North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Begins Spring Workouts
3/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 24, 2003
An unprecedented air of excitement surrounds NC State football heading into spring drills. The Wolfpack is coming off its best season in school history and a win over perenniel powerhouse Notre Dame in the Toyota Gator Bowl. But even though the fans may still be revelling in last season's success, a few weeks of Chuck Amato's off-season conditioning program have ensured that the team's sights are firmly set on the season ahead.
The NC State football program will move into its new operations center this spring and will begin practicing daily on the sparkling new fields adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium. Although the construction will be completed on the building this spring, Amato and his staff will be working on reconstructing the team, replacing players who have departed and making sure that each member of the squad is playing the right position.
The Pack's main focus this spring will be on the front lines. Amato must replace his entire defensive front, as well as two starters on the offensive line. Finding quality depth at a couple of the skill positions will also be a top priority.
Offense (Multiple) Starters Lost/Returning: 4/7 Lettermen Lost/Returning: 6/17
Just as it has been throughout Chuck Amato's tenure at NC State, the Wolfpack offense was an exciting one in 2002, leading the ACC in scoring (32.9 ppg) and setting school records for completions, passing yards, total yards and points. The offense could be even more potent in 2003, as the Wolfpack adds several speedsters at the skill positions.
The Wolfpack returns many of the key components from the offense that led the ACC in scoring (32.9 ppg) last season, including a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher. The main focus on offense this spring will be to solidify the offensive line and to find quality depth at several positions.
Quarterback
Leading the Pack for his fourth year as a starter will be Philip Rivers (6-5, 236, Sr.), considered by many to be the frontrunner for the 2003 Heisman Trophy. Rivers enters his senior season ranked fifth in ACC history in career passing yards (8,993), third in touchdown passes (61) and seventh in total offense (8,982) and has led the Pack to a 26-12 record as a starter.
"I can't put into words how much Philip Rivers means to this team, this program and this university," said Amato. "He has been such a key to our success in the last three years and I think his senior year will be his best.
"But we know what he can do. This spring, he'll go through individual drills, then he'll be on the sideline with a cap on his head and a whistle around his neck while we get looks at these young guys.
Jay Davis (6-2, 198, *So.) and Chris Moore (6-6, 217, *Fr.) will battle it out for the backup role at quarterback this spring. Davis has the advantage heading into spring drills, as he saw limited action in five games last season, while Moore redshirted.
"We'll work Davis exclusively with the first team for the first two weeks of practice in 11-on-11 situations," Amato continued. "Chris Moore will work a good bit with the second team at first. We've got to find out this spring how far those guys can go."
Wide Receiver
Rivers should have no problem setting the league passing marks with the stable of wide receivers the Pack has for 2003. Three receivers who caught more than 25 passes last season return, as well as two others who saw limited action and another pair who were ineligible for competition last season.
Only two members of last year's receiving corps are not back in 2003. Three-year starter Bryan Peterson, who finished his career ranked third in school history in career receptions, completed his eligibility, while Chris Murray, who saw limited action in 11 games last season, did not return this spring.
Only one receiver in school history has ever posted better numbers than Jerricho Cotchery (6-1, 200, Sr.) did in 2002. The first-team All-ACC performer tallied 1,192 yards on 67 catches and ranks seventh in school history in both career catches and yards. "J-Cho" was definitely the go-to-guy for the Pack in 2002, with 51 of his 67 catches going for first downs and 20 successful third-down conversions.
"Jerricho has been tremendous for us, but like Philip, we know what he can do," said Amato. "The worst thing that could happen would be for him to get hurt, so he'll be on the sidelines most of the time when we're in scrimmage situations."
A pair of junior wideouts who saw significant action in the last two seasons will return for 2003, but might not help at wide receiver this spring. Split end Sterling Hicks (6-2, 180, Jr.) was the Pack's fourth-leading receiver in 2002 with 37 catches for 510 yards, but will miss spring workouts after undergoing shoulder surgery in February. Flanker Dovonte Edwards (6-0, 170, Jr.) had 26 catches for 289 yards last season, but the coaching staff will work him at cornerback this spring. "We put Dovonte at corner a little last fall and he was a natural there," said the head coach. "With all the talented wide receivers we have, it would be great if he could be a factor at cornerback as well, so he'll get a bunch of reps on defense."
