NDSU Football Media Day Press Conference - Tim Polasek - August 1st, 2024

well thanks for coming uh obviously it's uh football's upon us it's an exciting time um appreciate you guys being here and covering the program like always it it's it's a big deal uh the start of football the start of fall we've had a great summer you know the Summer's been busy um vacation you know for myself wasn't business as usual it was more stop and go uh we made five new hires uh Derek Lucan from Weber State is now our football you know director of football operations I think that's a big deal uh kind of become my right-hand man you know with schedules and getting information out and a connection for you guys Pat Lily you know comes to us from uh valasa State he'll help in recruiting Um Zack witer new video coordinator from uh Central Michigan uh his role is huge and he's being tested right now and he's answering the Bell Nate thesis uh director of of equipment you know so happy for uh Nathan Bart you know BJ has moved on to a a different role over here in the in the shack and I'm excited for him uh and Trisha Shannon and our associate athletic trainer comes to us from our soccer program here and she's quite frankly it's been impressive um just her laying down the foundation of expectations and things like that in the training facility uh she's done a really good job you know we're in a new era again you know sideline technology and so over the summer you know I had multiple zooms that you know had to occur of how this is going to work and how we're going to be able to use it um yesterday was actually our first practice that we had the sideline tablets going and things like that I'm excited about it and at the same time concerned you know we don't need uh distractions during practice but anytime that the quarterback can get over and kind of see some plays it's not just the pctures like the NFL they're actual videotape and so we'll find out if we have a couple two or three coaches that can take advantage of that on the floor and at the surface and then upstairs also you know being able to get basically live feed um summer camps in recruiting it's been well documented I actually appreciate um all your guys' hard work and and trying to stay up with us because it was fast and furious it was aggressive but it was unbelievably productive uh I've said it a couple times now but the city of Fargo our community uh you know all the great restaurants we have I mean really answered the Bell um you know Shields was huge for us you know the people getting to see that they can buy gear and those kind of things um you know recruiting was was really productive and the schedule was tough you know as as well as we've done with our summer camps and as productive as those things have been from a football standpoint we sandwiched in the middle official visits and and that was really productive for us uh coaching staff had a a moment you know three weeks to get away for vacation staff has come back um ready ready to coach ready to Mentor ready to lead um excited you know I'm I'm excited about this staff for a couple reasons there's a great combination of of knowledge and experience with who we're going to be and what North Dakota state football is and then there's some New Perspective and and some new energy and unbelievable Talent um and I I do I think about um will Johnson and and Devin kimman and and those guys in the the interview process and some of the questions you guys answered those guys are talented guys and I'm excited that they're here um we've had three working days from for Camp right now today's our first off day as far as no physical activity our guys have been competitive they've been Improvement driven and they've been tough as hell every day and there's been wins and losses on on both sides I know the the media was able to be at practice yesterday and that's what we're looking for right from a defensive standpoint was actually pretty impressive um our Focus from our players and our coaches the the intent is there um there's no doubt about that I the guys have shown up with a unbelievable um want to to be coached and to get better um I'm excited about today I really am to just be able to get here and sit here and answer some of your questions and concerns and hopefully I can do a great job um the staff had its first chance to talk Personnel today so hopefully I can answer some of the Personnel questions a little better um you know first off day administrative stuff had an unbelievable meeting with the green and gold Collective today and it looks like that we're going to be able to start really working towards some of our goals with our with our plan of earn it uh retain and those kind of things for fall camp and we got a Target set for that and I know they're working hard really pleased with the direction that that's headed um you know to be able to to get some pocket change into every returning player is a big deal and we continue to need that support and um really really excited about that as well you know with that being said um super excited for you guys get a chance to meet these younger players on the team out there today um please you know hit them up and get to know them we've got a bunch of good kids on this team hardworking guys with that I'll open it up for questions step for your quarterback so what's the next level here yeah I