ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

July 24, 2024

Jasheen Davis

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Jasheen.

Q. Your coach talked about the fact that you could all be in the NFL. Why continue to play for Dave Clawson, stay at Wake Forest and see this through?

JASHEEN DAVIS: There's a multitude of reasons. One, I respect Coach Clawson a lot, he's a man of integrity. He's not just a football coach, he's a life coach. Just being at Wake Forest sets me up not just for the NFL but life as well.

Second, like we said last year, it didn't really go too good for us. I feel like this off-season, we worked out with a chip on our shoulders. Our mindset was earn it. I feel like we have to earn everything we do.

Lastly, education. Wake Forest is one of the top educational schools in the country. Coming back for my last season allowed for me to get my degree. Also thankful for (indiscernible). They blessed us all of in a way to be financially stable. For those reasons alone feel like made me come back. I just wanted to maximize my opportunities as a Wake Forest Demon Deacon.

Q. You're in your year three of the defense. The defensive line returns. What should the expectation be for the defensive line?

JASHEEN DAVIS: Hungry. In order to play D-line, you got to be hungry. Like I say, we face creatures every week. Just the fact that high-flying offenses and stuff like that. Being able to stop the tempo, change momentum. I feel like that D-line is one of the most impactful positions on the team. Having guys, returning starters like Bryce Ganious, Kevin Pointer, Kendron Wayman, then having up and coming guys like Kerrington Lee, Tyler Walton, BJ Williams. I just feel like we're a close-knit community and we're brothers.

By playing for each other, I feel like the ultimate goal is just to be the best version that we can be.

Q. Three years in a row you've killed NC State. You're on a two-year losing streak. How much does that mean to you?

JASHEEN DAVIS: It means a lot. I feel like every game means a lot to me. Personally just rivalry games stand out a little bit more because it's the stakes for the best team in state.

I pride myself on being a Big Four team. I know the last time Wake Forest was a Big Four champion was back in 2019. Just being able to play schools like Duke, UNC, NC State, it's a blessing. I feel like I'm part of the history.

Lastly, they're a good team. I respect those teams. So just being able to play against them, we have a chip on our shoulder. We just got to show up and show out.

Q. In your career, how are your pass-rush skills and methods developed and changed?

JASHEEN DAVIS: Just being a student of the game. I feel like that each and every week we face different tackles. Not every tackle is the same. Just watching film and seeing their tactics, how they pass it, how they protect the quarterback so I know which type of move will work this week. Watching previous games where they faced other pass-rushers and stuff like that, see what moves they hit, either it worked or didn't work. Just trying to apply that to my game, being a student of the game, will probably take me far.

Q. Given your experience, how will you know that the defense has a good pre-season camp?

JASHEEN DAVIS: Just by swarming to the ball. I feel like we pride ourselves on defense, fly around, have fun. I feel like my mindset is see ball, get ball. Wherever the ball is at, we try to swarm around the ball because the ball is the program. If you're around the ball, good things can happen.