North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Football Prospectus: Running Back
6/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 15, 2004
The Wolfpack's quarterback prospects should feel confident when they look around at their surrounding cast, especially when they look behind them. The backfield is spotlighted by talented tailback T.A. McLendon (5-11, 225, Jr.), the 2002 ACC Rookie of the Year. McLendon already ranks 11th in school history with 1,709 career rushing yards and fourth with 25 rushing touchdowns, despite seeing somewhat limited action last season due to a variety of injuries.
"What we've all missed in this story about T.A. is that not only was he hurt last year, but Josh Brown was hurt too," said NC State head coach Chuck Amato. "Josh Brown isn't bad. I can remember the run he made against Florida State here two years ago. He was the Gatorade player of the year in the state three years ago. All I know is that competition is the best thing you can have. T.A. has had some freak things happen to him. He's in the third quarter of the Texas Tech game last year and he's running for a touchdown and he pulls a hamstring. He misses three or four more games. I hope all that's behind him. He didn't say anything this spring. He's weighing 228 or 229 pounds and he looks good."
Josh Brown (5-10, 190, *Jr.) was the Pack's second-leading rusher in 2003, but gained just 186 yards while playing in six games. He missed spring drills with an abdominal injury, but hopes to be back in action in August.
Reggie Davis (6-1, 233, So.) showed great potential after joining the fray for the final five games of the season and had a promising spring. In six games, Davis had 116 yards and two touchdowns on only 29 carries.
"T.A. McLendon is as talented as any tailback in the country when he's healthy," continued Amato. "This season, he's going to have more people right on his heels trying to get snaps. Josh Brown has been successful when he wasn't injured and Reggie Davis made some huge plays for us last year. Add a couple of incoming freshmen to the mix and we should have quality depth at tailback."
And the Wolfpack will have a better chance for success if it can get back to running the football the way it did in 2002 when it capped off an 11-win season with a victory over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. Although NC State led the ACC in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense last year with quarterback Philip Rivers at the helm, it ranked dead last in rushing with an average of 94.9 yards per game. With Rivers now gone, the Pack will likely need to have a more consistent rushing attack to move the ball consistently this fall.
A key to the running game, of course, is the offensive line. Tomorrow, our position-by-position breakdown will preview the big guys up front.
The preseason football prospectus has been prepared by Annabelle Vaughan, NC State's Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations.
