Q&A with Russell Wilson

N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson holds the Division I-A/Football Bowl Subdivision record with 329 consecutive passes without an interception, dating back to a Sept. 13 game last year at Clemson. Wilson set the record in last week’s game against Gardner-Webb.

Here are excerpts from Wilson’s weekly conference with reporters Tuesday morning:

Q: Did you receive any congratulations (on the record) from anybody that was especially noteworthy? Not that Barack Obama would have called, but you know what I’m trying to say?
A: More than anything my teammates. . . .but that was pretty much after the game. During the game they know that I have that instinct to just keep going and not worry about what else is going on. . . .And then Coach O’Brien came up to me and said, “You’ve got to keep it going.” And stuff like that. And I completely agree. I don’t want to just settle for throwing one (interception) on the first pass. It’s important that I keep working hard and focusing on helping out my team whatever way I can.

Q: Did you ever watch Philip Rivers when he was at N.C. State, and what do you know about him as a player?
A: I was sitting on the 50-yard line, I think (for a game against Virginia), and he was on point. I actually sat close enough where I could see him and the way he interacts with his players. He just pushed them and gave them confidence. He came to the sideline, and after he threw a touchdown, he’d come back and, “Let’s throw another one.” That type of attitude. You couldn’t necessarily hear it, but you could just kind of see it. That’s a positive thing. That’s something I always looked up to, something I always have in my mind, always think about. Whenever anybody talks about Philip Rivers, that’s the first thing that comes to my mind.

Q: Have you ever met him?
A: I’ve never met him. I’ve seen him in the distance when he was in the equipment room and I was on the run, but he’s a great player. I would love to meet him some day. I’m sure I will, but he’s a busy guy.

Q: Can you talk about the job Darrell Davis has done for you guys? He already has more catches than he did a year ago. What’s he done to improve?
A: You go to practice, you see it. He’s got a high motor going on. He’s working hard. He’s using his hands well. He’s using his feet, catching the ball well. He’s understanding the offense, understanding where he needs to be. As long as he keeps doing that, he’s going to be a great receiver.

Q: With his height and his frame, does he give you guys a different dimension?
A: We’ve got a lot of tall receivers, a lot of big receivers. We’ve got some of the biggest ones, if not the biggest ones, in the league or across the country, just to be honest with you. That’s a good thing, a positive thing for us, but they can also run really well. They’ve got good stamina and can get up and down the field.

Ken Tysiac