North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Offensive Line Coming Together
8/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 28, 2002
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-In the aftermath of Saturday night's season opening win over New Mexico, NC State head football coach Chuck Amato has gone out of his way to praise the performance of his offensive line. Indeed, a few key statistics speak volumes about a unit that has three new starters at the inside positions. To begin with, the Pack did not yield a sack against a team that blitzed on virtually every play. The combination of solid blitz pick-ups and quarterback Philip Rivers' uncanny ability to evade the rush set the stage for some big plays in the passing game.
Secondly, the Wolfpack pounded out 134 yards on the ground. Not impressed? Consider the fact that New Mexico ranked fifth in the nation against the rush last season, holding opponents to just 87 yards per game.
"Overall I think we did a good job," said senior offensive tackle Scott Kooistra. "It was good to get Sean (Locklear) and Shane (Riggs) some experience against a team that likes to bring the heat like that. It was a good experience for us and to get the first win, we're off to a good start."
Locklear and Riggs, who hold down the starting guard spots, are converted defensive linemen. Riggs, a senior, has a little more experience on the offensive side of the ball after seeing action in all 12 games last year. Locklear, who wasn't moved to guard until last spring, made his offensive debut last weekend.
"I've been impressed [with Locklear]," Kooistra said. "Offensive line is one of the hardest positions to play on the field so his experience in the spring definitely helped him. He makes his mistakes but he learns from them. With a confusing defense, even a veteran guy is going to get confused at some point. His athletic ability definitely helps with some of those situations. By the time we get into the ACC schedule, I think we're going to be clicking."
Ironically, one of the main reasons NC State was unable to throw the ball downfield as much in 2001 was due to an inconsistent running attack that produced just 111 yards per game. A renewed commitment to running the ball successfully this year should open up more opportunities for Rivers to go deep.
"It will help us a lot," Rivers said of the running game. "Last year, a lot of teams got to the point where they didn't think we would run the ball so they were dropping more guys and trying to cover everybody. If we can get to running the ball and get safeties walking up and worried about defending our run, that will help our play-action and we'll be able to throw the ball downfield more."
The offensive line and the tailback position-two preseason concerns at NC State-now appear to be potential strengths. Sophomore Greg Golden and freshman T.A. McLendon ran hard and ran well in the opener. Meanwhile, the offensive front remained poised against a New Mexico team that came with just about every blitz in the book.
"I thought our offensive line blocked a tough defensive scheme very well," Amato said. "And I thought our tight ends, Sean Berton and Joe Gray, were a big part of that. Those two tight ends are big."
Neither Berton nor Gray have the speed or pass catching ability of Willie Wright, who recorded 40 receptions a year ago. But when push comes to shove at the line of scrimmage, both players are more than capable of holding their own, especially Berton who was named the Pack's best blocker during spring drills.
"He's a tough, physical guy," said Kooistra when asked about Berton. "He's got the mentality of an offensive lineman. He's a big kid and he's strong. He likes to get nasty. I turn around and see Berton on top of somebody in the backfield, I'll think, 'okay, let's get rolling.' It kind of gives you confidence when you have somebody like that next to you. When there's a running play to my side, I know he's going to take care of his responsibility and I don't have to worry about it. He and Joe Gray are a big part of our running game."
Tickets Available for East Tennessee State Game:Because some students will be away for the Labor Day holiday this weekend, a limited number of tickets are available for Saturday night's contest against East Tennessee State. To order tickets, call 1-800-310-PACK or (919) 515-2106.
