North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary's Game Notes, Part II
9/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 4, 2001
Indiana (0-0) at NC State (0-0)
DATE: Thursday, September 6, 2001
TIME: Kickoff: 7:38 p.m. (EDT) at Carter-Finley Stadium (51,500)
RADIO: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network. AIRTIME: 6:45 p.m. (EST) (Click for list of stations carrying game )
TELEVISION: ESPN (National)
THE OPPOSITION-- Indiana finished 3-8 in 2000, but is picked by at least one preseason publication to finish second in the Big Ten this fall thanks to an explosive offense. The Hoosiers offensive line, which features senior center Craig Osika, juniors A.C. Myler and Enoch DeMar, and sophomore Anthony Oakley, was selected by Phil Steele's 2001 College Football Annual, as the third-best unit in the country.
However, the focal point of the IU offense is quarterback/receiver Antwan Randle El. A frontrunner for the 2001 Heisman Trophy and regarded by many as the most exciting player in college football, Randle El is on pace to rush for more yards than any quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history. Needing only 681 more rushing yards to achieve this mark, his 1,270 rushing yards in 2000 paced all I-A quarterbacks. With only 69 more rushing yards and 195 additional passing yards, he would become the only player in college football history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a career. Randle El led an Indiana offense that averaged 30.5 points per game in 2000, the second highest total in school history. He is one of only two players in college football history to score 200 career points and to account for 200 career points passing and now has the seemingly unattainable 300/300 plateau in his sights.
In 2000, Randle El completed 133 of 277 passes for 1,783 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for 13 scores. A standout in the classroom, he graduated from IU in August.
Surprisingly, Randle El is not listed on the IU preseason depth chart as the number-one quarterback. In fact, he spent the better part of spring drills at wide receiver and is also slated to see action as a punt returner. Indiana coach Cam Cameron says redshirt junior back-up Tommy Jones, who has thrown only 25 passes in two years, is the starter, but that Randle El will see considerable playing time at quarterback. Randle El is also capable as a backup punter.
Cameron figures the "quarterback shuffle" will give IU an element of surprise to confuse opposing defenses. Indiana even claims to have formations with Randle El at quarterback and Jones at wide receiver. Also, moving Randel El to wide receiver could help fill some holes. Three of Indiana's top-four pass-catchers last year are no longer in the program.
On the ground, tailback, Levron Williams, who ran for 821 yards last season is a preseason candiate for All-Big Ten honors. Fullback, Jeremi Johnson, caught 21 passes in 2000 and has been recognized by www.nfldraftdigest.com as the top junior fullback in the nation. .
Defensively, Indiana struggled last year, especially in the secondary. However, an infusion of new talent, including Antonio Watson and Willie Northern join eight returning starters. Watson and Northern were ranked by Superprep Magazine as the nation's first and third junior college defensive backs. Add gifted cornerback, Michael Hanley, who sat out last season to concentrate on academics, and IU could be stronger.
The Hoosiers linebackers are solid, led by Butkus Award candidate, Justin Smith. Senior, Kemp Rasmussen and junior, Derek Barnett, who have combined to play in 55 career games, anchor the line.
Sophomore, Ryan Hamre, who punted for a 37.4 yard average in six games, looks to be the starter at that position. Competition continues as the Hoosiers try to replace Andy Payne, who finished his career as one of the finest placekickers in school history.
NC STATE PLAYER UPDATES
RAY ROBINSON-- The senior tailback set the school record for rushing attempts in a game (40) while running for 178 yards and a touchdown vs. Maryland in 2000. Robinson led Pack in rushing last season with 788 yards and a 4.1 yards per carry average. He's touched the ball an average of 28.2 times per game last season. As the Pack's second-leading receiver with 41 catches for 366 yards and a touchdown, he ranked among the Top-20in receiving among running backs. A 2001 preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award for the third straight year, Robinson needs 187 yards to crack the Top-10 on the NC State career list for all-purpose yards. He is 8th in NC State career rushing yards (2,048) and tied for 6th in career rushing touchdowns (20). He needs 142 yards to pass Billy Ray Vickers and take 7th place in NC State career rushing yards. Robinson was the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year.
PHILIP RIVERS -- The Pack's sophomore quarterback had a marvelous season in 2000, earning ACC Rookie of the Year award and National Rookie of the Year honors from ABC Sports and Football News. Rivers was ACC Rookie of the Week a record eight times and set 10 school or ACC records in his first season at NC State. He holds single-season school records for completions, passing attempts, touchdown responsibility, and touchdown passes. His 3,054 yards passing were an ACC freshman record. Rivers also set ACC freshmen single-season records in passing yards per game (277.6), touchdown passes (25), total offense (2,967) and also set the single-game record for passing yards when he threw for 413 yards against Duke. He is just the second NC State quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season. The 6-5, Athens, Alabama, native was 12th in the nation in total offense with his 269.7 yard average and 39th in passing efficiency. In 2000 Rivers completed 54 percent of his passes (237-441) and threw 10 interceptions. He fired five TD passes against Indiana, tying Terry Harvey's school record set in 1995. His father, Steve Rivers, coached him in high school.