think I think like for cam right can he Jeff you're the one that asked the question you know what are you excited about with Carson in year two or something like that I remember saying you know I don't think we'll call a bad run in a blitz you know like for cam can he completely um he completely understands the system now can he make it his own so I would say that about Cam and and just you know can he leverage all the flexibility and the Potentials in the system um I think with Cole it's just continuing to get better and better of progressing through not only read one and two but can he move on to three and four and three and four for him might be his feet and that's pretty darn effective and then Nathan I guys I think Nathan I think Randy you know has done a great job with his development I thought Nathan stood out in the spring event you know let's not call it a spring game but Nathan picked up kind of right where he left off and that's always a sign of a guy that took the summer serious and he and he's moving forward I think Trey is still in that um you know the first layer of the young right he's learning the what to do he's not quite to the why or the how so each one of those guys is at a little bit different stage but it's impressive to see their growth uh fundamentally and their understanding of the system RAC looked like col pton was all over the place for you guys what's it like for you to just kind of have that kind of weapon offensively that he is and do you guys plan on playing him in multiple different roles or are you trying to stick to him more in the running quarterback style yeah I think I think uh again I'll come back to I think Nathan is so critical to that I mean quite frankly if if we can get Nathan sped up like you gota we got to play everybody that can score the ball you know I I I just I'm going to go to where I went the other day in the press conference one of my major interest not concerns I don't want to get that Twisted where's our playmaking going to come up come from who's going to stand out we know Cole has playmaking ability and so we'll see how that whole thing unfolds but I think that's practice four five and six and seven evaluating Nathan because Cole is ready to go whether it's special teams or uh playing running back or tight end or or being utilized you know I I just I'm so confident in that kids intentional Focus to get better from A playbook standpoint and then the more around him I just I just such an impressive kid like many of our guys practices into the afternoon starts now kind of what have you seen from the guys as far as you know response to that you you talked about how making sure they get their rest as an important factor for you and sleep as the best supplement type thing what have you seen from the guys in response to that yeah I'm trying to check with them I know at some point I'd love to get even like sleep bands or for them to free up their social media to me so I could check their apple watches um I'm kind of joking but no I I have seen a pretty in the morning time it seems like they're brigh eyed you know Kramer has mentioned uh several times the the worst day we had with weight was when they came back from vacation otherwise that's been a marketed Improvement you know so paying attention to nutrition and the Sleep aspect has paid off from that standpoint I was concerned about the heat on Tuesday I think Mike maybe had mentioned it on 1660 or you know just the temperature I mean two days ago was a hot one and our guys did a great job great energy at the end of practice this um I think our meeting times and separating and okay walk through is walk through now and then we go eat treatment has improved our walkthrough intent has improved in my eyes so far and and the coachability in meetings and being alert has really been impressive is hel helmet technology available this year is that 2025 no it's available to everybody non FCS so as soon as you play an FBS game it's game on and to tomorrow we will have our first chance at um we'll see if coach Landry can give a extra tip or two in some situational things for the quarterback but I'm excited about that I I had the opportunity during bull prep you know prior to Coach B saying it's time for you to get out there um for five or six practices and and it's just it's the way the game should be so we can eliminate sign stealing and all this signs getting stolen and and it's just where the game is headed and so I'm so excited about the first game and us being able to use and and I you know thanks to our Administration just boom we're prepared for the future too we made that commitment and I think we're probably a year out with the quarterback and the linebacker or quarter coach to safety whoever we designate um to make the calls you know I'm excited about that we're going to give it a try tomorrow and then we'll get better the next day and we'll continue to improve with it but it's pretty fascinating you know when you talk about a two-minute drill in the middle of a break being able to get a little bit more information out to a guy and what they'll be able to handle Colorado but then after that you cannot right FBS games only is my understanding potentially for 2025 I think I yeah I mean I shoot maybe Matt's a better guy to ask you know Mr Larson but I most certainly think the Missouri Valley wants to be on the same level