The rest of the Wolfpack wideouts will get plenty of chances to get their hands on the ball, as NC State often uses three and four-wide sets. Andy Bertrand (6-2, 191, *Jr.) and Brian Clark (6-3, 198, So.) will both return after seeing limited action last season and although they have limited experience, they will be veterans among the players who will see action this spring.
One reason the Wolfpack defense led the ACC last season was the play of the offensive scout team, led by two fleet-footed wideouts who were both ineligible for competition. Tramain Hall (5-11, 183, *So.) sat out after transferring from junior college, and combined with Richard Washington (6-0, 164, So.) to give the Pack two offensive weapons on the scout squad.
"Those two add another dimension to our offense with their speed and ability."
Lamart Barrett (6-1, 190, Fr.) joined the Pack in January and should also see frequent action this spring.
Running Back
The Pack's much improved running game was a key to the record number of wins last season, boasting the highest rushing average (144.1 yards per game) at NC State since 1997. Leading the charge was rookie tailback T.A. McLendon (5-11, 215, So.), who set the school record with 18 rushing touchdowns and posted the second-best rushing total by a freshman in school history with 1,101 yards. McLendon was named the ACC rookie of the year and led the league in touchdowns, despite being hampered by injuries to both shoulders and a fractured wrist.
McLendon is sitting out of spring workouts after undergoing a second surgery on the wrist on March 7. He should be back at full speed for prefall camp.
Josh Brown (5-10, 185, Jr.), who is described by his head coach as "quick as a hiccup" averaged almost four yards per carry as McLendon's backup, gaining 543 yards on 123 rushes for the season.
However, depth at the tailback position is a concern for the coaching staff heading into spring drills. Amato may look to Tramain Hall to shore up the tailback spot, as he gained over 1,000 yards on the ground as a senior in high school, averaging over six yards per carry.
"Tramain is the type of players that can be like Sean Berton was for us last year. He is so versatile that he could give us the ability to change alignments without changing personnel."
The fullback position is one that is not utilzed often in the Pack's offensive schemes, but Chance Moyer (6-3, 238, *Jr.) did see action in all 14 contests last season.
Offensive Line
The most improved position on the 2002 NC State squad may have been the offensive line. That unit enjoyed great success last season, paving the way for the Pack's best rushing numbers in 25 years and for a record-setting aerial attack (3,468 yards). The first-team offensive line played as a unit for most of the season, substituting mainly as a group. Two key members of the offensive line that set a school record by allowing just 11 sacks in 14 games completed their eligibility, tackle Scott Kooistra and guard Shane Riggs. However, three starters return for the Pack offensive line in 2003.
Tackle Chris Colmer (6-6, 305, *Sr.) has been the Pack's top performer on the offensive line for each of the last two seasons, tallying 151 knockdown blocks last season and grading out about 90 percent in almost every contest. Colmer has played 2,288 snaps for his career, making him one of the most experienced returnees on the Wolfpack squad. Redshirts Jon Holt (6-6, 280, *Fr.) and James Newby (6-6, 265, *Fr.) should battle for the backup job at left tackle.
Heading into spring drills, newcomer Derek Morris (6-6, 358, Fr.), a Parade All-American in high school, is pencilled in at the right tackle slot. John McKeon (6-5, 3-6, *So.) who played in seven games last season and Justin Wortham (6-5, 300, Sr.), who saw action in six contests, will also vie for time at right tackle.
Sean Locklear (6-5, 296, *Sr.) performed well at guard in 2002, his first year on offense after moving over from the defensive front last spring. Locklear, who tallied 61 knockdown blocks for the season, was in for 902 plays in 2002, tying Chris Colmer for the team-high. Brandon Moore (6-3, 290, *So.) and Brian Archis (6-4, 270, *So.) should also see frequent work this spring behind Locklear at right guard.
