N. Carolina St. Wolfpack Football Fanatics

Andre Brown and Anthony Hill will be participating in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.  Both have had a remarkable career at NC State. They didn't put up outstanding numbers, but were solid players for the Wolfpack.  Andre Brown has garned more attention through his play at the Senior Bowl.  Tom O'Brien's teaching to him to be a more down hill runner certainly improved his marketability to the NFL scouts. Also the fact that Brown didn't have a heavy carry load through his time at State should help looking long term for durability purposes. Hill is a good blocking tight end.  He at times would drop a few passes but on most occasions made up for it with a big play. He is not a very fast runner and never really ran crisp routes.  He size was a big advantage for him.

I think injuries will be the key factor in determing how far they drop in the draft.  Both players have missed alot of the games the last two seasons because of a variety of injuries. Andre is ranked 9th in running backs and Hill is ranked 11th among tightends.  Both are looking at second day picks from early readings.  Alot can change from that depending on how they perform at the combine this week.  

I want to wish both of these young men great success in the future.  We as wolfpack fans have enjoy the time you have spent with the institution and the football program.  I hope they both have outstanding careers in the NFL. 

Category: NCAAF

Here is a list of the recruit that Tom O'Brien and staff have assemble.  I think they are some really good guys that fit our mold and what we are trying to accomplish here at the university.  A performance based institution.  I think that Byrd as well as Mageo have a good chance to see the field this year. Denzelle Good will push some of the other lineman but we redshirted Wallace, Allen, and Mattes who all were highly-touted out of high school.

 MORGAN ALEXANDER, ATH, Cartersville, Ga., 5-11, 180

Versatile athlete rushed for 1,400 yards as a junior. He may play defensive back for the Wolfpack.

*** BRANDAN BISHOP, DB, Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 200

Made 108 tackles with five interceptions as a senior. Projected at safety, he caught 45 passes for 600 yards.

**** JARVIS BYRD, DB, Pahokee, Fla., 5-11, 180

Made 60 tackles with 15 passes broken up, three sacks and three blocked punts in his senior season.

** DARRYL CATO-BISHOP, DE, Groton, Mass., 6-4, 250

Rated the No. 5 overall recruit in Massachusetts by Rivals.com. Though he's enrolling on a football scholarship, there's a chance he will walk-on in basketball.

*** TYSON CHANDLER, OL, N. Plainfield, N.J., 6-6, 340

Huge lineman said N.C. State will start him out on defense but may move him to offense later. He's Rivals.com's 17th-rated prospect in New Jersey.

*** RYAN CHEEK, LB, Lancaster, Ohio, 6-1, 230

Made 66 tackles with two sacks as a senior and also played running back and quarterback.

*** DURAN CHRISTOPHE, OL, Woodstock, Ga., 6-6, 285

Helped team win seven in a row before a one-point playoff loss to eventual state champion Camden. Could add a lot of weight and still be effective.

** DONALD COLEMAN, DB, Princeton, N.J., 6-0, 210

As a safety and running back, he rushed for 803 yards and seven touchdowns while forcing five fumbles and making 74 tackles. Has enrolled early.

*** SYLVESTER CRAWFORD, DE, Charlotte, 6-4, 225

Elite pass-rusher played for former Carolina Panther Brentson Buckner at Northside Christian Academy and made 22 sacks as a senior.

*** RICKEY DOWDY, LB, High Point, 6-2, 225

Perhaps N.C. State's best in-state recruit, Dowdy made 105 tackles with 17 sacks and two interceptions as a senior at High Point Central.

** A.J. FERGUSON, DL, Southport, 6-3, 250

Four-year starter made 90 tackles, including 20 behind the line of scrimmage, during his senior season at South Brunswick. Ran 100 and 200 for his track team.

*** DENZELLE GOOD, OL, Gaffney, S.C., 6-6, 325

Rated the No. 5 overall prospect in South Carolina, Impressive during Shrine Bowl practices. Played tackle in the Shrine Bowl but might be a guard at N.C. State.

** DEAN HAYNES, DB, Tunnel Hill, Ga., 5-11, 178

Versatile athlete rushed for 878 yards and 18 touchdowns and passed for 782 yards and three TDs as a senior, playing quarterback and running back.

*** SAM JONES, OL, Fuquay-Varina, 6-7, 295

Fuquay-Varina tackle signed with N.C. State in 2008 but spent the fall semester at Hargrave Military.

