North Carolina State University Athletics
CARR: Pressley Marches into Super Bowl
2/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
By A.J. CARR
RALEIGH, N.C. - When the New Orleans Saints march into Miami’s Sun Life Stadium Sunday afternoon, DeMario Pressley will be among them, wearing jersey No. 90 and an NC State tattoo on his right bicep.
As a reserve defensive lineman he figures on logging a dozen or more snaps against Peyton Manning and an Indianapolis Colts offense no opponent has been able to defuse.
While the challenge is daunting, Pressley couldn’t be more delighted. He’s savoring the total Super Bowl experience - the preparation, hoopla, overwhelming media blitz, sunshine and scenery.
“Everywhere you go fans are waving, taking pictures,” he said via phone. “Miami’s crazy. Miami’s beautiful. But we can’t forget we’ve got a game to play.”
Also, he’s got to figure how to delve out 15 tickets for family and friends.
Just four months ago all this was about the last thing Pressley figured to be doing. He missed his rookie season in 2008 with a foot injury, and then the Saints placed him on waivers during the ‘09 training camp.
At that time Miami seemed like a million miles away. The Super Bowl was out of sight and his football future was anything but bright.
Though put on waivers, Pressley clung to a thin thread of hope. A fifth-round draft pick in 2008, he accepted an invitation to remain as a practice squad member. One day during a scrimmage he caught a coach’s eye, which led to a playing opportunity against the Carolina Panthers in mid season.
First snap of his NFL career, the 6-3, 301-pounder from Greensboro dumped a Panthers back for a four-yard loss, then followed up with several more tackles.
It was a breakthrough moment. You might say it was the day Pressley reached football Sainthood.
“It hurt,” he said of being cut. ”But they kept telling me it was because of numbers, not my skills. They were carrying seven defensive linemen.
”I think I’m playing pretty good [now]. If a team does a lot of running, I play about 20 or 30 snaps. If they are more of a passing team, it’s about 10-15 snaps.”
It’s no secret Manning, who won his fourth MVP award this season, will air it out Sunday. He has thrown for 4,500 yards. New Orleans has a counter, quarterback Drew Brees, who passes with with the best of ‘em (4,388 yards).
“It”s gonna be a hard,” Pressley said of dealing with Manning. “He’s a great quarterback, but so is Brees. Brees is kind of being underlooked. He was the MVP last year. He’s a good leader, good person, everything, a leader in all aspects. I think we are gonna be all right.”
To reach football’s biggest stage required overcoming adversity and getting help along the way, at Greensboro Dudley High and four years at State.
With the Wolfpack Pressley battled injuries, earned second-team All-ACC as a junior, and graduated with a degree in sports management. When the Saints drafted him 144th overall, he put that NC State tattoo on his arm, a show of appreciation for his alma mater.
“I just thought if I ever got a tattoo, I wanted to make sure it meant something,” he said. “State obviously means a lot to me.”
Pressley credits former coach Chuck Amato, current head coach Tom O’Brien and assistant Keith Willis for putting him on the NFL track.
“Coach Amato recruited me, helped me develop, did a lot for me,” Pressley said. “I also give credit to Coach O’Brien and Keith Willis. They helped polish my skills and get me drafted.”
“He’s a wonderful talent, a wonderful person and has a humbleness about him that is unique for a young person,” said Willis, who talks frequently with Pressley. “He’s pretty happy-go-lucky. But he plays well enough to open some eyes.”
Which he did in New Orleans, a place Pressley would be pleased to call home for a long time. He’s fond of Cajun cooking, saying, “I can’t get enough jambaylia.” And then there’s the frenzy over Saints football.
“The fans are awesome,” he said. “People don’t know me, but walking down the street, they say: ”Who’s that? Who’s that?”
It’s DeMario Pressley, who is healthy, feeling super right now and enjoying the life of a Saint.
RALEIGH, N.C. - When the New Orleans Saints march into Miami’s Sun Life Stadium Sunday afternoon, DeMario Pressley will be among them, wearing jersey No. 90 and an NC State tattoo on his right bicep.
As a reserve defensive lineman he figures on logging a dozen or more snaps against Peyton Manning and an Indianapolis Colts offense no opponent has been able to defuse.
While the challenge is daunting, Pressley couldn’t be more delighted. He’s savoring the total Super Bowl experience - the preparation, hoopla, overwhelming media blitz, sunshine and scenery.
“Everywhere you go fans are waving, taking pictures,” he said via phone. “Miami’s crazy. Miami’s beautiful. But we can’t forget we’ve got a game to play.”
Also, he’s got to figure how to delve out 15 tickets for family and friends.
Just four months ago all this was about the last thing Pressley figured to be doing. He missed his rookie season in 2008 with a foot injury, and then the Saints placed him on waivers during the ‘09 training camp.
At that time Miami seemed like a million miles away. The Super Bowl was out of sight and his football future was anything but bright.
Though put on waivers, Pressley clung to a thin thread of hope. A fifth-round draft pick in 2008, he accepted an invitation to remain as a practice squad member. One day during a scrimmage he caught a coach’s eye, which led to a playing opportunity against the Carolina Panthers in mid season.
First snap of his NFL career, the 6-3, 301-pounder from Greensboro dumped a Panthers back for a four-yard loss, then followed up with several more tackles.
It was a breakthrough moment. You might say it was the day Pressley reached football Sainthood.
“It hurt,” he said of being cut. ”But they kept telling me it was because of numbers, not my skills. They were carrying seven defensive linemen.
”I think I’m playing pretty good [now]. If a team does a lot of running, I play about 20 or 30 snaps. If they are more of a passing team, it’s about 10-15 snaps.”
It’s no secret Manning, who won his fourth MVP award this season, will air it out Sunday. He has thrown for 4,500 yards. New Orleans has a counter, quarterback Drew Brees, who passes with with the best of ‘em (4,388 yards).
“It”s gonna be a hard,” Pressley said of dealing with Manning. “He’s a great quarterback, but so is Brees. Brees is kind of being underlooked. He was the MVP last year. He’s a good leader, good person, everything, a leader in all aspects. I think we are gonna be all right.”
To reach football’s biggest stage required overcoming adversity and getting help along the way, at Greensboro Dudley High and four years at State.
With the Wolfpack Pressley battled injuries, earned second-team All-ACC as a junior, and graduated with a degree in sports management. When the Saints drafted him 144th overall, he put that NC State tattoo on his arm, a show of appreciation for his alma mater.
“I just thought if I ever got a tattoo, I wanted to make sure it meant something,” he said. “State obviously means a lot to me.”
Pressley credits former coach Chuck Amato, current head coach Tom O’Brien and assistant Keith Willis for putting him on the NFL track.
“Coach Amato recruited me, helped me develop, did a lot for me,” Pressley said. “I also give credit to Coach O’Brien and Keith Willis. They helped polish my skills and get me drafted.”
“He’s a wonderful talent, a wonderful person and has a humbleness about him that is unique for a young person,” said Willis, who talks frequently with Pressley. “He’s pretty happy-go-lucky. But he plays well enough to open some eyes.”
Which he did in New Orleans, a place Pressley would be pleased to call home for a long time. He’s fond of Cajun cooking, saying, “I can’t get enough jambaylia.” And then there’s the frenzy over Saints football.
“The fans are awesome,” he said. “People don’t know me, but walking down the street, they say: ”Who’s that? Who’s that?”
It’s DeMario Pressley, who is healthy, feeling super right now and enjoying the life of a Saint.
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