The first thing that NC State football head coach Dave Doeren said when spotting the media in the lobby of the indoor practice facility following the first spring practice was, “Beautiful day.”



Doeren’s hope is that Wednesday’s picture-perfect spring weather will be emblematic of the year coming up for his football team. NC State has high expectations for the 2022 campaign that kicks off Sept. 3 at East Carolina.



NC State returns the bulk of their starters from a team that went 9-3 a year ago. It is also the only program in the ACC to return its entire coaching staff.



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/nc-state-football-spring-practice-premium-obserations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Related: First spring practice premium observations</a>



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/nc-state-football-spring-practice-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Related: Sights & sounds from first practice</a>



“You just can’t be complacent,” said Doeren. “You have to remember that we didn’t win the ACC. 



“We had a really great season and a lot of those guys are back, but they want to be better than they were. They carry that chip on their shoulder, particularly with how our season finished.”



One thing that has helped Doeren rest a little bit easier this spring is knowing that fifth-year redshirt junior <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/devin-leary-36078/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Devin Leary</a> is returning after he set a school record for touchdown passes in a season.



“For a head coach to have his starting quarterback back, one who he has truly had success with and believes in, is a great thing,” Doeren said. “I sleep better at night because of that. Every coach will tell you that.



“Devin is in a different place than he was 12 montsh ago, and I’m really proud of him. I’m excited for him.”



Doeren tried to add to Leary’s list of weapons by bringing in Maryland super senior receiver transfer <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/darryl-jones-142802/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Darryl Jones</a> during the spring.



“With <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/devin-carter-35946/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Devin [Carter]</a> coming back and <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/thayer-thomas-112130/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thayer [Thomas]</a> coming back and <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/porter-rooks-96765/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Porter [Rooks]</a>, who has played, you’ve got three guys with experience,” Doeren noted. “Everyone else is young. It’s just getting one more older guy, with losing C.J. Riley and Emeka [Emezie] we felt like that would help that room.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="http://www.thepit-raleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" width="800" height="100" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/03/02145058/image003.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-578544" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/03/02145058/image003.jpg 800w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/03/02145058/image003-300x38.jpg 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2022/03/02145058/image003-768x96.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></a></figure>



<h2 id="h-dave-doeren-talks-other-positions">Dave Doeren talks other positions</h2>



The two key position battles on offense will be running back and left tackle. In the latter, super senior <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/bryson-speas-16122/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bryson Speas</a> received the first look in spring practice, but Doeren expects that offensive line coach John Garrison will also take a look at fourth-year redshirt sophomore <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/timothy-mckay-112964/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Timothy McKay</a>, third-year redshirt freshman <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/patrick-matan-95462/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patrick Matan</a> and redshirt sophomore <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/anthony-belton-5884/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthony Belton</a>.



“You’ve got to get guys reps, and this is a good time to let them compete against good defensive linemen and see who your best five are,” Doeren stated.



Defensively, star linebackers fifth-year redshirt junior <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/payton-wilson-95978/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Payton Wilson</a> and super senior <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/isaiah-moore-49647/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Isaiah Moore</a> both sat out while still recovering from injuries, but Doeren noted, “They’ll be full speed for the summer.”



Doeren is also curious to see how fifth-year senior <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/teshaun-smith-111934/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teshaun Smith</a> can do at cornerback.



“He’s been out for a while,” Doeren noted. “He played a little bit last year. He’s an experienced player who hasn’t been healthy. To get him physically and mentally back out there would be big.”



NC State spring practices run through April 9, when the Pack will hold its annual spring game at 1 p.m. inside Carter-Finley Stadium.



Watch Dave Doeren’s media availability below.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="NC State football coach Dave Doeren after first spring practice" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AL2e-eD9bF4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



——



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