North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Most Asked Questions About NC State Football
7/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 22, 2004
By Tony Haynes
This is truly the time of year when fans, media, coaches and players really begin to start getting a little bit antsy. Indeed, the start of football practice is only a few weeks away now. At NC State, players will "officially" report to campus on August 4 before going through their first full-squad workout on August 6 (freshmen are no longer permitted to come in ahead of upper classmen). After answering hundreds of e-mails and mingling with Wolfpack fans over the summer, I now have a pretty good handle on their most frequently asked questions.
Here they are (After "do you have any extra tickets for the Ohio State game?").
1: Who has the best chance of replacing Philip Rivers at quarterback?
Quite frankly, that's probably not a question that head coach Chuck Amato, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone nor quarterbacks coach Curt Cignetti would dare touch at this moment. Although Jay Davis probably owned a slight edge coming out of spring practice, his competition with Marcus Stone is still wide open and will probably stay that way through most of August. Keep in mind one thing: this year's quarterback -especially early - won't be asked to carry the entire burden of the offensive load. His marching orders will be "don't lose the game by forcing the issue and trying to be Superman." If open receivers don't present themselves early in a progression, there's a chance you'll see some balls thrown into the stands to avoid the big mistake. Decision making will be absolutely crucial, meaning the lesser experienced Stone will have to prove to the coaching staff that he can make solid decisions on a consistent basis. A reliance on the running game and a ball-control passing attack will be the preferred offensive strategy, in which case defenses will likely adjust by crowding the line of scrimmage in hopes of forcing the quarterbacks to make plays downfield. It will be an interesting cat and mouse game.
2: Will NC State's defensive philosophy change under new coordinator Reggie Herring?
The answer to that question is a resounding no. As long as Chuck Amato is the head coach, the Wolfpack's base defensive schemes will always be very similar to what he was a part of for 18 years at Florida State. As much as anything, Herring's presence means Amato won't be spread as thin as he has been the last few years when there was no coordinator. The head coach, after all, has enough responsibilities as it is. But let's also keep in mind that the Wolfpack didn't have a coordinator in place two seasons ago when it owned the ACC's top-ranked defense. What that unit did have was a strong, senior-oriented nucleus that featured incredible leadership from players like Terrence Holt and Dantonio Burnette. That strong influence of upperclassmen was certainly missing last year when the defense struggled. With more experience and overall depth on this year's roster, there's every reason to believe that the Pack will again be one of the league's top defensive squads in 2004.
"I think we will be better," safeties coach Manny Diaz said the other day. "The inconsistency last year is what bothered us more than anything; just playing well for a quarter and a half and then playing so poorly for seven minutes at a time is what hurt us. And usually it was the most important seven minutes of the game. I think with coach Herring coming in and his style of leadership, I think Wolfpack fans will notice a different mentality right off the bat."
3. Will Chris Colmer play?
Colmer has gotten better, but it's doubtful he'll be at full strength by the time fall practice begins in early August. He will likely give it a shot, but it remains to be seen just how effective he can be. Throughout the summer, Amato has been very cautious when dealing with that question. Mostly, he says he's hopeful the 6th year senior will be able to hold down the all important left tackle position. One way to bolster the confidence of a young, inexperience quarterback is to protect his backside. If Colmer can even come remotely close to where he was a few years ago when he was named second-team All-ACC, it would go a long way in solidifying an offensive line that has a chance to be very good. But it's also important to remember that he hasn't taken part in any football-related activities since the first week of preseason camp one year ago.
4. Can T.A. McLendon stay healthy?
If he does, the junior running back will certainly be a prime candidate for ACC Player of the Year honors. When McLendon is on the field and in decent health, he's always productive. What can he do to avoid the nagging injuries that have so frequently interrupted his promising career? Pray, cross his fingers or just hope for the best. Other than that, there's really no magic potion available that will guarantee an injury-free season for the former ACC Rookie of the Year. Some have suggested that by scaling back his brutish, physical running style, McLendon would have a better chance of avoiding injuries. That might be the case, but then again, a few of the injuries that knocked him out the last few years were non-contact related. And besides, McLendon's fearsome running style is probably the biggest reason he's so good in the first place. Earl Campbell probably wouldn't have made the hall of fame had he always decided to run around people to avoid contact. There's one thing that's not in dispute at this time: McLendon will be in the best shape of his life entering fall practice.
5. Now to the question that is rarely asked but should be: How concerned is coach Amato with the kicking game?
Very. After breaking down tape of the last few seasons, Amato has steadfastly maintained that NC State still would have won most of the games it lost if only it had prevailed in the kicking game. Now he faces the prospect of replacing his regular placekicker (Adam Kiker), punter (Austin Herbert) and long snapper (Danny Young). Young was so consistent that he was hardly ever noticed. Long snappers, after all, rarely get any attention unless they roll one back to the holder or snap the ball over the punter's head. On field goals and extra points, John Deraney will be given every opportunity to replace Kiker. There's no doubting the strength of Deraney's leg as 40 of his 75 kickoffs last season went for touchbacks. But then again, John Daly always hits the golf ball long, but not always straight. If Deraney can't get it done on placekicks, highly touted freshman Tyler Lewis will be waiting in the wings.
(And by the way, the answer to the most asked question is no.)
