Q: Having been through a season, having been to Wolfpack Club meetings and around State fans, what do you think your fans want out of their football program?

A: “I think they want a solid program that they can be proud of. I think that’s the first thing they want. Ultimately, they expect to win championships and they should.

“But I think at the point we are and what we’re trying to do, it’s always, ‘Thanks for running a clean program, we know we’re on the right track, that we’ll get to have winning seasons, that we’re consistent, that we won’t embarrass ourselves on or off the field.’ Those are the comments I hear most from people.”

Q: Looking to this season, can you contend in the ACC’s Atlantic Division? Or are you still a year or two away from where you want to be?

A: “You never know because you don’t know what the schedule and injuries are going to bring. If somebody is devastated [by injuries] the way we were last year, it’s going to make a difference.

“I think realistically, though, when you look at this team, there’s going to be a lot of young new faces, especially on defense. There are going to be a lot of redshirt freshmen in the two-deep. ... Realistically, I think we should shoot for a winning season and a bowl trip.”

Q: You open the season at South Carolina. How much input did you have in that?

A: “I don’t have any input into anything right now. Pretty much the schedule has been done.”

Q: How daunting is that kind of game as an opener?

A: “I don’t mind that. I think you should play one national game like that every year, for national TV. That’s how you have to do it as you have a contending program, as we expect to be.

“It will be great for the kids. I think when you play a game of that nature it makes this time frame, once the summer conditioning starts all the way through preseason practice, it’s not like you’re having a warmup game like I think some of our players thought we had last year with Central Florida.

“I don’t think there was any question after it was over [a 25-23 loss] that’s how they looked at that game. And I didn’t see it coming, which is my fault.”

Q: Do you feel like you have good handle on the players now?

A: “I don’t think that’ll happen for another year. There are guys who are going to be playing next year who haven’t been in this situation.

“A lot of times, you don’t know how they’re going to react, if they’re going to fight or if they’re going to fold their tents and go home.”

Q: You’ve had time to analyze the 37-0 loss to Maryland to end last season. What happened?

A: “I think some guys folded their tents and went home, quite frankly. I don’t think you can get beat like that without having some guys thinking the season was over.

“That’s why I give the kids a lot of credit. They could have done it after the Florida State game [a loss that dropped the Pack to 1-5]. I tell the story, standing on the sideline at the end of the game, I’m standing next to Darrell Blackman and John Dunlap and I said, ‘Listen, we’re not that far away from winning. You’ve got to hang in there and you’ve got to stay with us because I think there’s some things we can do to really help us. You have to believe in it and make sure all the seniors stay on board and believe in it.’

“Give them credit. They did it. We made some changes but by winning the East Carolina game they believed it. Beat Virginia and they believed it a little more. Certainly [beating] Miami and North Carolina. But I think we ran out of gas. We were emotionally drained. ...

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