The battle for the left guard spot should be a vigorous one this spring. Ricky Fowler (6-2, 287, *Jr.), a former defensive tackle, redshirted last season on the offensive line and is pencilled in as the starter prior to spring practice. Leroy Harris (6-3, 285, *Fr), who redshirted last season and walkon Ashley Wingate (6-3, 301, *Sr.) who started the game at Virginia last season, should be in the mix at that position as well.
At center, Jed Paulsen (6-2, 290, Jr.) should be a solidified starter, but will miss spring workouts after undergoing reconstructive surgery for a torn ACL that kept him out of three games last season. Paulsen started all 11 games that he played last season, tallying 74 knockdown blocks.
When Paulsen was out, Brandon Sanders (6-0, 281, *Sr.) played solid at the center slot. Antoine Colvin (6-3, 304, *So.), who was in for 41 snaps in six games as Locklear's backup last season, Wortham and Harris will also see time at center this spring.
"We've got to have some young guys step up on the offensive line this spring," said Amato. "We'll look at several of those guys in a couple of positions and try to find the right fit."
Tight End
The tight end position was a vital one for the Pack last season, and the squad will miss the sure hands and strong blocking of Sean Berton at that spot. Another senior, Joe Gray, has also completed his eligibility. But two players who saw action behind the senior in 2002 return, plus another player who redshirted last season.
John Ritcher (6-3, 248, *So.) was in for 154 snaps and played in all 14 games last season, catching just one pass, while T.J. Williams (6-4, 236, So.) played in 11 games at tight end while battling shoulder injuries through much of the season. Roddy Long (6-6, 225, *Fr.) worked with the Wolfpack scout squad last season at the tight end spot. Avery Gibson (6-2, 242, Jr.) was a starter at linebacker before fracturing his ankle last season, but will see action at tight end this spring.
Defense (4-3) Starters Lost/Returning: 6/5 Lettermen Lost/Returning: 11/18
The Wolfpack defense earned quite a reputation nationally last season, leading the ACC and ranking 14th nationally in total defense, and also leading the league in pass defense, red zone defense and sacks. The unit finished the season by not allowing an offensive touchdown in nine straight quarters against offensive powerhouses Florida State and Notre Dame.
Six starters from that tenacious group have completed their eligibility, including the entire front four, the second-leading tackler in NC State history and the leading kick blocked in the history of the ACC.
Defensive Line
One reason for the Wolfpack's success on defense last season was that all five players who started on the defensive line last season were seniors. George Anderson, Sean Price and Drew Wimsatt rotated starting roles at end, while Terrance Martin and Jerrick Hall were the starters on the interior.
With little experience returning at the tackle or end spots for spring, there should be fierce competition for starting roles.
The most experienced returnee on the interior line will be Alan Halloway (6-2, 285, Sr.), who was in for 295 snaps last season after transferring to NC State from junior college. Hampered by injuries, Halloway saw decreased action toward the last half of the season, but finished with 31 tackles and four tackles for loss. Dwayne Herndon (6-4, 282, *So.) played in six games last season after undergoing back surgery in the winter of 2002, but with added bulk has the potential to be a force on the defensive front.
The two players listed at nose tackle on the depth chart heading into spring drills have combined for exactly zero collegiate snaps. DeMarcus "Tank" Tyler (6-3, 308, Fr.), who graduated from high school in December and joined the Pack this spring, will battle with John McCargo (6-2, 286, *Fr.), who redshirted the 2002 campaign.
Sheldon Lewin (6-4, 270, Sr.) played in all 14 contests last season, seeing action at end and tackle, and could swing between both positions this spring as well. Lewin, a JUCO transfer in 2002, saw action on 222 snaps last season and is listed as a starter at end.
