CFTV: Matt Campbell talks North Dakota in weekly press conference

you talk a lot about only getting 12 of these opportunities how do you see guys in practice in the locker room whether it's a mindset or an energy just shift when you come out of camp and into week one prep yeah I almost hope it doesn't shift right I mean that's the whole mentality of this program is your mindset day in and day out for the last six months should match what Tuesday practice in the fall looks like week one to week six to week 8 to week 12 the great team that I've been around they've had the same mindset every single day um the teams that are either growing or the teams that are trying to find their way you feel like it's a yo-yo through the season and um and that's honestly are we are we there yet I I don't know are we tough enough to be a team to do that I don't know um but we're going to answer those questions I think really fast and um that's the great joy of it you know I think do you have the leadership do we have the coaching staff do we have the players that have that same mindset to come in and every day with a s a purpose um to get themselves better and you know like I like I know I've talked about this team so far it's been enjoyable to be and watch their Journey but you're seven months into it right like the that you're going to you're going to evaluate it so much more here in the in the coming the coming months and weeks because now there's a result a tangible result to uh the time the effort the energy that you spend into it and not all results will be great um and how you respond to it is defining of who you are and who you become but man is your process D directed on the result how you played how we did we win did we lose or is your a result man I'm trying to be my best every day and usually those teams and those players man they have Elite success what has stood out to you uh about North Dakota on film yeah you know I I I probably I I look at some things in their program in in terms of um just an impression of of gratitude that we have an opponent like this I mean they're tough you know I think you see a a coach that came in there build a culture and build a football team that believes in winning and having success um you know and honestly you starts on the videotape of their special team success um how great they were and kick return last year I think they were the number one in the country in kick return yards um you know they are physical and fundamental nature in the punt return and the punt game and you know and then you flip on both sides of the ball I mean on the defensive side of the football obviously you know who they've been has been very similar for the for a long period of time they're tough they're physical they create havoc on the defensive side of the football man their kids play really hard and on the offensive side of the football you know especially you watch that team a year ago boy Dynamic dangerous you know it didn't matter who or where they were playing they had the ability to to Really challenge you um on the defensive side of the football so you know I think just a respect Factor you see I think you know that tenure of what coach has done there over his per period of time he's completely changed the culture and mentality of that program and it really oozes off the videotape and again it's going to it's going to challenge us from the very start of the game and um you you appreciate that about the you know every game is going to have its own unique s situation but this one their mentality how they'll come in here and how they'll play uh they're going to play really really tough and and they've proven that it just hasn't mattered who or where they played every game you watch of them man you you're really respect what that opponent's all about Matt how would you describe Roco back entering week one as a new starting quarterback last season to Rocco Beck 13 starts what he did offens the year heading into his we yeah you know I I I think when I think about Rocco you know and I I my really my mind has hasn't really shifted ever with Roco because when you talk about mindset and how he approaches every day it's what I've always really appreciated about him he is the the same guy every day um you know I think we talked a little bit before fall Camp you know Rocco came into last fall I think earning confidence along the way and I think that Rocco now has has enough banked confidence to come in and almost take a little bit of a leadership role within the football team and certainly the football program and especially on the offensive side of the football and obviously when the quarterback is the guy that has the leadership in tangibles and he sets the tone for everybody around him usually you have a chance to to really grow into something on the offensive side that can be really successful and I think Rocco has really taken the Reigns of that and has earned Bank confidence to be able to take the Reigns of that and he talked about a little bit about knowing being a little bit nervous last season probably part of it was knowing he had to earn trust not alone his own confidence how did you see that evolve over the season and when did it first start to PO that not only his teammates really trust him but everyone in the staff yeah you know I think Rocco's work work ethic going into last season probably preceded himself he was he was such a great teammate in 2022 um you know Rocco went into that game I don't know if you guys remember but in that game in TCU and 22 um you know Hunter got hurt