#PackCamp Day 9: Celebration

RALEIGH, N.C. - After a tough, long practice in full pads, the Wolfpack squad had a chance to celebrate on Wednesday morning. Following the two-hour workout, head coach Dave Doeren called sophomore wide receivers Ben Grazen and Gavin Locklear to the front of the huddle.

He asked his team about their two teammates: "Do they get better every day? "Do they lay it on the line every day?"

"Yes sir!" the team responded enthusiastically.

"That's why they're on scholarship," Doeren said.

Before the words were out of his mouth, both (now former) walkons were swarmed by their brothers, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett lifting Locklear above his teammates' heads and other players jumping on Grazen's back.

"Seeing the team react like that was great," Doeren said after practice. "These guys love each other. Gavin and Ben have earned everyone's respect – coaches and players alike. That's what it's all about as a coach: giving back to guys when you have an opportunity to do that."

Grazen, a Cary native who attended Cardinal Gibbons High School, saw action in one game last season at running back before moving to wide receiver this spring. Locklear, a product of Apex High, suffered an open compound fracture in his leg last summer and missed the 2014 campaign.

Notes on Day 9
Red Zone: Today's emphasis was on red zone work, with the kickers coming in for live kicks. Doeren said his defense was greatly improved in the red zone today.

"The offense took advantage of them the first day and today it was more back and forth. Our kickers did a nice job kicking live kicks and that's what we were looking for."

105 Coaches: A notable difference in fall camp has been the amount of coaching that the players are giving each other on the sidelines.

"They're coaching each other," Doeren said. "It's a reflection of how serious they are about being good and understanding that the time out here is limited and valuable. They know that the next guy in is the guy who can win the game for us. They've seen enough things happen where the next guy wasn't ready. A lot of young guys have had to play, so they understand."

Top Wolves: Doeren singled out the work of his young special teams trio, punter A.J. Cole, kicker Kyle Bambard and snapper Tyler Griffiths, in the team huddle today. Defensively, he praised safety Germaine Pratt.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Kyle Bambard

Jacoby Brissett

Ben Grazen

Tyler Griffiths

Gavin Locklear

Germaine Pratt

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