Following Day 2 of training camp, QB Emmett Morehead and new (hopefully) star receiver Ryan O'Keefe met with the media. Here's what they both had to say...

MOREHEAD

ON HIS FIRST CAMP AS THE STARTER

"It's so much fun. We have a lot to be excited about. Coach Chud is really doing a great job helping us learn the system and working really well with Coach Shimko. It's a lot of fun, it's really exciting and it's a totally different feel this year. We have so much positivity, we see what we can do. We can run the ball. Having Mahogany back is awesome. Our O-line looks so different from last year. Just being able to run the ball, it sets up so much of our play action, our passes down the field and our protection. Like, third down today, we looked great. There's just a lot to be excited about."

ON IF HIS APPROACH HAS CHANGED HEADING INTO THIS CAMP KNOWING HE'S 'THE GUY'

"My approach hasn't changed. I feel like last year I prepared so well. At any point last year I could have been the starter, at any point last season and I knew that, especially with where our O-line was last year. Phil (Jurkovec) is tough for making it as long as he did. I don't think there's another QB in the country that could've stayed healthy through those hits. He's a really tough kid and I feel like I was ready to help him out and back him up. So, just stepping into this role, I feel like I have more opportunity. I feel like I have a lot more trust now. I had a really good offseason. I got a lot stronger, faster and this year's going to be real exciting. I think we have every tool we need to be great again....we really dialed in on fundamentals (this offseason). Coach Chud, he's been...I'm so grateful. He's been so helpful for me. We spent a lot of the offseason together and he's just an amazing, amazing resource for me because I'm watching Phillip Rivers tape and Drew Brees tape and especially Andrew Luck when he was with him with the Colts. Some of the best guys fundamentally, so I was really taking what they're doing in terms of footwork and balance and trying ti incorporate it in the offseason. I felt like in the offseason my balance has gotten better. My pocket movement is a little better, a little more consistent and I'm really thankful to have Coach Chud helping me out."

ON HAVING CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS

"I think our schemes are definitely different. Different style. Different approach. Coach Chud is bringing some of what he did in the NFL. Each guy is different and I'm just trying to learn what they want from everyone. I think that's my job. Being on the same page so I'm aware of what they're trying to get out of that play call. I'm starting to learn that well now with Coach Chud and Coach Shimko. I'm seeing what they're seeing at this point. It's really good how they've installed this offense. I think it's really quarterback friendly and it's helping the receivers as well."

ON IF THEY CAN MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF ZAY BY GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED

"No doubt. I think Zay is one of a kind and I'm so excited to watch him in the NFL. i think his game is going to translate and I don't think there's many people that can tackle him in space, but we have guys that do things differently. We have really big receivers at X, so we have Joe (Griffin) who's going to be much healthier than he was last year, much faster. I'm really excited to see what he can do. Then, Ryan O'Keefe in a straight line is faster than Zay. I don't want to talk smack on Zay, but he's the fastest kid I've seen in a straight line. He can take the top off. I think the most comparable would be Jaden (Williams), he moves more lateral and he's coming into his own this year. He didn't get the opportunities he wanted last year, and I think...I came in with Jaden and Lewis Bond and Dante Reynolds in the mid-year class, so we've been working since January of my freshman year, which is amazing now that we have all that chemistry. I'm really excited."

ON INCORPORATING BACKS INTO THE PASSING GAME

Yeah, my goal this year is to take care of the ball. So, in zones, checking it down and getting it to those guys. Those are some of the best runners with the ball in their hands, so a check down is just an extended run. If I can get them the ball quickly while the linebackers are still dropping I think those guys are going to get a lot of yards on check downs. They did last year. I remember there was one drive at the end of the season where (Alex) Broome had 80 yards on check downs. This year, just got to keep taking what the defense is giving."

ON GETTING THE YOUNG RECEIVERS (LIKE JAEDN SKEETE) INVOLVED

"It's hard. Coming out of high school, it's such a big jump. I remember myself feeling overwhelmed, for sure when I came in mid-year...they're catching up fast and I'm working with them on the side after practice. Skeete is amazing. He's got as big as hands as me. I remember the first time shaking his hand being like, this is going to be fun. Yesterday on (a one-handed catch in practice) that's the best catch I've seen in college football. Honestly. It's just amazing he's doing that at a young age. Once he gets up to speed mentally - and this is a real offense, a real playbook, it's not easy - I think he's going to be amazing and he's going to make an impact for us. Like Nate, has a lot of speed. Really, really quick, his high school tape is crazy. I think a lot of the coaches said he looked like Zay in high school playing both ways and doing a lot of great things. These guys just need to get up to speed and we're going to help them as much as we can to get them ready for the season. We just need to be patient."