*** NATHAN MAGEO, DT, Roswell, N.M., 6-3, 285

Junior college transfer from New Mexico Military Institute is enrolled at N.C. State. Made 12 tackles for loss in 2008.

*** QUINTIN PAYTON, WR, Anderson, S.C., 6-4, 190

Played quarterback for some of his senior season, passing for 284 yards and rushing for 288. Caught 23 passes for 359 yards.

*** EVERETT PROCTOR, QB, Fayetteville, 6-2, 200

Dual-threat quarterback rushed for 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns and passed for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior at Britt High.

*** RAYNARD RANDOLPH, DT, Brandywine, Md., 6-2, 320

Four-year varsity starter was rated the 16th-best prospect in Maryland by Rivals.com. As a senior, he made 68 tackles and four sacks.

*** HANS RICE, LB, Eufaula, Ala., 6-2, 205

Speedy defender could play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme or safety in a 4-3 scheme. Rated the nation's 25th-best weakside linebacker by Scout.com.

*** DEION ROBERSON, DT, Tucker, Ga., 6-3, 275

A dislocated ankle ended his senior season in the opening game. Made 12 tackles for loss in his junior season.

*** BRIAN SLAY, DT, Ashburn, Va., 6-3, 290

N.C. State's first commitment in the class chose the Wolfpack in early March and is rated the 26th-best player in Virginia by Rivals.com. As a senior, he made 72 tackles with six sacks.

** RASHARD SMITH, DB, Dublin, Ga., 5-11, 175

Was state Class 2-A defensive player of the year as a junior and senior. Passed for 1,300 yards, rushed for 997 yards, returned two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns and intercepted 10 passes as a senior.

** ANTHONY TALBERT, TE, Cincinnati, 6-4, 230

Known for his superior blocking in a rushing-based offense. Also has posted incredible numbers in the weight room. He has dead-lifted 705 pounds.

*** BRYAN UNDERWOOD, WR, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, 5-11, 170

Small but extremely speedy player could help the Wolfpack as a slot receiver and kickoff/punt returner.

** CHRIS WARD, P, Fayetteville, Ga., 6-1, 175

Won the best punter award with an average punt of 42.7 yards and average hang time of 4.17 seconds at the prestigious Southern Kicking Invitational contest.

*** JAMES WASHINGTON, RB, Orlando, Fla., 5-11, 185

Rushed for 1,579 yards as a senior and more than 1,700 as a junior. Led his team to the 6-A state semifinals as a senior and has enrolled early at N.C. State.

** ASA WATSON, TE, Rock Hill, S.C., 6-4, 225

Brother of New England Patriots (and former Duke) tight end Benjamin Watson was used mostly as a blocker in high school. N.C. States coaches may use him in a variety of ways as a receiver.

*** CAMDEN WENTZ, OL, Marietta, Ga., 6-3, 290

Outstanding student has a 3.9 grade-point average and was committed to Stanford from March through October until deciding California was too far from home.

-From N&O

 

Category: NCAAF

Well Wolfpackers, as you all are aware Andre Brown has just 1 game left in a Wolfpack uniform and I thought it would be cool just say thanks for all that he has done for us.  I remember a few years ago when he was just a Freshman and had a break out game against Southern Miss down at there place I think, we were losing and all the sudden there goes Brown hauling the mail 64 yard TD.  I am pretty sure that was his best game in a State uniform, he had over 200 yards rushing and like all of you I thought he was going to be the next big thing, however injuries have really slowed him down and that is really sad, because I really believe he is one of the best backs in the ACC.  When I think of Andre I remember that FSU game a couple of years ago when we kept feeding him the rock and he would pick up 8 to 9 yards per carry and roll them arms just to say you aint stopping me today, I suppose he is one of my favorite players at State and I'm going to miss his leadership on the sidelines and on the field, the kid has heart he tried to play with a broken foot last year and wore a boot all fall practie this year, my wish is that he has one hell of a bowl game and does really well at the NFL combine, I would love to see him in a Falcons uniform come draft day.  Anyways Andre Brown has been awesome and we all wish him the best of luck now go run through that Rutgers defense like you did ECU's and win us a BOWL GAME 

