Q&A: NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck, part two

Moving on to the offensive line, it seemed like a unit that's strength was run blocking but had some room for improvement in pass protection. What do you see from this offensive line group going into this fall?

"We got to be more consistent running the ball. I wouldn't categorize us as a great running team last year, I wouldn't. We weren't consistent enough. And we need to be able to run the football when we want to run the football. We have to. I don't feel like we were great at that.

"Pass blocking, we were so-so. Unfortunately, when there's a sack, the first thing we do is blame the offensive line. But sometimes it was the backs, and there were ample times where it was the quarterback. He might have been hot and didn't see it, he had the protection the wrong way. So I don't think that was as big of an issue as maybe you could be led to believe statistically.

"I love Ickey [Ekwonu], Dylan [McMahon] and Gibby [Grant Gibson], three veteran guys that have played an awful lot of football. Derrick Eason, Bryson Speas, Tyrone Riley is another one, they've played a lot of football. Like you mentioned, that core group of starters and first backup are very veteran. Regardless of where they're classified in school and eligibility-wise, they are guys that have played a lot of football here.

"Tim McKay is a guy we're really excited about and a guy that we're getting back was playing really good football for us when he got hurt. He was pushing for a starting position, so we're excited to get him back. There's a pretty good top seven.

"The depth, it's young but talented. It's just unproven at this point, Sean Hill, Ethan Lane, Anthony Belton, Chandler Zavala, Patrick Matan, it's a very good-looking group. All those guys have really good stuff. You can see good talent with them in spring practice, it's just the question of how they're going to be in a game. They're unproven, that's all. But we love the group behind the starters too."

Chandler Zavala was a big transfer pickup for you guys this summer. What do you see his role being this fall?

"We're training him right now at right guard. He's big and strong. That I can tell you. He's really strong. I'm surprised how strong he is. He's been a good, quick study. He's been able to pick things up pretty quickly, so we're really, really happy at this point with his progress. Obviously, it's got to translate into football."

What’s the competition like in the receivers room and how much do you think having consistency at the quarterback position could help that group this fall?