Wake Forest Athletics
Weekly Press Conference & Video: November 6
11/6/2018 3:21:00 PM | Football
Dave Clawson, Nate Gilliam and Luke Masterson met with the media Tuesday
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeFB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Head Coach Dave Clawson, offensive lineman Nathan Gilliam and linebacker Luke Masterson met with the media Tuesday (Nov. 6) at the team's weekly Carrabba's press conference luncheon.
Head Coach Dave Clawson
Opening Statement...
"Wrapping up Syracuse, it was like a lot of our games this year. It was the second time against a division foe where we were up two scores, jump out early and don't sustain it. The story of that game was we lost the turnover battle three to nothing. Defensively, we just did a really poor job of open field tackling. We probably missed more tackles that game than any game this year. I do see improvements. I thought Sam Hartman was very unsettled in the first half. In the second half, he settled himself, which was a major step for him. Usually, if he gets off to a good start, he's good. If he doesn't get off to a good start, it goes downhill from there. I really thought he collected and composed himself and played much better in the second half. Greg Dortch was Greg Dortch. Our offensive line played solid. He did not have as much balance as we wanted. The O-Line didn't play well in the first half, but played much better in the second half. We gave up a lot of sacks and a lot of pressure in the first half. In the second half we settled in. Defensively, very subtlely we are getting better. By this, I mean we are getting aligned. Our alignment rate was around 95 or 96 percent, which was the best for the year. We gave up one explosive play of over 30 yards and that was on a play that shouldn't have counted. If you go back a few weeks ago against Clemson, there were 50, 60, 70-yard plays. Syracuse was the second-most explosive offense in the conference and we held them to, other than Clemson, their season low. That was a matchup I was concerned about. Again, they moved the ball and scored points, but we have made some steps on that side of the ball that I am pleased with.
"Now we are on a short week and we are playing a really good NC State team. They are nationally ranked. Offensively, they probably have the best quarterback in the conference in Finley. He very smart, very bright and extremely accurate. I haven't seen every receiver in the league, but as a corps, Clemson has been the best and this group gives them a run for their money. This one of the top two or three offensive lines we will play this year, but the quarterback makes them go. If you cheat the box at all, he is so accurate and so smart that they ball goes exactly where it should go. Defensively, this is a group that is going to stop the run. They are going to load the box. Their rushing defense is giving up around 100 yards a game. They will give you some matchups in the pass game. They're a team that makes you want to throw the ball against them, which is how teams have been defending us lately.
"The challenge is going to be to go in there with a brand new starting quarterback in week 10 in a very hostile environment. NC State does a great job with their home game atmosphere. It is loud. It is obnoxious. I always get called a few interesting things when we go down there. It is a great crowd, they are enthusiastic and it is always a tough environment to play in. It will be a great challenge for us, but our guys are looking forward to it. It is an in-state rivalry and certainly one of our highlights a year ago was finding a way to win this game. Historically we haven't played real well at NC State, and we hoping to reverse that in two days."
On a new starting quarterback...
"Jamie Newman is going to start. It is all about who is most healthy. Jamie has had the most reps and is the most healthy. Kendall (Hinton) is starting to get healthy and we hope he is available, but Jamie was the number two quarterback and he deserves to start. We are trying to get Kendall in a position where he can play and right now we are very optimistic that he will be dressed and ready to go, but Jamie is the starter and it is his game. His (Jamie's) season has been like our season- great potential in the beginning but because of some injuries maybe it didn't go exactly how we wanted, but he has the chance to finish strong. I think that is how Jamie is looking at this year. He has the chance to start and play the last three games and help our team finish strong. I hope that is the narrative of our season when it's over. We grinded and continued to get better and played our best football at the end of the season. Jamie is a lot like our team."
On NC State's quarterback Ryan Finley...
"He is not that much different from last season. He was really good last year and he is really good this year. He was so good last year that I advised him to come out and he didn't listen to me… That was a great get for them for him to come back for his senior year. They are playing at a high level. I think their offensive coordinator is doing a great job. He is very bright, very smart and they have a good core offense and core principles and all the different formations and unbalanced. He makes you work and makes you prepare, and in a short week that is even more difficult. It is very clear that their quarterback knows exactly what they are doing. This kid is so smart that he gets his team in the right play. He sees things and the ball comes out quickly. I was watching last year's game and he made some great throws."
On how the offense changes with Jamie Newman at quarterback...
"I don't think it changes a lot. Jamie is a big kid and he is more of a physical runner. Sam is more of a deer dancing a little bit, hopefully we can get him up to 200 pounds in the offseason. Jamie is 235 and can lower his shoulder. They will run the same plays, but how Jamie runs, it may look a little bit different. It is week 10. You do what you do. We aren't going come out and run triple option… or maybe we will."