as everybody else in any level at college football and I'm so grateful for Patty's leadership on that it it just doesn't seem like that's going to happen this year and so we'll be prepared for when it can happen experienced quarterbacks to be able to have that kind of Technology how much does that help for game one well that's that's a good question I won't go too far down the road because you know you can only have one person on the field with the the Green Dot and so our experience at kicker um the competition we have at punter and the experience we have at quarterback the experience at linebacker the list goes on and on is always beneficial but for quarterbacks and kickers those big moments right we make the play or not is really is really a positive for us we got to find a way to leverage it the offensive line so far I know that there's still some reshuffling to do and you said you weren't very you you weren't too nervous about that going into good pad and ugly and I would say you know that probably mirrors with a defense like this or some of the defenses I've seen in the last seven years you know I think we're on track and I think um the double reps kind of can hurt you at times when you're talking about creating cohesiveness with the old line and you're talking about creating timing and rhythm in the offensive line and with certain timing patterns outside of that double reps is phenomenal those guys are getting a bolt load of reps man I'm I'm telling you there's some Fighters there's some guys that you just would want with you in the fox hole and that's what I've been most encouraged about we just have to continue to clean up fundamentals and technique guys when we're in shells for first two practices if our defense wasn't winning okay Grant's opening statement today might be a little little different okay it just that's the way it's been that's the way it needs to be when defense is good so it has not been as good as I would like it but I appreciate the Improvement and the fight and those guys and I think we're developing depth I really do we've talked a lot about the guys in the middle that you're kind of look into but the guys in the I think you're going to have Mason for now at right tackle and gray at left tackle so that's that's a pretty good start right I mean you talk about right yep yeah Mason Mason has been solid out there you know Mason hasn't played football for excuse me seven or eight months right like so you know there's some of that that he's got to shake off some Rust but I think uh the combination of Mason and rock and their relationship and their communication skills okay if we could get that solidified potentially right then gray has been solid I mean I think Gray's a pretty you know and congratulations to my guy wors right it's a pretty big contract but Gray's been just really remarkable um his intentional attention to detail and so Jack Lewinsky ampy um Frey Hayden Nate and lockerby are just in a dog fight for two spots you know if you were to make me answer that question today' seen from Cole you know on Tuesday he talked about being a leader for this defense especially since he can't practice as much what have you seen from your fifth year you know players and seniors as they're you know leading this uh young group pretty cool moment yesterday really cool moment yesterday and and I hope Grant finds a way to talk about it but I just our spirit and our our our energy and our passion you know we had uh Clint uh gste talk to the team last night and he just like cold green is just like a how do these guys just keep coming at you and it's a swarm and it's energy and it's enthusiasm and yesterday it was 24 periods of that and I think now we've changed the standard to what this is going to look like in 24 and so from a leadership standpoint outstanding they got my message we clip five or six plays from uh practice 2 where there were big plays and that one person was high-fiving not one person was showing emotion and yesterday I I got I threw my hat at one point I kicked the damn I went back to being an o line coach for a second but it was just a swarm of green you know for moments and it was just phenomenal so the leadership over there I think continues to grow I think the leadership from setting an example is unbelievable we just need a few more vocal guys that will set the set the tone that we're here to fight and here to have fun kind of from the younger defensive players like Al Peters daing given scumby those guys what have you seen throughout early Camp so far well I think you just hit on four that I would list as potential young guys that will show up and will have to play for us all the two guys you mentioned in the secondary Darius H has gotten better over the summer you know he's still got some things to work on he's a special teams Superstar number one and then Kumi you know it's interest interesting with crumby because if he can clean up some technical things tackling wise I think we've got a heat seeking missile coming out of the secondary I he's got that ability and he's got to continue to get better and then I would also throw in there we've got a great you know Marcus Shepard provides leadership at corner but then you think about Anthony and I don't want to mess up his name alaro okay I call him Tony um and then jakis and Duffy are I mean all of a sudden we got a little bit of