North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Ready to Rumble
8/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 9, 2002
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.--For a week now, the NC State football team has endured two-a-day practices in the August heat. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect." But let's face it, given a choice between playing football or practicing football, it's fairly certain that 100 percent of the players would vote in favor of playing over practicing any day. And though the opener against New Mexico is still two weeks away, the Wolfpack will finally get a chance to actually play a little football when its engages in its first preseason scrimmage on Saturday.
"We're really excited about getting a chance to scrimmage," said senior linebacker Dantonio Burnette. "For us it's almost just like a game. We want to go out there and hit somebody in the stadium and just have some fun. It's really important for the younger guys because it gives them a chance to go out there and prove themselves inside the stadium. If they go out there and play hard, we'll get a chance to see what they can do."
From a coaching standpoint, the scrimmage, which like practices is closed to the public, will give head coach Chuck Amato and staff a better feel for just how far this football team has come since the beginning of practice. And though the seats inside Carter-Finley stadium will be empty, the action on the field will come very close to simulating game-like conditions.
"I want to get into a couple of basic defenses and a couple of basic offensive sets; I don't want to do a lot of stuff where everybody is doing a lot of thinking," Amato said. "I want to see who can block and who can tackle."
He'll also want to see who can run with the football. A heated competition for the starting tailback job involving converted cornerback Greg Golden, sophomore Josh Brown and true freshman T.A. McLendon continues to provide an intriguing story line as the Pack prepares for the 2002 campaign.
Golden, who was moved to tailback less than a week ago, will run with the first team offense on Saturday. Those who have already tried to tackle him say Golden is having no problems making the transition from offense to defense.
"Oh man, this guy is real exciting at tailback," Burnette said. "I knew he was good at cornerback, but it's a whole different story seeing him at tailback and some of the things he can do. He brings so much to the table at the tailback position and he's real versatile. I'm glad he's on our side."
The success of any of the running backs this year will depend on an offensive line that will feature new starters at the three inside positions. To this point, the offensive coaches like what they've seen from a unit that includes converted defensive linemen Shane Riggs and Sean Locklear at the guard spots.
"I think it's coming along pretty good," Amato said of the offensive line. "It shows that Riggs has been over there longer because he was a tackle last year and we moved him over to guard. Riggs is probably a little bit ahead of Locklear, but they're both showing a little aggression and that's what I like about them. They're getting to be a tough group of people and they're starting to come together, which I think is important."
Amato is still undecided on exactly who his kick and punt returners will be on opening day, although he is excited about the prospects of giving freshman A.J. Davis a chance to be heavily involved with both return units.
"I want to see what that number three (Davis) can do because he's exciting," Amato said. "Catching the ball and running it against air he looks awfully good. On the kickoffs, we've got Golden and Lamont Reid back there. But I'd like to see [Davis] back there doing that too."
Davis will get a chance to show what he can do as a return man during a kicking scrimmage on Saturday morning.
Note: Like all of NC State's practices, Saturday's scrimmage is closed to the public. Wolfpack players and coaches will be available for autographs following the Day of Champions exhibition at the ESA on Sunday. The Day of Championions, which is free of charge, begins at 3:00 p.m. Doors open at 2:30.