Renaldo Moses (6-6, 210, *So.) was predominantly a special teams performer last season, but should see frequent work at end this spring at that end. Terrance Chapman (6-3, 250, *Sr.) redshirted last season, but led the team in sacks in 2001. He may see limited work in spring drills as he concentrates on academics.
At the other end, Chip Cross (6-1, 248, *So.) will battle it out with heralded rookie Mario Williams (6-7, 254, Fr.), another early enrollee. Cross was usually the fourth end to see action last season, playing in 13 games, seeing 211 snaps at end and also playing on special teams, while Williams has the size and speed to make an impact at end as well.
"Our number-one priority this spring will be to find a defensive line," said Amato. "We've got a lot of young players there who have a chance to get an early start on their careers if they work hard."
Linebacker
The heart and soul of the 2002 Wolfpack defense was middle linebacker Dantonio Burnette. The second-leading tackler in school history, Burnette's leadership and work ethic was vital to the defense's success last season. However, the Pack returns a plethora of talented players at the linebacker positions.
"Our linebackers have worked so hard in our offseason conditioning program and have really stuck together," Amato continued. "They're still young, but they've got a lot of experience and toughness."
Weakside linebacker Pat Thomas (6-2, 224, Jr.), the team's third-leading tackler with 106 stops in 2002, finished the season with his best game, tallying 13 stops in the Gator Bowl win over Notre Dame. Thomas started a dozen games as a sophomore and was in for 625 snaps for the season.
"The bowl game was like a highlight tape for Pat Thomas," said Amato. "He's brought that same determination into the offseason conditioning program."
Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay (6-1, 224, Jr.) started games at both outside slots last season, playing 403 snaps and tallying the fifth-highest tackle total on the team with 86 stops. Aughtry-Lindsay was also the team's top tackler on special teams with 21. He is listed as the starter at middle linebacker before spring drills and is also listed as Thomas' backup on the weak side.
"Freddie has earned the chance to start at linebacker, so we're going to try him in the middle this spring."
Also in the middle, Oliver Hoyte (6-3, 230, So.) quickly earned a reputation as a hard-hitter last season, and although he saw limited time in the middle behind Burnette (175 snaps), he was a demon on the Wolfpack special teams. Hoyte, who had three double-figure tackle totals last season, finished his freshman campaign on a high note, with a couple of key hits on a goalline stand in the Gator Bowl win over Notre Dame.
Another middle linebacker, Corrie Dawson (6-3, 230, *Jr.), was the Pack's second-leading special teams tackler last season, although he missed time with a knee injury in 2002. If Dawson goes through spring drills, he may see action at defensive end as well as linebacker.
Roger Pollard (6-0, 216, Sr.), the only senior in the 2003 linebacking corps, will battle for the starting job at the SAM spot this spring, where he started six games last season. The tallest and fastest linebacker on the team, Manny Lawson (6-5, 216, So.), showed great improvement over the course of last season at the strong side. Most of his action came on special teams (he led the nation with three blocked punts), but he finished the season with nine stops in 21 plays at Notre Dame and had seven in 20 plays at Virginia.
Patrick Lowery (6-2, 228, *Fr.) and Travis Singletary (6-2, 235, *Fr.) both redshirted last season but gained valuable experience on the Wolfpack special teams. Another young linebacker, Ernest Jones (6-3, 202, Fr.) graduated from high school in December and joined the Pack for the Gator Bowl.
Secondary
Although the Pack lost two-time All-ACC free safety Terrence Holt, there are starters returning at the other three secondary spots. In fact, NC State will return three corners with starting experience under their belts, as well as a roverback who tallied well over 100 stops last season.
The roverback position is known as the "hidden linebacker" in the Wolfpack defense, and Andre Maddox (6-1, 191, Jr.) certainly showed the speed and finesse of a defensive back and the ferocity of a linebacker in 2002. Maddox, who beat out a senior to start every game, is the team's top returning tackler, as his 126 stops last season ranked second only to Burnette. Maddox led the defense with 899 total snaps and led the team in tackles five times, including 20 stops versus Georgia Tech and 14 against Notre Dame.
