North Carolina State University Athletics
Senior Spotlight: DT T.Y. McGill
11/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
RALEIGH, N.C. - Carter-Finlely Stadium roared with excitement as the Heisman trophy winner went down. Senior defensive tackle T.Y. McGill rose to his feet with pride after sacking his Florida State opponent, forcing a fumble that resulted in a turnover. It was the defensive play of the game as well as the play that put McGill on the charts with his first sack of the 2014 season.
“The hit felt great. I was the best player in the stadium at that moment but I just wanted to make more plays. Making plays is addicting,” said McGill.
It’s his never-enough attitude that pushes McGill to wake up every day determined to be better than the day before. A longtime athlete, he credits his relentless work ethic and driving ambition to his dad who has always been his role model, primary support and the motivation behind all of his accomplishments.
According to McGill there is always room for improvement and complacency being complacent is not an option. Prior to the beginning of the season McGill he compiled a list of team and individual goals that now hangs on his bedroom wall. Reading them every morning provides him with the motivation he needs to work harder than the day before.
“Looking at my goals everyday puts me in the right mindset. It helps me achieve things at one point I didn’t think were possible,” McGill said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to play football in college because at one point I didn’t even think I would be in college. The goals I can make for myself now are endless because of the opportunity I was given and the potential the coaches saw in me to perform and help others perform.”
McGill not only works on improving his own performance, but consistently pushes his teammates to improve as well and at the end of summer camp was elected to the Leadership Council. The council serves as a voice for the players to communicate issues or concerns regarding the football program. McGill considers his role as a leader to be substantially more important with NC State being among the nation’s youngest teams. He often finds himself assisting with plays and offering advice to the younger defensive linemen, helping to mature them as players.
“I try to act as a big brother to the freshmen. I want them to know they can talk to me about anything and have someone here to help. I really looked up to guys like Darryl Cato-Bishop, J.R. Sweezy and Markus Kuhn when I was a freshman. They took me under their wing and helped me grow as player. I believe that their guidance helped me to become the player that I am today and I appreciate everything they did for me. It really made an impact on my life. I want to be that guy for these younger players now.”
The Jesup, Georgia Ga., native began a strong career at NC State. In the 2011 season he was the only true freshman to start for the Pack. He got the nod in the win against Virginia and continued to have a successful season completing 21 tackles.
“I was forced to step up when a couple of the older guys got injured. It was a good thing because it gave me on-field experience right away and applied the pressure. I work better under pressure. I feel as though it forces me to work harder because I know what I’m working for is important,” McGill said. “I didn’t want my age to hold me back from being an impressive player. After I had played in three games my coaches and some of the older players stressed that because I had played in these games I wasn’t a freshman anymore. That really put things into perspective for me and I knew that I had to advance and become more of a student of the game.”
Over the course of four years McGill has evolved both physically and mentally. Dropping 25 pounds tremendously altered his physical game. McGill claims he’s now able to move more fluently on the field and has noticed a substantial relief of pressure on his knees. After struggling with injuries in the past, keeping his body healthy is a primary concern for McGill. Last season he suffered an ankle injury during the game against Wake Forest that forced him to sit out for the majority of the game against Syracuse. Since then McGill has taken advantage of the extensive athletic training staff and resources to help keep his body in healthy condition.
While his physical health is always of importance, mental discipline is another aspect McGill tends to focus on. One thing he noted that has made a significant impact in this area was the military-style training organized by the Wolfpack coaching staff. While heavily physical, it included activities that tested the players’ ability to persevere and take on leadership roles.
“The military training taught me about pushing myself to go beyond. Football is 85 percent mental and in my first few years here I knew that’s where my game lacked. It helped me to be more vocal as a leader and taught me that the body can go as far as the mind will let it. I’ve been using that mindset to fuel me all season and I believe that’s where success starts.”
McGill is expected to graduate in the spring with a degree in parks, recreation and tourism management with program management concentration concentrating. As his last season nears the end he knows the importance of giving all he’s got in these final games.
“I’m closing in on my list of lasts. My last home game, my last college football game, it’s very surreal. It all comes down to these last few games and I know I have to make them count,” McGill said. “Looking back on my experience at State I know I made the best of it. This will always be my team and all I want now is to walk away with a winning record so at the end of the day I cant truly say I gave it my all to be the student and athlete I know how to be.”
