Dacari Collins: "I Feel Comfortable In The System"
Going into year two at NC State…
Year two for me has been great. I’ve been in the system for one year. Adjusted to everything, you know that comes with learning, knowledge, and just confidence. So competent this year, just excited to go ball and be on this journey with my guys.
What was the learning process like for yourself last year? Coach Phillips was talking about buying in. So what was that journey you guys had last year?
For me definitely buying in, I say, and just trusting myself. I feel comfortable in the system. I’d say that helped me a lot, and just my why, you know. Thinking about that everyday, that helps me along the way and it just brings me great joy to just be with my guys and compete with them everyday.
What is that why?
My why is my family and God. A lot of people don’t get to do this, so just to be able to make it this far on this platform just to glorify him; probably my biggest thing.
Was there a point where it clicked for you last year where everything kind of came together?
I would say at the middle of the season, when we lost to Duke. I had a couple of mistakes in the Duke game. And after that we just had an understanding that it's just a family thing. We have to play together, so that’s a big thing for us. And that helped us the last five games, and that was pretty big for us. So just family and knowing that we have to do it together.
What’s it like for all these younger receivers, in the receiver room?
It’s crazy because I was just a freshman. I say time flies. It doesn’t wait for nobody. You just have to make the most out of your time. It’s a small window. That’s just what I had to realize, and that has helped me along the way.
How geeked up are you because in about a week or so ya’ll are gonna be in game-prep mode. For this season bullets are getting defined fast now.
I’m excited. It’s going to be a great season for us. I think it’s going to be a great journey. We’re trying to go 15-0, so that’s the biggest thing. With that, it just comes with daily habits, routine, practice, outside the field, just doing everything we can to have a great season.
You mentioned last year to this year the base you started from the beginning of last year now to the base you started at the beginning of this year. Can you describe the difference?
Just coming in last year, not knowing the offense as much as I do now, and just feeling less confident and more calm within the offense. I say that has helped me a lot. Also, Coach Joke, learning defenses, learning coverages. That’s helped me a lot, just throwing the game down and working hard.
How big was that last 4-5 game stretch for you? Just getting ACC snaps and being able to be out there?
Real big. Real big. I say it’s helped me. Just going into the offseason, I feel like I had a great spring. Just those last five games have helped me this spring. And I’m just excited to keep pushing.
Coach Anae just talks about all of the weapons that y'all have on offense. Not only in the receiver room, but also in the running back room. Does having the depth over there take some of the pressure off of ya’ll?
It definitely does. Just transfers. We have Joly from UConn. We have Jordan from Duke. We have some freshmen as well at running back, Duke. We also have Darius. We have more guys that are helping us. I think it just takes the strain off of KC. We’re all going to work together just to have a great season.
Maybe this has already been asked, but Joker was talking about how you needed to kind of like re-group mentally at some point last year. Was there a tough transition where some things didn’t end the way you wanted at Clemson and the first handful of games at NC State? Did you kind of have to reinvent yourself or work on anything personality-wise? Or you knew you had a tougher road?
Yes, sir. I say just working on my habits, routine, being my own man. That’s probably the basis. Just needing a new scenery just to start fresh where I don’t know nobody. It’s a new town. I feel like that has helped me just become the person I am. That will help me throughout the season.
Do you think it’s radically different between this point last year and now?
Very different. Very different. I say I have a routine. I’m very confident. I know what I’m going to do. I know who I am. So that helps me a lot. Just trusting God.
I don’t know if you knew much about Grayson before he arrived, but when you see what he does, he’s kind of like a point guard, where he just makes the passes and spreads the ball around.
Yeah, he's a good quarterback. He knows what he's doing. He knows what he's doing. [He had] a great offense at Coastal. Threw for a lot of yards. He’s a great mobile quarterback, rolling out of the pocket. So I’m excited to play with him.
Going into year two at NC State…
Year two for me has been great. I’ve been in the system for one year. Adjusted to everything, you know that comes with learning, knowledge, and just confidence. So competent this year, just excited to go ball and be on this journey with my guys.
What was the learning process like for yourself last year? Coach Phillips was talking about buying in. So what was that journey you guys had last year?
For me definitely buying in, I say, and just trusting myself. I feel comfortable in the system. I’d say that helped me a lot, and just my why, you know. Thinking about that everyday, that helps me along the way and it just brings me great joy to just be with my guys and compete with them everyday.
What is that why?
My why is my family and God. A lot of people don’t get to do this, so just to be able to make it this far on this platform just to glorify him; probably my biggest thing.
Was there a point where it clicked for you last year where everything kind of came together?
I would say at the middle of the season, when we lost to Duke. I had a couple of mistakes in the Duke game. And after that we just had an understanding that it's just a family thing. We have to play together, so that’s a big thing for us. And that helped us the last five games, and that was pretty big for us. So just family and knowing that we have to do it together.
What’s it like for all these younger receivers, in the receiver room?
It’s crazy because I was just a freshman. I say time flies. It doesn’t wait for nobody. You just have to make the most out of your time. It’s a small window. That’s just what I had to realize, and that has helped me along the way.
How geeked up are you because in about a week or so ya’ll are gonna be in game-prep mode. For this season bullets are getting defined fast now.
I’m excited. It’s going to be a great season for us. I think it’s going to be a great journey. We’re trying to go 15-0, so that’s the biggest thing. With that, it just comes with daily habits, routine, practice, outside the field, just doing everything we can to have a great season.
You mentioned last year to this year the base you started from the beginning of last year now to the base you started at the beginning of this year. Can you describe the difference?
Just coming in last year, not knowing the offense as much as I do now, and just feeling less confident and more calm within the offense. I say that has helped me a lot. Also, Coach Joke, learning defenses, learning coverages. That’s helped me a lot, just throwing the game down and working hard.
How big was that last 4-5 game stretch for you? Just getting ACC snaps and being able to be out there?
Real big. Real big. I say it’s helped me. Just going into the offseason, I feel like I had a great spring. Just those last five games have helped me this spring. And I’m just excited to keep pushing.
Coach Anae just talks about all of the weapons that y'all have on offense. Not only in the receiver room, but also in the running back room. Does having the depth over there take some of the pressure off of ya’ll?
It definitely does. Just transfers. We have Joly from UConn. We have Jordan from Duke. We have some freshmen as well at running back, Duke. We also have Darius. We have more guys that are helping us. I think it just takes the strain off of KC. We’re all going to work together just to have a great season.
Maybe this has already been asked, but Joker was talking about how you needed to kind of like re-group mentally at some point last year. Was there a tough transition where some things didn’t end the way you wanted at Clemson and the first handful of games at NC State? Did you kind of have to reinvent yourself or work on anything personality-wise? Or you knew you had a tougher road?
Yes, sir. I say just working on my habits, routine, being my own man. That’s probably the basis. Just needing a new scenery just to start fresh where I don’t know nobody. It’s a new town. I feel like that has helped me just become the person I am. That will help me throughout the season.
Do you think it’s radically different between this point last year and now?
Very different. Very different. I say I have a routine. I’m very confident. I know what I’m going to do. I know who I am. So that helps me a lot. Just trusting God.
I don’t know if you knew much about Grayson before he arrived, but when you see what he does, he’s kind of like a point guard, where he just makes the passes and spreads the ball around.
Yeah, he's a good quarterback. He knows what he's doing. He knows what he's doing. [He had] a great offense at Coastal. Threw for a lot of yards. He’s a great mobile quarterback, rolling out of the pocket. So I’m excited to play with him.