and Rocco went into that game and you know it wasn't perfect but man there was I know it wasn't like a great day but man you you could feel like a sense of like just a a mindset shift as he kind of went in and took over and you know I I feel like he springboarded that into the off season a little bit and he had some bed reps as a as a red shirt freshman and you know I feel like when I look at Rocco's transition holistically I think when you go to that Ohio game last year him playing I mean he doesn't even go into the locker room at halftime he's puking on the steps as everybody's like walking in at halftime going in and he could hardly like stand up and then the kid went out and played the whole second half and really played incredible I think that day was like everybody in our programs like that's our guy that guy that guy can lead us to do really special things and I think we came back and really played to who he was and and I think as coaches and players were able to really rally just around that mentality after that game and I know it wasn't the result we wanted um but it was certainly one of those days that was um I think profound in a lot of ways for Rocco and I think everybody around Rocco so um you know like I said I I think his work ethic has allowed him to to be in this sense where he can be a great leader in this football program coach what are some things you're going to look for within the wide receiver group this Saturday specifically with guys like Benny ngoy and Isaiah Alon gez yeah I I I'm I'm that's an area that I'm really anxious to see who who when the lights come on and it the it's the brightest who can step up and really play consistent football um I there's a lot of talent in that room and then it's proven to have some wild moments in Camp but to me the consistency um can you do it when the lights come on can you be your best um and and they're fortunate cuz they've got two great guys that are they they can rally around in in Higgins and null um but you know Eli green and Benny NGO you know and and you you talk about those guys and Isaiah like man what's what's it going to look like you know when it when when the lights come on for all those guys are in new situations new place new quarterback obviously Benny's returning but in in in a different role than he was a year ago so I'm I'm anxious to watch that group you've got three instate starting linebackers now I'm not sure how many times that's happened in your time here probably not many but what do you get a sense for kind of the pride with those guys and you know what that's going to lead to on the field yeah you know I think all three of those guys have have been um it what's been rewarding to watch is those guys really take ownership in that linebacker room in the growth of that room it was so young a year ago and all those guys were young as well but just the the Monumental jump that I feel like that room has made from where we were at the end of last season to where we are today and and then you talk about you know work left or right you know for me it's Cooper eil um you know I think Coupe just that guy has from day one that he's gotten here to where he is today probably made the biggest jump of anybody you know you're talking a single wing quarterback that was playing every rep the punter the kicker the single wing quarterback and then playing on defenses for four years years in high school and doing everything for his high school program and what aided him was Elite competitive Excellence he he loves to compete and it doesn't matter what it is and man he's really showed up and then you talk about Caleb bacon and man what Caleb has stood for I mean you know that guy coming in here as the walk- on to coming now as man the guy that you know maybe has a chance to be one of the most special linebackers that we've coached here I mean you know a guy that can do so many different things for our defense and then you know it's Sam will you know know Will's a guy to me that just has grown I mean he's grown every year with the opportunities that he's that's been presented to him and you know I think the thing that's been fun for them though is they've been really pushed you know I mean Jack Sadowski is playing great football right now I think Jack is man right on the verge of where you want him to be after a really good freshman season I think kale bina's maybe one of the most impressive freshman that we've had since we've been here um you know at that position and so you know those guys are are challenging that room and I think when you're challenged that way Zack loveit's doing the same thing at Mike ler when you're challenged that way it it really forces you to be your best Jacob Ellis getting back for the first time you know he's not been healthy in two years and to finally have him back ready to go and play for us I think those are big things but I think the competition has made all those guys Elevate themselves um and I think those guys their own competition and pride has elevated them to the top of the depth chart right now and then you've got Daren Porter miles purchase on an or line right now is that more of an indic of kind of the camp that Porter has had more so than necessarily a knock on Miles yeah no no knock on miles miles is playing good football you know and has played a lot but I I would say Daren Porter probably doesn't get the credit he deserves in this program just in terms of what he's done um probably been one of the most impressive special teams players we've ever had here what he's done in terms of the