Back in March, a handwritten NC State Football recruiting letter made somewhat of a splash on the various social media platforms. Opinions on the letter varied from “over the top” to “amazing”.
We here at SFN even got in on the act. And the letter was even (poorly) lampooned by other schools/recruits.
But what has become more and more apparent in the 4+ months since that letter first made it’s debut on Dexter Wright’s instagram account is this….
Dave Doeren and staff are doing something right.
With 22 commits thus far, the 2014 recruiting class is currently ranked #17 by Rivals.com, #24 by Scout.com, and #27 by ESPN.com.
Those numbers might not be head-turning at places like Tuscaloosa, Austin, Columbus or Ann Arbor. But in Raleigh, for a brand new staff, and coming off of a season which was less than eye-opening (well…not in a good way at least), they’re pretty damn impressive.
–
Plus, the current personnel seems to be buying into what Doeren and company are selling as well….
Doeren, staff bring excitement and creativity to N.C. State (FoxSportsCarolinas.com)
“That’s our coaches. They are those type of guys on the Internet,” [Rashard] Smith said. “That’s their personality. That’s how they are in person. They’re upbeat, they’re excited.
“You’ve got some coaches … who use words like ‘You’ve got to go out there and ball today.’ Coach Doeren’s favorite word, he likes using the word ‘swagger’. Each coach has his own way of putting things, but at the same time, they all mean the same thing.”
Doeren’s hard work on the recruiting trail won’t matter much until next year, and this year, he inherited a roster full of players he didn’t recruit. The adjustment has been relatively seamless, in spite of the differences between last year’s head coach Tom O’Brien and Doeren.
[snip]
“The coaches are around all the time. They’re great guys. People go to them just to go talk,” Smith said. “We could sit down and talk about ice cream. We don’t always talk about football with them. The coaches just love being around the players.”
Still, it’s a delicate balance between respect and friendship when it comes to the coach-player relationship. And Doeren knows that. “We talk openly about a lot of things, but when it’s game time or work time, they understand I’m here and they’re here and they need to do what the hell they’re supposed to do,” Doeren said. “I think they appreciate both sides of it. I like to work hard and I like to have fun, and I do both with our guys.”
There’s already plenty of fun being had around the N.C. State facilities, both on and off Twitter. Last season, N.C. State didn’t live up to expectations in the eyes of some, and burdened by that weight, the players didn’t always seem like they were enjoying themselves.
Virtually expectation-free this year, the players do feel freer. But they also feel a sense of excitement that wasn’t there before. A sense that maybe hasn’t been around this program since the animated Chuck Amato was the head coach.
“Just a lot of energy, a lot of excitement and a lot of passion,” [Dontae] Johnson said. “That fire is back again with N.C. State football. It’s just something you look forward to. Fans are excited, players are excited, recruits are excited to come watch us play and just see what N.C. State football is all about.”
–
You must be logged in to post a comment.