POP-TARTS BOWL: KANSAS STATE VS NC STATE

December 26, 2023

Dave Doeren

Camping World Stadium

NC State Wolfpack

Press Conference

Q. See what you thought of the day and the players?

DAVE DOEREN: Yeah, it is great to be involved in the community here, and I know the guys enjoyed it. Especially, the Slingshot, whatever that was, it scared me a little bit.

But it is awesome to be able to give back. We have had a great time. It has been a really good experience.

Q. When you're on a Bowl trip and you're juggling the fun of the trip with the game, how do you feel that's gone?

DAVE DOEREN: Really good. These have been good events for the guys. Food has been phenomenal which is, always, what our guys care the most about, I think, is the eating.

No, it has been a good mix of fun and work. The guys understand what they are here to do.

Q. What do you think of the trophy?

DAVE DOEREN: Beautiful, man. Look forward to seeing that thing at the end of the game. It is really nice. I am still wondering where the shot of bourbon on that thing goes, though.

Q. It's nine in the morning, so --

DAVE DOEREN: Can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning, right?

Anything else?

Q. Just curious about your offense, the way you guys really came on late, what do you attribute that?

DAVE DOEREN: I think Coach and I and the offensive staff during our bye week did a really good job of really analyzing ourselves, looking at how we were efficient and how we were inefficient and the plays we needed to focus more on and the ones we needed to get rid of: Who needed the ball more, how can we really feature No. 10 [Kevin Conception] as a playmaker, which he has done a great job of.

And the quarterback, Brennan [Armstrong], the way he has played down the stretch has really helped us. I think the chemistry of our unit has really come together throughout the course of the season. And sometimes you have to go through some tough times to figure out who you are, and credit to our staff and the kids for sticking together through that tough time.

Q. Did you think K.C. could play that much and at that level?

DAVE DOEREN: As the season went on, it became apparent he could, and the reason we did not do that earlier in the year, we did not want to put that kind of burden on a freshman. You just do not normally do that to a guy that is that young, but he showed us he was well beyond his years when it came to his ability to make plays.

Good? All right. Thank you, guys.