Your PackFeedback Responses

After NC State was picked to finish in seventh place in the ACC preseason football poll, we asked for your predictions. Here's what you had to say.

It seems that the upcoming ACC football season will be one of the most exciting and competitive in a long while. Though FSU is the perennial favorite to run away with the No. 1 position, many other teams in the league are making a lot of improvement. State has the potential to be the sleeper in the bunch. With a 7th place ranking, the Pack should sneak up on its first few opponents. Clemson seems to be back to old form in many respects. With all that said, it is apparent to me that the #2 through #7 teams are equally loaded in many respects.
Scott Haire

Look for the Pack to be the surprise team in the ACC this fall. I predict a 4th place finish behind Florida State, Clemson and Virginia. Coach Amato's charges will break the losing streak to UNC and receive a bowl bid in his first season. Excitement abounds!
Derrick Ledford
Franklin, NC

I think that we will surprise a few people this year. I don't think that we will pull out any miracles, but we will do fine. As a December graduate and former Wolfpack swimmer, I have always been very positive about our athletic program and I am saying we will finish fifth, maybe fourth.
Kevin Cutts

I look for the Wolfpack to finish in 4th place this year. I think that we will be the surprise team of the year in college football, not just the ACC. With a little good luck we could finish as high as second. I believe that coach Amato has the team believing they can win. I look for good things to come from both our football and basketball programs this year.
Marty White

Well, us Pack fans cannot be surprised. This will be the first "news clipping" coach will hang up in the locker room. Carolina will not finish fifth and we will not finish seventh. I hope Ray Robinson and Koren are ready to show that they were not just ok freshmen. We will be battling Clemson for 2nd when we go down to Death Valley. That will be the key game of the year.
Ron Nicely
Class of '93

I totally understand that there are many variables for NC State, especially at the QB position. However, let's be honest: the media has never picked NC State to finish very high and the Pack has quite often finished much higher than predicted by the media. I pick NC State to go 8-3 with losses to FSU, Clemson, and Virginia. That should be good enough to finish fourth and put the Pack in excellent position for a trip to Hawaii. Ambitious? Yes, but I have hopes that Philip Rivers will have an excellent season and that our defense will pick up any slack. Look for the Robinsons to have excellent seasons as well.
Ken Adams

The Pack will finish 3rd. We're not quite ready for FSU, and we're not up to the second place level either. By finishing 3rd, NC State will be the surprise team in the ACC this year. The thing is, no one has any idea how we'll be this year. The team has lost 20-30 pounds at almost every position, so our team speed will be way up from year's past. That gives us a surprise advantage over the rest of the league, not to mention a new coaching staff with new offenses and defenses. We're going to catch some teams off guard!
Brad Bennett

I think the writers got us dead on. We just have too many questions to be picked higher. Also, If you factor in our road schedule, at Clemson, at UNC, at UVA, and at Maryland, it may be next year before coach Amato has a breakout season. I hope I am wrong. If we win seven games, I think Amato should be coach of the year!
Craig
Columbia, SC

We need to be realistic. I would love for the Pack to be in the top three, however, with new coaches, a new system, new quarterback, seventh is not unreasonable. I do expect to see new hustle on both sides of the ball, attacking offense and defense, intelligent play calling, and time management. We all know that recruiting is the key. That takes years. "You must win to recruit and recruit to win." The coaching staff must be flexible enough to change the system if it doesn't work. As huge underdogs, the team will be in a position to pull off some huge upsets this year. Hopefully coach Amato will play a lot of players as Florida State does, building depth will be the key in the early years of the Amato dynasty. We have to avoid injury and protect our quarterback. The fans are the 12th man; they must be there and be JACKED at every game, rain or shine. Go Pack!
Van
Cary

The Pack will finish fifth or sixth. There is no way that a young team with a new coach can immediately bring them into the top ranks of the ACC, but seventh is going a little low to me. The home crowd will bring in some home ACC wins due to the excitement brought by Chuck Amato. Florida State is a no brainer and Virginia with its talent and tradition is a second place team. Duke, Maryland and North Carolina will be the bottom of the barrel this season.
James Smith

I would pick NC State to finish no lower than sixth and maybe s high as fifth. It seems ever year, one of top five teams is a disappointment. This year, I think Georgia Tech will be that disappointment.
Chris Cabaniss

NC State has historically finished much better than the preseason rankings. It appears that this year will not be an exception. I would expect NC State to finish fourth or fifth. I think State will seriously challenge Georgia Tech at home and North Carolina on the road. NC State also has a good track record in recent years at Clemson. I think Maryland and Georgia Tech are overrated, and from what I read, Virginia may also be overrated in this poll. As far as surprises, I think both NC State and UNC could be very good if their offenses catch up with their defenses by the fourth game of the year.
Jeff Morgan

I predict a third place finish. Call me the eternal optimist, but I have a feeling State will have a spectacular season.
Guilford Watson

I'm thinking optimistic and feel the Pack has a decent shot at either 4th or 5th place. Just the positive spin the new coaching staff brings will make a difference. Remember what Sheridan did his first year in '86. Go Wolfpack!
Ryne

Chuck and his outstanding assistant coaches will guide the Pack to a 7-4 or 6-5 season. We will play hard and get better as the season goes along. The only thing that will deter this prediction is a rash of injuries to our frontline players.
Richard Shore
High Point

I think (hope?) NC State is the surprise team. They must stay healthy at key positions (QB, RB, OL), one of the QB's must have a stellar year, the defense must have focused intensity, special teams must not hurt us, and the team as a whole must work to develop the winning attitude coach Amato and the other coaches are striving to build. The Pack doesn't have to arrive this year, but important foundations must be laid. I love my Wolfpack and hope that coach Amato gets the support from the administration, fans and boosters he needs to build a winner the right way....on and off the field.
Ken Maxwell

7/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football