return game and what he does in our coverage game he's Elite and he's really really special at that and his unselfishness to move and now play corner and I think we talked about it a little bit maybe Travis you and I talked about it a little bit preseason but man that guy's ability I mean you saw it coming last year he's got length he's got size he's got himself to almost 200 lbs um and his ability almost kind of like what TJ naturally happened you know you saw TJ as a junior and it was good football and then his senior year was great football and I feel like daran's kind of on that same trory you know a guy that played played wide receiver we asked him to move the only thing that darion's got to his credit is he's got elite special teams reps behind him so um yeah I would say Daran certainly had a great camp and it's going to be exciting really all three of those guys it's like we've got three starters and you know whoever practice his best probably will be the first one out but you know I think we got three guys for the first time that we feel really confident about those guys and their ability to play great football for us coach going back to Rocco you talked about you know a lot of his leadership growth we asked him you know how has he grown from year one to year two the thing he said was he dove into the Playbook which obviously comes with leadership qualities but I imagine the mental growth of grasping the position is grown as well where have you maybe seen little things where it shows okay he would have maybe made that mistake year one year two he clearly has learned from KN is growing yeah those are really good questions and I I don't even know if it's the X and0 in the Playbook I think it's it's what what happens when you're a quarterback it's like being the offensive coordinator the defensive coordinator the head coach you you have to make split-second decisions right and I you guys wouldn't remember this but the first series of the first game against Kansas last year and Rocco scrambles and he slides and we're a yard short and we have to punt the football now Rocco could have run and you know he was being smart he slid but he slid head F or he slid um knees first so they marked him a yard short right right Cole um and then you watched him in the K State game the same situation came up and he Dove head first and he got the first down right and I think that's what's the thing I love about Rocko is he is so in tune to how do you win football games at the quarterback position um it's not we all see the numbers and what what that look that's not how you win a quarterback you have to win one moment at a time one situation at a time and you got to be elite at taking care of the football and understanding what each situation looks like and how you win and how does that come that really comes through experience I don't care what you say there's not a young guy that's ready for that at this level because games are so thinly you know won at this level um and then it's even double that when you go to the next level but it's how do you manage each situation and how do you manage the knowledge and experience that you have to make the right play in the right moment with great consistency and I I feel like that's what Rocco's really grown the most um like I said I don't think it's like a Playbook thing or an X Ando thing I think it's the ability to understand how do I win the game for our team how do I put us in the best decision you know what Sometimes the best decision is throw the ball away and punt the ball man Sometimes the best decision is hey I got to just take the check down and get rid of the football um and sometimes the best decision is man I got to stay up and I got to man I got to probably fight to go get that first down so man we can keep this thing going early in a football game and you know that's what I love about Roco he's a constant learner um you know he's a perfectionist he wants to be the best and he's certainly addicted to the process that it takes to play a lead quarterback and I appreciate that about coach what are the special challenges of a season opener yeah you know I I just think you you saw it last Saturday right I mean I I just think our sport is so funny you know it's it's it's not like basketball where you can go play five on five basketball all year right um it's not like baseball where you can go play man you can go play wooden bat league in the summer and go man get ready to play um football's really hard to replicate you know 11 on 11 it's really hard to replicate the environment and game day experience and so you know man how you tackle in the first game how you um how you handle the pressure of some of these guys in new roles and all of a sudden now there's 70,000 people here and there's this man there's this great environment and great experience I think all those things are unknown and what you we do as coaches is is everything in our power um to try to create those moments and that anxiety and that stress level and those and make it harder than what it is on game day day but um you know I think you really don't know what you have and you as a player um you're trying to prepare yourself for those moments the best way you possibly can and just like I was saying about Rocco sometimes it takes experience and growth moments to get through it but uh yeah I think the the first game is never uh never for everybody in football it's like a bowl game you know there's just so much time lapse between the time you play um that you you really try to do a great job of settling