Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell spoke to the media on Monday after a well-deserved bye week for the third-ranked Tigers. The redshirt junior previews Saturday’s matchup against No. 15 NC State.

Ferrell on what the defense has to do this weekend

“First, we gotta stop the run. Everything starts with the stretch. We do a very good job of doing that…But everything starts with the run. You gotta stop the run game. Hopefully we can get them into some third and long situations.”

Ferrell on the game from two years ago at Clemson

“You know, two years ago, obviously we didn’t play our best and they came ready to play. And that’s why it was a really, really close game. I mean it just shows you where they’re at as a program and where they wanna be and how we gotta be ready to play every Saturday.”

Ferrell feels the younger guys have helped a lot

“We’re a lot deeper this year, obviously we can get some of the young guys in there. But anytime you play through a tough first six games, you know you play three triple option teams, just a grueling season, and you know you’re getting everybody’s best shot. You know you’re going to feel a little bit tired…but that has helped a lot because I feel like throughout the games I’ve lasted a lot longer just as far as keep playing at a higher level.”

Ferrell makes a prediction for this weekend

“We gotta focus on Clemson…But obviously, we’ve played in big games before, already this season we’ve played in big games…We just gotta focus on our plan and not so much focus on them. Obviously, they are a very good team, but just focus on the things that we need to do to be successful, cause at the end of the day, we feel like our best is better than anybody else’s best. We play to a standard and if we do that, I feel like we will come out victorious.”

Clelin Ferrell thinks it is time for a night game

“I thought they were going to make it a night game, you know. I was hoping for that because I think it is time for a night game in the Valley, but they didn’t do it.”