North Carolina State University Athletics
Spring Forward
3/8/2021 8:03:00 AM | Football
Football to Begin Spring Practice on March 9
The NC State football squad will be back on the practice field on Tuesday, March 9 as spring workouts for head coach Dave Doeren's ninth season at the helm begin.
MOMENTUM
The Wolfpack has great momentum heading into spring drills, coming off one of the most impressive turnarounds in college football.
After finishing 4-8 in an injury-ridden 2019 campaign, the young Pack doubled its win total in 2020, churning out eight victories and earning a bid to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The Wolfpack set a new school record with seven wins over ACC opponents, facing five ranked teams overall.
The 2021 Wolfpack will return more than 80% of its total production in all but one statistical category and the individual leaders in every single statistical category (on a per game basis) returns.
The Pack returns 20 starters in 2021.
2021 Starters Returning/Lost
OG: Dylan McMahon (7), Joe Sculthorpe (12)
C: Grant Gibson (12)
TE: Cary Angeline (8)
RB: Ricky Person, Jr. (12)
QB: Bailey Hockman (9)
WR: Emeka Emezie (11), Devin Carter (10), Thayer Thomas (10)
DT: Alim McNeill (10)
WLB: Isaiah Moore (12)
MLB: Drake Thomas (10)
WLB: Payton Wilson (10)
CB: Shyheim Battle (12), Cecil Powell (5)
FS: Tanner Ingle (7)
SS: Jakeen Harris (12)
NIC: Tyler Baker-Williams (8)
P: Trenton Gill (12)
MISSING SPRING
Playing a 12-game season without having a full offseason conditioning program took its toll on the Pack, as a fair number of returning players will miss spring workouts as they rehab from injuries, including five starters from 2020.
Players missing all or part of spring drills include: SAF Rakeim Ashford, SAF Devan Boykin, WR Eric Collins, NIC Cayman Czesak, DE Terrell Dawkins, WR Emeka Emezie, CB Chris Ingram, RB Zonovan Knight, SAF Khalid Martin, OL Timothy McKay, RB Ricky Person, Jr., CB Logan Ray, CB Teshaun Smith, LB Drake Thomas & LB Payton Wilson
But with 14 midyear enrollees, three talented transfers and a roster full of young players looking for experience, the competition level should be high.
LEADERSHIP
Now entering his ninth season leading the Wolfpack, head coach Dave Doeren ranks second in school history in wins and boasts the third-longest current tenure among ACC coaches.
There is only one new coach on the Wolfpack staff: WR coach Joker Phillips. But the five coaches who joined the Pack in 2020 - Tim Beck, Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, Joe DeForest, Brian Mitchell, and Charley WIles - were only able to coach in five spring practices last year before the COVID shutdown. The staff is exciting about the opportunity to do the teaching and fine-tuning that usually takes place in the spring.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Quarterback Devin Leary is back from his foot injury for spring practice. Expect second-year freshman Ben Finley and true freshman Aaron McLaughlin to see frequent reps.
- Four "Super Seniors" return for 2021: WR Eric Collins, WR Emeka Emezie, DE Daniel Joseph and OT Tyrone Riley. This will mark Riley's seventh season with the Wolfpack, as he was granted a sixth year in 2020.
- Three of the Wolfpack's four captains are back for 2020: C Grant Gibson, SAF Tanner Ingle and LB Isaiah Moore. All are healthy heading into spring workouts.
- The record-setting special teams trio of PK Christopher Dunn, P Trenton Gill and SN Joe Shimko returns for their third season together.
SPRING GAME
The Wolfpack will conclude spring drills on April 10. More details to follow on what a spring game might look like.
Grind in winter. Shine in fall. #HTT pic.twitter.com/ETUIZNHhpJ
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) February 24, 2021
The Wolfpack has great momentum heading into spring drills, coming off one of the most impressive turnarounds in college football.
After finishing 4-8 in an injury-ridden 2019 campaign, the young Pack doubled its win total in 2020, churning out eight victories and earning a bid to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The Wolfpack set a new school record with seven wins over ACC opponents, facing five ranked teams overall.
The 2021 Wolfpack will return more than 80% of its total production in all but one statistical category and the individual leaders in every single statistical category (on a per game basis) returns.
The Pack returns 20 starters in 2021.
2021 Starters Returning/Lost
(20 returning, 4 lost)
Italics indicates starter LOSTOFFENSE (8 Returning/3 Lost)
OT: Ikem Ekwonu (12), Bryson Speas (6)OG: Dylan McMahon (7), Joe Sculthorpe (12)
C: Grant Gibson (12)
TE: Cary Angeline (8)
RB: Ricky Person, Jr. (12)
QB: Bailey Hockman (9)
WR: Emeka Emezie (11), Devin Carter (10), Thayer Thomas (10)
DEFENSE (10 Returning/1 Lost)
DE: Daniel Joseph (8), Terrell Dawkins (6)DT: Alim McNeill (10)
WLB: Isaiah Moore (12)
MLB: Drake Thomas (10)
WLB: Payton Wilson (10)
CB: Shyheim Battle (12), Cecil Powell (5)
FS: Tanner Ingle (7)
SS: Jakeen Harris (12)
NIC: Tyler Baker-Williams (8)
SPECIAL TEAMS (2 Returning/0 Lost)
PK: Christopher Dunn (12)P: Trenton Gill (12)
MISSING SPRING
Playing a 12-game season without having a full offseason conditioning program took its toll on the Pack, as a fair number of returning players will miss spring workouts as they rehab from injuries, including five starters from 2020.
Players missing all or part of spring drills include: SAF Rakeim Ashford, SAF Devan Boykin, WR Eric Collins, NIC Cayman Czesak, DE Terrell Dawkins, WR Emeka Emezie, CB Chris Ingram, RB Zonovan Knight, SAF Khalid Martin, OL Timothy McKay, RB Ricky Person, Jr., CB Logan Ray, CB Teshaun Smith, LB Drake Thomas & LB Payton Wilson
But with 14 midyear enrollees, three talented transfers and a roster full of young players looking for experience, the competition level should be high.
LEADERSHIP
Now entering his ninth season leading the Wolfpack, head coach Dave Doeren ranks second in school history in wins and boasts the third-longest current tenure among ACC coaches.
There is only one new coach on the Wolfpack staff: WR coach Joker Phillips. But the five coaches who joined the Pack in 2020 - Tim Beck, Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, Joe DeForest, Brian Mitchell, and Charley WIles - were only able to coach in five spring practices last year before the COVID shutdown. The staff is exciting about the opportunity to do the teaching and fine-tuning that usually takes place in the spring.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Quarterback Devin Leary is back from his foot injury for spring practice. Expect second-year freshman Ben Finley and true freshman Aaron McLaughlin to see frequent reps.
- Four "Super Seniors" return for 2021: WR Eric Collins, WR Emeka Emezie, DE Daniel Joseph and OT Tyrone Riley. This will mark Riley's seventh season with the Wolfpack, as he was granted a sixth year in 2020.
- Three of the Wolfpack's four captains are back for 2020: C Grant Gibson, SAF Tanner Ingle and LB Isaiah Moore. All are healthy heading into spring workouts.
- The record-setting special teams trio of PK Christopher Dunn, P Trenton Gill and SN Joe Shimko returns for their third season together.
SPRING GAME
The Wolfpack will conclude spring drills on April 10. More details to follow on what a spring game might look like.
We are the Wolfpack .#HTT | #StrengthInThePack
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) February 4, 2021
Season tickets available NOW ➡️ https://t.co/ChfPqZvui8 pic.twitter.com/fPJxCCt9GY
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