GOPACK

Category: NCAAF

Well Wolfpackers, as you all are aware Andre Brown has just 1 game left in a Wolfpack uniform and I thought it would be cool just say thanks for all that he has done for us.  I remember a few years ago when he was just a Freshman and had a break out game against Southern Miss down at there place I think, we were losing and all the sudden there goes Brown hauling the mail 64 yard TD.  I am pretty sure that was his best game in a State uniform, he had over 200 yards rushing and like all of you I thought he was going to be the next big thing, however injuries have really slowed him down and that is really sad, because I really believe he is one of the best backs in the ACC.  When I think of Andre I remember that FSU game a couple of years ago when we kept feeding him the rock and he would pick up 8 to 9 yards per carry and roll them arms just to say you aint stopping me today, I suppose he is one of my favorite players at State and I'm going to miss his leadership on the sidelines and on the field, the kid has heart he tried to play with a broken foot last year and wore a boot all fall practie this year, my wish is that he has one hell of a bowl game and does really well at the NFL combine, I would love to see him in a Falcons uniform come draft day.  Anyways Andre Brown has been awesome and we all wish him the best of luck now go run through that Rutgers defense like you did ECU's and win us a BOWL GAME 

GOPACK

Category: NCAAF

Sometimes during film study, N.C. State sophomore Owen Spencer indulges. He will cue up one of his touchdown catches, sit back, and enjoy watching himself fulfilling his goals.

"You go to college and you're on TV," he said, still digesting his newfound semi-celebrity as an emerging talent at wide receiver. "It's like, man, I can run back all the play clips that they play on ESPN, and I picture myself seeing it from another person's view."

Spencer projects a refreshing giddiness in a sport where some players seem indifferent to their accomplishments because they have been told all their lives that they are special.

He says he is fortunate to be catching touchdown passes as he leads N.C. State in receptions with 20 and receiving yards with 405

More than any other player, he has filled the void left when top receiver Donald Bowens was ruled out for the season with lower back stress fractures.

In two of the past three games, Spencer has made pivotal catches on N.C. State's first snap on offense in the fourth quarter in competitive games. He broke free for a 61-yard scoring pass against zone coverage against Boston College.

He burned Korey Mangum in man-to-man coverage for a 67-yard touchdown pass against Florida State.

"He's just been a good kid, and he's grown up a lot," N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said. "He's a talented young man that is just starting to scratch the surface, I think, of what he's going to be able to do for us in the future."

Spencer decided he wanted to be a wide receiver when he was about 12 years old after being mesmerized by a performance by Randy Moss. With each incredible catch, Spencer howled and clapped, making such a ruckus that his mother, Celia Spencer, asked him to keep it down.

During spring break in his sophomore year at North Brunswick High near Wilmington, Spencer watched a feature on former N.C. State receiver Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams on the NFL Network.

In the autobiographical piece, Holt explained his training methods and philosophy. Spencer was inspired to work harder in the weight room and make football his top sport even though he also played basketball.

His father, Darryl Spencer, played football and ran track at Elizabeth City State and gave Owen tips on pass-route running when they watched games together. Owen established a big-play reputation as a high school junior, averaging nearly 27 yards on 30 catches, and enrolled at N.C. State in the spring of 2007.

Spencer took 18 credit hours that first semester and was overwhelmed by the academic responsibilities along with the training for football.

"I was so hyped about finally getting out of the house and finding myself and seeing what I could do in the big city," he said. "But then I hated it when I got here. When I went home, I didn't want to come back."

His parents urged him not to quit, and he slowly gained confidence academically and athletically. One day on campus, he met one of his idols.

Spencer was on his way to study hall when he spotted Holt from a distance. They made eye contact at about 30 yards, and Spencer introduced himself.

Later, he called his mother, brother and father to tell them.

"I was starstruck," he said. "I was like, 'I can't believe I'm meeting Torry Holt for the first time.' "

Now Spencer is N.C. State's leading receiver as Holt once was. Though Spencer is nowhere near as accomplished or as skillful as Holt, it's a rare player who matches Spencer's humility.

He says seeing himself scoring touchdowns on TV is "a blessing." Meeting Holt was "a blessing." And the party Spencer's family threw him to celebrate his first touchdown?

It was a blessing, too.

"That's what I've dreamed about since I've been here, to be the go-to guy on the team, a big playmaker," Spencer said.

If nothing else, he is about the most appreciative big playmaker you will ever meet.

He is a great student-athlete!

Category: NCAAF