NC State football holds players-only meeting. What they said came from it
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Players held a meeting to address recent losses and assert season remains alive
- Team captains and leaders organized talks to restore focus and on-field execution
- Players vow resilience, demand accountability and target improvement against Georgia Tech
N.C. State football has made one thing abundantly clear: The season isn’t over.
The Wolfpack players say they remain positive and engaged. The team had a players-only meeting Sunday after returning home from Pittsburgh. The team lost, 53-34. It was the second consecutive defeat and the fourth in the last five.
Defensive end Sabastian Harsh said the players talked and “hashed stuff out” during their meeting, which was arranged by team captains and members of the leadership council. The Wyoming transfer called it an opportunity for the players to rely on one another.
“Everybody’s super juiced. Nobody’s heads are down low. Nobody’s tucking their tails,” Harsh said Wednesday. “At the end of the day, we’re gonna have to line up and play football, so it’s a ‘gotta be ready’ mindset. You have no other option. You gotta have a high spirit, be ready for what’s to come.”
The team’s leaders have stepped up in a big way, wide receiver Wesley Grimes said. Those players, especially some of the older ones, have made conscious efforts to “keep the vibes positive” and maintain a healthy atmosphere. Immediately after the loss, running back Hollywood Smothers said quarterback CJ Bailey would be one of the players to rally the troops. The sophomore quarterback is always at the front demanding excellence and giving grace, a trait that’s been key to keep everyone together.
Grimes, meanwhile, is emphasizing gratitude during the final games of his senior season. A lot of people dream to be in his position, so he’s focused on playing in a way that recognizes the privilege he has.
“Carrying that energy with me, getting the receiver corps to do that, then the offense, then the whole team, is really what I’ve been trying to do,” Grimes said.
It means a lot to see players take charge in promoting encouragement and accountability. Grimes and nickelback Jackson Vick, who missed several games because of injury, said coaches aren’t the ones taking snaps, so this is about the players taking ownership of the season and its outcome.
Harsh said it’s difficult for a team to go through stretches like the one that the Wolfpack is in. How this group is handling it, however, is different from what he’s experienced before. He joins his teammates in the belief that improvements take hold more quickly and can have a larger impact.
“When players step up, it’s contagious, and everybody feels that, even the freshmen,” Grimes said. “Being a player-led program is bigger than the coaches leading everything.”
Fans have expressed their frustration with the season online. It’s almost impossible to avoid it. The players understand better than anybody how difficult it is to be in this position.
Head coach Dave Doeren said on Monday that he will fight for the team and the roster he built will, too. Vick reiterated the point Wednesday.
“Stay calm. Stay confident. The season’s not over at all,” Vick said. “We never give up. We’re a hard- fighting program; hard, tough together. That’s what we’re going to live and die by, no matter what happens.”
N.C. State on Saturday night hosts No. 8 Georgia Tech, which is off to one of its best starts in program history. The Yellow Jackets haven’t been 8-0 since 1966 nor have they ever started 5-0 in the ACC until this season.
The Wolfpack is a 5.5-point underdog, according to U.S. sportsbooks. ESPN gives it a 29% chance of winning. The odds and the history are not in N.C. State’s favor, but the players said a positive outcome is within grasp.
Every weekend in the ACC is a tough out. Anyone is capable of winning, and N.C. State is the underdog not to underestimate this week. Opportunities remain, and the Wolfpack wants to latch on.
“We’re just getting back confident with each other,” Vick said. “Everybody is speaking up, everybody is trying to be the best that they can be and look forward more than behind.”