"Andre Maddox is a tough player," said Amato. "He got better and better as the season went on, even though he played almost every snap on defense."
J.J. Jones (6-0, 185, *So.) was ineligible to play last season, but did work with the defensive scout squad in 2002 after playing in five games as a freshman in 2001. He is listed as Maddox's backup prior to spring.
The loss of Terrence Holt leaves big shoes to fill at free safety, as he tallied 100 tackles last season and was an indomitable force on special teams. Holt played 882 snaps last season, leaving little time for reserves to see action at the free safety spot.
Troy Graham (6-3, 193, Sr.) saw action mainly on special teams last season, after moving from wide receiver last spring and could move into the starter's role. Garland Heath (6-2, 210, Fr.), another true freshman who joined the team in January, will also battle for time at free safety.
The Pack has the luxury of returning three cornerbacks with starting experience, as well as welcomding a talented player back from injury.
Lamont Reid (6-0, 190, Jr.) was the team's most consistent corner last season, breaking up a team-high nine tackles and tallying 40 tackles. Reid started every contest at left corner and was also one of the Pack's top performers on special teams. On the right side, Marcus Hudson (6-2, 183, Jr.) was the starter in a dozen contests, making 36 stops and intercepting three passes.
Greg Golden (5-11, 185, Jr.) was the Wolfpack's utility player last season, starting at tailback in the first three games, leading the team in kickoff returns and starting four games at corner.
One of the biggest disappointments for the Pack in 2002 was the season-ending injury to A.J. Davis (5-10, 176, *Fr.). Davis fractured his right fibula in a preseason scrimmage and underwent surgery to insert screws and pins. The talented young player had shown great promise in practice before the injury and should be raring to go when he is cleared to compete. He began running and jumping in January and could be ready for spring workouts.
Victor Stephens (6-0, 172, Sr.) was the Pack's nickel back last season, seeing action in eight games (he was injured late in the season).
"I feel great about our corners," said Amato. "They were dominating last year. They were up in people's faces, knocking them out of bounds, knocking them on the ground. Those three, plus A.J. Davis? I feel real good about our corners. We should be able to keep them fresh."
Special Teams Starters Lost/Returning: 0/2 Lettermen Lost/Returning: 0/4
The kicking game is another area that the Pack will seek to improve on this spring. NC State missed more extra points (52-59) than any other team in the ACC last season and made 10 of its 14 field goal attempts. However, NC State returns all of the main components of its overall successful kicking game: placekicker, punter, snapper and holder.
Austin Herbert (6-0, 207, Sr.) began the 2002 season handling both the placekicking and punting duties, going five of nine on his field goal attempts, 38-43 on PATs in the first seven games. He was the Pack's only punter last season, ranking sixth in the league in punting with a 37.2 average.
Herbert was forced into handling both ends of the kicking when returning placekicker Adam Kiker (6-0, 185, *Jr.) missed much of preseason and two early games with back spasms. Kiker came back in the third game and handled kickoffs only for five games, before assuming the field goal and point-after duties for the last seven games of the year. Kiker, a preseason candidate for the 2002 Groza Award, was five of seven on his field goal attempts, 14-16 on PATs.
John Deraney (6-4, 208, *Fr.) redshirted the season at placekicker in 2002 and should see frequent work this spring.
One of the unsung heroes for the Wolfpack in the past three years has been snapper Danny Young (6-5, 247, Sr.). Young has been a consistent performer as a snapper and blocker and will continue those duties in 2003.
The Pack ranked second nationally in kickoff returns last season, and both of its standout returners, Reid and Golden, will be back as juniors this season. Reid tallied two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season, averaging 30.3 yards on his 14 returns, while Golden averaged 22.4 yards on 16 returns.
Cotchery was the Pack's leading punt returner in 2003, but with a stockpile of young, speedy players, he could share that role in the upcoming season.
Note:Information for the Spring Football Prospectus was compiled by the NC State Media Relations Department and written by office director Annabelle Vaughan.
