too. He's the true definition of a professional in my eyes. That's why I think I could take from Trevor last year, learning from different games. There's a lot of stuff that I'll be taking from him, taking from my own experiences.

Q. What do you feel with Trevor Lawrence leaving, you now being the signal caller? What do you bring that's unique from Trevor in your skill set?

D.J. UIAGALELEI: Some things I feel like are definitely unique, I think I'm a little bit bigger, heavier than Trevor. About 250 pounds. That might be something a little bit more unique.

Trevor does a lot of great things. But I feel like our games are a little bit similar. I like to throw the deep ball a lot. I like to see how far I can throw it in a game. That might be one big thing.

I feel like for the most part there's not a lot of differences, but we just both like to play football.

Q. Tell me about your approach to the opportunities via NIL in general and specifically the deal announced yesterday with Bojangles, how you got into that, if that was a recent discovery for you?

D.J. UIAGALELEI: No, definitely, Bojangles is definitely a recent discovery. California, we don't have Bojangles down there. I remember one thing coming down here to the South, one thing I definitely learned is Jesus is number one here, then it goes football, and then it goes down people love Bojangles down here (smiling).

My approach with the NIL is that I don't want -- I signed with a marketing agency, VaynerSports, with AJ Vaynerchuk and Gary V. The whole idea of that was to make sure my goal is I want to be a student-athlete. So school comes first. I want to graduate. I want to be a football player second. I want to make sure all my focus is on those two. In my off time I can have people worry about my branding, NIL and stuff like that. That's how I'm treating the NIL.

Q. In six weeks or so you're going to be a few blocks away from here going against Georgia. College GameDay will be there. You've played big games. How do you feel all of those experiences will prepare you for walking into that stadium on September 4th against another top five program?

D.J. UIAGALELEI: I think all the experience will definitely help out. Playing in big games, high school played in a lot of big games. Nowhere near the magnitude with the game we're about to play, full capacity stadium. I think in high school played in front of 15,000. I like big games, I like the big moments. Really doesn't get me too nervous.

We're going to play a great team in Georgia. I'm super excited about being able to play them in Charlotte.

Q. Last year you said to came to Clemson to sit behind Trevor Lawrence like Aaron Rodgers did with Brett Favre. What did you learn from Trevor that you can take into this year?

D.J. UIAGALELEI: There's a bunch of stuff. I think the one thing I'll touch on is how to become a true professional of the game off the field. The way Trevor handled different things off the field, how he dealt with media, how he dealt going around town. He couldn't be like himself, he had to uphold to a Clemson quarterback where he maybe couldn't do the regular things that a college athlete or college student couldn't do.

He couldn't go down to Chipotle and get some food or it would turn into an autograph session, just different things like that, things about how to become a true professional of the game.

Q. This isn't much of a question, but with you getting that new Bojangles deal, I would look forward to having a (inaudible) meal deal, a $5 chicken supreme box, if you would consider that.

D.J. UIAGALELEI: That would be a super cool thing. I think that would definitely work. I have to talk to Bojangles about that (laughter).