North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Kicks off Spring Football Practice
3/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. -- When the NC State football team takes to the practice field for its first spring workout on March 7, plenty of familiar faces will take part. Quarterback Philip Rivers is back, as is running back Ray Robinson and several other starters from last year's squad that capped an 8-4 campaign with a comeback victory over Minnesota in the MicronPC.com Bowl.
But conspicuous by their absences will be record breaking wide receiver Koren Robinson, second team All-ACC safety Adrian Wilson and popular offensive coordinator Norm Chow.
After putting together a spectacular sophomore season, Robinson decided to make himself available for the NFL Draft. Wilson, a junior last season, did the same thing. Then there's Chow, who was credited with developing Rivers into one of the ACC's best signal callers almost overnight. At season's end, Chow accepted an offer to become the new offensive coordinator at Southern Cal.
"We lost three very important components of that football team last year," said Wolfpack head coach Chuck Amato. "How will we react to that? Now we've got to start all over again. Spring is the time for fundamentals. We got a little jump on that by going to a bowl. We have a new personality now."
But Robinson, Wilson and Chow aren't the only people who will need to be replaced. Cornerback Anthony Cason, receiver Elliott London, quarterback Jatavis Sanders and linebacker Edrick Smith have all decided to leave the program.
The Wolfpack will also have to fill the void left by senior linebacker Clayton White, who as a four-year starter, provided great leadership. Senior Brian Jamison, who was used as a pass rushing defensive end the last two years, could very well be moved to White's strong side linebacker spot.
"The thing about the spring is getting the right pegs in the right holes," Amato said. "We'll take a look at Brian Jamison as a linebacker like we did last year when we ran into injuries. I can remember Brian in high school. He was a middle guard up in New Jersey. His high school coach, Tony Barchuk, was an NC State graduate. He sent me a film down at Florida State and he (Jamison) caught my eye. He played hard. It looked like he moved around pretty good."
With Wilson gone, junior Julius Patterson and freshman J.J. Jones will work at strong safety this spring. If that doesn't work out, there's always a chance that Terrence Holt, who played well at free safety last season, could help out.
"We'll start off keeping him at free safety," Amato said of Holt.
Taking over Chow's offensive coordinator duties will be Marty Galbraith, who will also continue to coach the offensive line. Galbraith was the offensive coordinator at Marshall before coming to NC State last year.
"This is the NC State offense that you saw last year and we're going to stay with it," Amato said. "That doesn't mean that we won't have a tweak here and a tweak there that won't improve it. One reason I hired Marty was because he was a coordinator on more than one occasion. He's very, very smart and he knows football."
Unlike Chow, who called plays from the press box last season, Galbraith will remain on the sidelines to coach the offensive line during games. New quarterback's coach Mike Canales will likely inherit some of the play calling duties from upstairs.
Reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year Levar Fisher will be held out of spring practice after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery. Defensive end Drew Wimsatt (back) and cornerback J.J. Washington (knee) will also stay on the sidelines.
Offensive tackle Scott Kooistra (knee), center Keegan Weir (leg), defensive end George Anderson (foot), safety Quenton Allen (knee), running back Carlos Doggett (foot) and running back K.J. Stone (knee) will participate on a limited basis.
Spring practice will conclude with the annual spring game, which will be played at 3:30 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium on April 7.