WILLIE WRIGHT -- The redshirt senior tight end/wide receiver is the No.2 returning pass catcher from the 2000 season. Wright hauled in 31 passes last season, including nine grabs for 92 yards and two touchdowns vs. Indiana. He possesses the best hands of any player on the team and has added weight for the 2001 campaign. The Greensboro native tips the scales at 240 pounds, 40 pounds more than he weighed as a freshman.
BRYAN PETERSON --This 5-11, 189 pound junior is pound-for-pound the strongest player on the 2001 Wolfpack squad. He ranks as the team's strength index champion. As the most experienced returnee at wide receiver, Peterson has played in 23 games for a total of 1,005 snaps. Last season, he was No. 4 on the team in receptions with 28 for 394 yards and three touchdowns. Peterson became the first player in NC State history to throw a touchdown pass and catch a touchdown pass when he pulled off the feat vs. North Carolina last season (Philip Rivers did it later in the same game). He also tossed a 38-yard TD pass to Robinson vs. SMU.
BRIAN WILLIAMS -- Switched from free safety to cornerback prior to last season, Williams started every game and made some big plays in 2000. His fourth-quarter tackle for a 9-yard loss on fourth down vs. Arkansas State completed a successful goal-line stand that allowed NC State to regain possession of the ball and send the game into overtime. Williams blocked a punt at Indiana that set up a touchdown and broke up a third-down pass in a game-saving play in the fourth quarter. His third quarter punt block against Minnesota in the MicronPC.com Bowl sparked the Pack to a come-from-behind victory..
LEVAR FISHER -- The aggressive senior linebacker was a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski Award last season as the nation's top defensive player, but voters for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker, snubbed him. That was strange given the fact that Fisher led the nation in tackles (15.1 tpg.) and was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. This season, Fisher is on preseason "watch" lists for both the Butkus and Lombardi Awards. The Lombardi Award is given to the nation's top lineman. In his last two regular season games in 2000, Fisher recorded an amazing 41 tackles, including 21 vs. Maryland. He also led the Wolfpack in tackles for loss (15) and in pass break ups (8) last season.
DANTONIO BURNETTE --The hard hitting junior linebacker tallied 105 tackles last season which was third-best on the team. In two seasons at NC State, Burnette has recorded 218 tackles. No other player in school history has compiled as many stops after their freshman and sophomore years. He set an NC State freshman record with 124 tackles in 1999. Burnette became a starter in just his second collegiate game in '99 after starter, Edrick Smith, suffered a season-ending knee injury at Texas.
COREY SMITH --No defensive lineman played more snaps (634) for the Pack in 2000 than Smith. The senior defensive end started every game and led the team's defensive linemen with 55 stops. The redshirt senior is one of the team's top pass rushers. He led the Pack in quarterback pressures (14) last season and was No. 2 in tackles for loss (12). Smith is tied for eighth in Wolfpack history with 22 career tackles for loss.
TERRENCE HOLT --Started every game last season at free safety for the Wolfpack and finished 2000 as the team's No. 4 tackler with 89 stops. One of the top special teams players in the ACC, Holt blocked three field goals last season, including a potential game-tying attempt at Indiana. He was the leader as the Pack set a school record in 2000 with four blocked field goals and three punt blocks. The year before, the Wolfpack set the school mark for blocked punts with six. Holt had two of those punt blocks in an upset victory at Texas.
AUSTIN HERBERT -- As a true freshman punter, Herbert started ever game at that position in 2000. His best performance came against Indiana. He punted 4 times for a 42.5 yard average. For the season, Herbert punted 59 times for a 37.7-yard average while also handling kick-off duties for the Pack. This season, Herbert will handle all punting and place kicking for NC State. At Cary High School, Herbert set the North Carolina high school record for career field goals with 37.
HERBERT (Field Goal kicking 2001) 0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-plus TOT LONG 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0
INJURIES--NC State: RB Carlos Doggett (broken foot) -out, WR Andy Bertrand (shoulder) -out for season, DB Rod Johnson (broken arm)-out, OT Scott Kooistra (leg)-probable, OLB Brian Jamison (foot sprain)-questionable. Indiana: None reported.
NEXT GAME -- The Wolfpack will host Ohio University on Thursday night, September 13th. Airtime on the Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network will be 6:45 p.m. Kickoff is set for 7:35.