ON HAVING GEORGE TAKACS BACK AND THE OTHER TIGHT ENDS

"It's awesome. George is such a hard worker and he played through so much last year. It's exciting to see him healthy. I think we really only got to see him against Rutgers healthy. That was his best game. When he's able to run up the middle and beat linebackers with his speed and then take on really good blocks against D-ends and stuff in pass protection, he can do it all. We're excited to see that once the pads come on and everything it'll show. But, he's had a great offseason and Jeremiah, Chuck and Hans, we have great blockers and these guys are running routes much better than they ever have before. We'll have some versatility."

ON CHEMISTRY WITH JOE GRIFFIN

"Joe is a really rare athlete. He has size and speed and we're going to use him any way we can to get him open. Obviously, he's going to be a mismatch in man-to-man. Any concept we have on the field, if he's back side and he's man-to-man, it's going to be a priority because it's not really a 50/50 ball when you throw it up to him. That ends up being a much higher completion percentage as we saw in the last couple games. Even just against Duke, when he's healthy...I just threw him a bunch of alley-oops and he's going up and ripping the ball away and coming down with it. We're really excited. He's much more mentally locked in. It's hard coming in as a freshman. Now, he's got a year in the system and he's just looking great right now."

ON WHAT DUKE AND NC STATE DID FOR HIS CONFIDENCE LAST YEAR

"I think it proved myself right. That's the biggest thing is prove myself right. You put in so much work in the offseason, in the film room, preparing each week - we have a completely different game plan each week - so, for that to happen after the struggles we were having I was really grateful because I spent a lot of time praying on that opportunity and when it came to light I feel like I shined."

O'KEEFE

ON HIS FIRST FEW 'OFFICIAL' DAYS AS A BC EAGLE

"Being a BC Eagle has meant a lot so far. The tradition, the history, all of that, So, the first couple days we've been putting a lot in. We're in a really good spot and I feel like it's going to be a special team this year."

ON HIS ROLE AND FITTING INTO THIS OFFENSE

"Personally, i feel like I can bring electric plays like Zay. I like to use my speed, I feel like that's an advantage for me against othe rpeople. So, take the short stuff and making it long, take the long stuff for a touchdown, that's what I plan to do."

ON PLAYING FOR COACH WYATT

"Coach Wyatt actually recruited me out of high school at UCF, so it's definitely special coming back. He's one of the best coaches and he's like a father figure to me, so it's been great having him."

ON HIS ROLE WITH SPECIAL TEAMS

"I'm trying to play every special teams. I'm trying to play gunner, I'm trying to play kickoff, punt...but right now primarily I'm a returner and punt returner, so like I said, I'm trying to take kick offs to the crib, make explosive plays and just do my thing on the field."

ON WORKING WITH MOREHEAD

"Me and Emmett have got a good connection. We worked all offseason and through the summer. He's a really talented quarterback. He understands the game, just sitting there watching film together. So, I'm really excited to see what we can do together on the field."

ON BEING STRETCH-THE-FIELD RECEIVER

"Oh ya. I'm definitely plan on doing that. I can't wait to do that, for sure."

ON WHAT APPEALED TO HIM ABOUT BC WHEN DECIDING TO COME HERE

"I feel like the transition to the NFL will be a lot easier coming from this school. They practice like pros and hold us accountable like a pro. They turn you into a pro before you're a pro. The offense is a very pro-style offense, so I'm loving that I get to run different routes and learn different routes. Just continuing to learn from Coach Wyatt and becoming the best player I can for next year."

ON HOW HE WINS 50/50 BALLS

"Just go up, man. It's my ball or nobody's ball. That's my mindset."

ON IF HE CAN SENSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR'S TEAM ALREADY DESPITE NOT BEING AROUND IN 2022

"Most definitely. And, from what I heard last year, there was a lot of close games. It's really just us coming together, staying healthy, playing to the best of our abilities, taking it one day at a time and trusting the process."