On Sam Hartman's performance throughout the season…
"He has been the most successful true freshman starting quarterback in the history of the program. That being said, 4-5 is not our standard. What really impressed me about Sam is his ability to bounce back. There were games where he would get hit and I thought 'Oh man, I hope he can come back' and he came back. His best game of football was against Louisville in week eight. He kept getting better. I think it is very promising for his future, but we have to keep that position competitive, we always do. He will make a full recovery and we will have him back before the start of the spring. He will be good to go by January."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker/safety Luke Masterson
On practice following the Syracuse loss....
"It's been great. All the guys are looking forward to Thursday and everyone has been working hard. It's been a grind, but we have taken it day by day and we are excited for Thursday."
On the quick turnaround...
"It is a little different later in the season because people have played so many snaps, but they are in the same situation. We just have to work hard."
On injuries this season...
"It is all about the next guy up, that's what the coaches have preached all season. We believe in our back ups and even the third guy in some spots- that's just been the motto of the season."
On switching to linebacker late in the season...
"The coaches asked me to do it just because of the injuries we've had in that position. It is a daily process to get better and I am trying to get better every day, but it has been fun. The coaches have been great and they have simplified it a little bit for me and all of the older guys have helped me out as well."
On becoming bowl eligible...
"The whole season the coaches preach that it is a one-win season, so it is the same thing right now. We are looking forward to Thursday and not really looking ahead of that."
Redshirt junior offensive lineman Nathan Gilliam
On Syracuse loss...
"The biggest thing is the 11 guys on the field have to do their job, we can't have one guy on here, we all have to execute. If one guy messes up, it messes up the whole play, so everyone has to execute."
On playing at NC State…
"Going on the road we are going to have to prepare for anything- it will be a different atmosphere. We are going to strive on that."
On playing with a different starting quarterback…
"I feel really good and the whole O-Line does as well. We are going to go out there and play our ball. We are not going to skip a beat. Those rivalries amp up as the game goes on and we are excited."
On the rivalry...
"We are in a situation where we need everyone. It is a one-win season and we are going to start with NC State. Being an in-state game with two North Carolina teams coming together, you know it will be a good game and down to the wire. I love every guy on this team, we are brothers. Every game for the rest of the season it is going to be a "find a way" mentality. We are going to find a way to win."
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Head Coach Dave Clawson, offensive lineman Nathan Gilliam and linebacker Luke Masterson met with the media Tuesday (Nov. 6) at the team's weekly Carrabba's press conference luncheon.
Head Coach Dave Clawson
Opening Statement...
"Wrapping up Syracuse, it was like a lot of our games this year. It was the second time against a division foe where we were up two scores, jump out early and don't sustain it. The story of that game was we lost the turnover battle three to nothing. Defensively, we just did a really poor job of open field tackling. We probably missed more tackles that game than any game this year. I do see improvements. I thought Sam Hartman was very unsettled in the first half. In the second half, he settled himself, which was a major step for him. Usually, if he gets off to a good start, he's good. If he doesn't get off to a good start, it goes downhill from there. I really thought he collected and composed himself and played much better in the second half. Greg Dortch was Greg Dortch. Our offensive line played solid. He did not have as much balance as we wanted. The O-Line didn't play well in the first half, but played much better in the second half. We gave up a lot of sacks and a lot of pressure in the first half. In the second half we settled in. Defensively, very subtlely we are getting better. By this, I mean we are getting aligned. Our alignment rate was around 95 or 96 percent, which was the best for the year. We gave up one explosive play of over 30 yards and that was on a play that shouldn't have counted. If you go back a few weeks ago against Clemson, there were 50, 60, 70-yard plays. Syracuse was the second-most explosive offense in the conference and we held them to, other than Clemson, their season low. That was a matchup I was concerned about. Again, they moved the ball and scored points, but we have made some steps on that side of the ball that I am pleased with.
"Now we are on a short week and we are playing a really good NC State team. They are nationally ranked. Offensively, they probably have the best quarterback in the conference in Finley. He very smart, very bright and extremely accurate. I haven't seen every receiver in the league, but as a corps, Clemson has been the best and this group gives them a run for their money. This one of the top two or three offensive lines we will play this year, but the quarterback makes them go. If you cheat the box at all, he is so accurate and so smart that they ball goes exactly where it should go. Defensively, this is a group that is going to stop the run. They are going to load the box. Their rushing defense is giving up around 100 yards a game. They will give you some matchups in the pass game. They're a team that makes you want to throw the ball against them, which is how teams have been defending us lately.