depth there they got a great battle going on ala Peter and and stalling staning I know there's been years here that they would be starting caliber type players um altap Peter had a really good what I would call teammate play yesterday that just exemplifies what we're trying to get done defensively you know he set the edge on the thing and then uh zenzen just ran down the line against Cole pyton okay on a Zone read that was there and I think we gained a yard or two and that's just I think we're moving in the right direction defensively what how was end and look you know coming back from missing all Grant's probably better to answer a night and day he's flashed three or four times he's rushing with not only Power and leveraging all the god-given athleticism um better I I mentioned the other I think DN all of a sudden we're we're I I think we're starting to look at there's some real competition like who's going to be three or four maybe that's a weekly battle he's looked good and I I really have an appreciation for that kid some of the younger guys that are going to have to make some place for you guys later in the year how I know it's still early in Camp but how important is this stretch of the year for finding those young guys that you can identify as someone that you can rely on a little bit later yeah no I Mike made me work harder the other day when you know he asked some questions about some young guys and I didn't really have some answers we we did that Marty Brown I mean this is critical because if it has if it takes 10 days in my experience it just ain't going to happen the best example I could give you off the top of my head uh cuz he's coming to speak from wton is Ryan Smith if we think back to beating Kansas Ryan Smith was the punt returner we never would have put him out there if he wasn't making plays on practices three and four and five RJ owski was leading the team in catches and had zero drops on days three four and five and so there's been some some real signs there Marty Brown um brace Lance you guys are familiar with but he might be taking the step that we need I mean he's been impressive Nathan Hayes I mentioned right I think Ryan Jones Ryan Jones had a great interception a great interception on a on a difficult play um and he made it look fairly easy you know and so um young guys that have been impressive that I don't know if they'll make a difference or not but Jackson Williams from Omaha receiver has the movement skills has the toughness has the intent to get better here quickly and then Isaiah St Roma has been I what a personality and we need this on that team we need uh characters we need personality that stay within the frame framework of the team concept right but he's been impressive and I also would say Peter hogo has flashed on special teams and his movement he won't be ready to play linebacker right but his movement skills and his speed would suggest he can maybe help us on special teams and uh do some things that way and I've been impressed Matt an did a good job with the recruiting class the offens of line The Freshman kids tested stomas is tough I mean 242 pounds and he's going in there he fits his pads and he's not afraid like this guy's going to be a good player and Coy okon's doing a really good job and and even the walk-on kid is has really done a nice job the The Freshman group my hat goes off to Matt Matt an again and I a I know a lot of head coaches won't do that guys and I'm not that's just who I am he did a great job with the recruiting class your offensive line at least the Five Guys you want to try out for Colorado 10 days out week out gosh four months ago would have been great I know because here you know it's great question right and I'm excited to answer it I think now we've raised the bar till we got this pitcher from 20121 nine guys in the frame were NFL rosters okay we're going to work to get there to where all 11 are NFL rosters but that old line was so special right like going into the season we knew who the five or six seven guys were going to play hell I think one of them might have been an extra tight end and he's playing in however that shook out um yeah yesterday to be honest but I think our first scrimmage is going to be critical right I think um tomorrow's pup period you know we go P Under Pressure if you guys were there early yesterday that PR pass Under Pressure drill that's the closest thing we can get to simulating real life action and those drills and who can handle a bow Rush when it's Eli Mozart you know who can shut it down make him counter is so critical um I hope to go into it with seven guys we believe can play and if it takes us rotating in six and seven in the first couple two three weeks the preseason um then we come away from it okay these are our starters these other guys that are playing so be it but I think we got to get that cleaned up as quickly as possible you you love the kids right you like the guys it's just again I'm I'm I'm interested to see where our playmaking comes from Marty Brown's been impressive TK's gotten better he's physically better he had a great summer Brady wernick's doing a good job BK is leading the group he's doing a tremendous job and and so we'll we'll see how that all shakes out as far as where the carries go I actually think that'll take longer um maybe a game or two to see who the horse is um before the old line