your guys in and giving them the confidence to go play fast and play Confident uh you guys voted on team captains this week that was released yesterday online what makes those four individuals um players that you think their teammates wanted to vote for yeah you know really unique voting to be to be quite honest with you you know I think the the voting to have two backto back captains in in BO and Jaylen and I would say overwhelmingly um probably the most votes two young men have had you know in the voting process um it I think it says a lot about J.R Singleton and certainly his growth in our football program I would always say about Jr um he's our spiritual leader and I feel like he's also the leader in our football program that has you know his consistency to grow through hard things that have come his way have been really impressive and I think the respect that our kids have watched Jr grow through those and that's injuries that's man early in his career being at the top and then you know having some setbacks and not being at the top and then fighting his way all the way back to the top um you know it's it's such a credit to Jr and who he is and what he's become and the mentality that he's impacted not only himself but everybody else around him on his way back to the top it's been rewarding to watch and then you got about a group of like four or five guys that you know we'll kind of name game captain that fourth Captain every week and you know that that pod of guys it'll be fun to be able to reward because um you know I think that pod certainly has earned the right to to be called captain on this football team so um that'll be kind of unique and and fun to kind of be able to reward that that group you know one week each week as we kind of move ourselves through the early part of the season but those three guys were certainly um I think it says a lot about who they are um a different line of questioning um I know you guys suffered some injuries in the spring with the Carson willage but throughout training camp do you feel like you're in a good position going into fall Camp avoiding any major serious injuries or any knick-knack injuries that may have um alter reps early in the year yeah I think all that as we get through this week will be you know interesting to see where we're at it was a really good physical camp I think the thing that you know we look at is you you got two guys that are out right now for the season right and and we talked about it obviously Daniel and cars Carson and you know I think everything else you just kind of navigate it as it comes you know and to me that's one of the positives about college football every week will probably be a little bit unique and different but I I don't see us having any long-term injuries or you know even what are the challenges this week I think as we get through practice we'll have to figure that out as we get through the week sounds like your guys' plan is to play a lot of guys upfront defensively is there a plan is it going to be line switches is there a script for how you want to get those guys reps yeah I think again practice dictates that a little bit you know what what are we what are we doing I think some of it's situational I think some of it's game Flow and I think some of it's practice but you know I think the thing that is there's a lot of positions that way right now is you know that some of it until the first three or four weeks kind of settle itself out you know you're just not going to know but I think that dline room man there's so much competition there's so many guys right now that have had really good camps that you're like man who who and what and when and I think a lot of that will kind of navigate itself through the early part of the football season but um I I would expect a lot of guys on that dline playing and again that's what's great about practice you better come to practice every day and if you don't practice well it's going to be really hard to play on this team right now Matt realizing that realizing that week one is not necessarily the time to put your entire playbook out there and on film and everything what does the maiden voyage for Taylor kind of look like uh and how are you kind of encouraging him yeah you know you you just yeah I don't even know I I I'm probably the guy that never thinks about that very much you know like I just you want to do everything in you your power to try to to try to have success in every game you know um and for Taylor and that offensive staff no different than coach hok and our defensive staff man efficiency I think the the ability for our guys to put a game plan together in this first game that our guys have confidence again what you're always nervous about in the first game is you don't know exactly what your opponent's going to do um you got to be ready to make great adjustments within the football game and you can't do that if you got so much in that you don't have the ability to adjust and so I think if if we can have great Simplicity it'll equal great velocity of how our guys play the game of football on Saturday and so I think that's probably my biggest concern on both sides of the ball and and probably no different on special teams and again you got an opponent that's going to come in and what what you really respect about them is they know who they are man you know how are going to play and it'll be a great challenge of Wills in my opinion in terms of two teams that that really want to play football a very similar style that's all we got all right thank you guys thank you