"The challenge is going to be to go in there with a brand new starting quarterback in week 10 in a very hostile environment. NC State does a great job with their home game atmosphere. It is loud. It is obnoxious. I always get called a few interesting things when we go down there. It is a great crowd, they are enthusiastic and it is always a tough environment to play in. It will be a great challenge for us, but our guys are looking forward to it. It is an in-state rivalry and certainly one of our highlights a year ago was finding a way to win this game. Historically we haven't played real well at NC State, and we hoping to reverse that in two days."
On a new starting quarterback...
"Jamie Newman is going to start. It is all about who is most healthy. Jamie has had the most reps and is the most healthy. Kendall (Hinton) is starting to get healthy and we hope he is available, but Jamie was the number two quarterback and he deserves to start. We are trying to get Kendall in a position where he can play and right now we are very optimistic that he will be dressed and ready to go, but Jamie is the starter and it is his game. His (Jamie's) season has been like our season- great potential in the beginning but because of some injuries maybe it didn't go exactly how we wanted, but he has the chance to finish strong. I think that is how Jamie is looking at this year. He has the chance to start and play the last three games and help our team finish strong. I hope that is the narrative of our season when it's over. We grinded and continued to get better and played our best football at the end of the season. Jamie is a lot like our team."
On NC State's quarterback Ryan Finley...
"He is not that much different from last season. He was really good last year and he is really good this year. He was so good last year that I advised him to come out and he didn't listen to me… That was a great get for them for him to come back for his senior year. They are playing at a high level. I think their offensive coordinator is doing a great job. He is very bright, very smart and they have a good core offense and core principles and all the different formations and unbalanced. He makes you work and makes you prepare, and in a short week that is even more difficult. It is very clear that their quarterback knows exactly what they are doing. This kid is so smart that he gets his team in the right play. He sees things and the ball comes out quickly. I was watching last year's game and he made some great throws."
On how the offense changes with Jamie Newman at quarterback...
"I don't think it changes a lot. Jamie is a big kid and he is more of a physical runner. Sam is more of a deer dancing a little bit, hopefully we can get him up to 200 pounds in the offseason. Jamie is 235 and can lower his shoulder. They will run the same plays, but how Jamie runs, it may look a little bit different. It is week 10. You do what you do. We aren't going come out and run triple option… or maybe we will."
On Sam Hartman's performance throughout the season…
"He has been the most successful true freshman starting quarterback in the history of the program. That being said, 4-5 is not our standard. What really impressed me about Sam is his ability to bounce back. There were games where he would get hit and I thought 'Oh man, I hope he can come back' and he came back. His best game of football was against Louisville in week eight. He kept getting better. I think it is very promising for his future, but we have to keep that position competitive, we always do. He will make a full recovery and we will have him back before the start of the spring. He will be good to go by January."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker/safety Luke Masterson
On practice following the Syracuse loss....
"It's been great. All the guys are looking forward to Thursday and everyone has been working hard. It's been a grind, but we have taken it day by day and we are excited for Thursday."
On the quick turnaround...
"It is a little different later in the season because people have played so many snaps, but they are in the same situation. We just have to work hard."
On injuries this season...
"It is all about the next guy up, that's what the coaches have preached all season. We believe in our back ups and even the third guy in some spots- that's just been the motto of the season."
On switching to linebacker late in the season...
"The coaches asked me to do it just because of the injuries we've had in that position. It is a daily process to get better and I am trying to get better every day, but it has been fun. The coaches have been great and they have simplified it a little bit for me and all of the older guys have helped me out as well."
On becoming bowl eligible...
"The whole season the coaches preach that it is a one-win season, so it is the same thing right now. We are looking forward to Thursday and not really looking ahead of that."
Redshirt junior offensive lineman Nathan Gilliam
On Syracuse loss...
"The biggest thing is the 11 guys on the field have to do their job, we can't have one guy on here, we all have to execute. If one guy messes up, it messes up the whole play, so everyone has to execute."
On playing at NC State…
"Going on the road we are going to have to prepare for anything- it will be a different atmosphere. We are going to strive on that."
On playing with a different starting quarterback…
"I feel really good and the whole O-Line does as well. We are going to go out there and play our ball. We are not going to skip a beat. Those rivalries amp up as the game goes on and we are excited."
On the rivalry...
"We are in a situation where we need everyone. It is a one-win season and we are going to start with NC State. Being an in-state game with two North Carolina teams coming together, you know it will be a good game and down to the wire. I love every guy on this team, we are brothers. Every game for the rest of the season it is going to be a "find a way" mentality. We are going to find a way to win."
Players Mentioned
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