The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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90 ■ THE WOLFPACKER LINEBACKERS games last year. Miller was a standout defensive end in high school that has gracefully made the move to linebacker in college. Huxtable has been impressed with how quickly Miller can pick things up and his size at 6-3 and 231 pounds. He missed spring practice after having shoulder surgery in the fall, but is expected to be fully healthy for fall camp in August. "He's got that length and that range, and can run," Huxtable said. "He's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger, which is going to allow him to be a more physical player." Huxtable is also looking forward to watching the development of prized freshman linebacker Payton Wilson of Hillsborough (N.C.) Orange High, who could also project at tight end or defensive end in college. However, Wilson's impact could be delayed after suf- fering a season-ending ACL injury midway through his senior year. "He's big, he's strong and he's tough," Huxtable said. "He was a high school state champion wrestler. He's a smart kid. He has played a lot of football. "He can give us speed on the field and toughness on the field. He's a great contact player." ■ NC State sophomore linebacker Louis Acceus hopes to take the lessons learned this past season and apply them in a starting role this fall. The chance to play special teams in 12 out of 13 games last year allowed him to under- stand what game day was like at NC State. He finished with four special teams tackles, and while he didn't log time at linebacker, he was prepared if anything happened to seniors Jerod Fernandez and Airius Moore, or then-redshirt junior Germaine Pratt. With Pratt back at weakside linebacker, the opportunity is staring Acceus in the face at the middle linebacker spot, also known as the "Mike." "It is up for grabs right now and I just have to focus in and do my work," Acceus said. "I'm going to work every day and I'm finishing my assignments on the field. I just have to battle for the job." The chance to get on the field on special teams helped Acceus get a "feel for the game" on the college level. "For a first-year player, you go out in the big stadium and everyone is screaming your name," he said. "I'll be more prepared this year." Acceus reflects back to when he arrived at NC State, and knows he will have to grow up fast before the fall. He wants to be a leader for the Wolfpack's 2017 recruiting class, but also will need to lead the defense if he wins the starting middle linebacker job. The Mike spot plays a crucial role in making the calls for the defense. "I'll be leading by example and be more vocal, though I'm not a vocal person," Acceus said. "I just have to grow up because I won't be a freshman anymore. "I'll be a sophomore. I'm expected to play." The opportunity to soak in the knowledge from Fernandez, Moore and Pratt has proved invaluable. "Pretty much everything I know [is from them]," Acceus said. "We'd be in install [last fall] and I was confused and everything. I'd be in the meetings and I would nod my head but understand nothing. "I would get coached on the side by Airius, Jerod and Pratt. It really helped a lot." Acceus was a tackling machine at Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph Regional High. He lived across the border in Spring Valley, N.Y., but his Catholic school was about 20 minutes away. Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 15 player in New Jersey and the No. 52 outside linebacker in the class of 2017. Acceus racked up 101 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, plus rushed for 862 yards and nine touchdowns, his senior year while helping St. Joseph Regional win the non-public Group 3 state title. Football gave Acceus a release of his burning competitive desire. "At a young age, I had really bad anger issues," Acceus said. "I didn't know how to control my anger. I wanted to hit something or break something and my family was like, 'Put him in football.' "I started playing football in 2008 at left tackle. I fell in love with the game." The opportunity to play at NC State with prep teammate Joshua Fedd-Jackson, an offen - sive guard, wasn't a pre-arranged package deal in recruiting, but over time it made sense to the two friends that had officially visited Raleigh together. Acceus and Fedd-Jackson even picked NC State on the same day, Jan. 15, 2017, at the conclusion of their visit. Fedd-Jackson was able to get to start at right guard in the Hyundai Sun Bowl win over Arizona State, and like Acceus could also see a big increase in playing time this season. "I was a proud big brother, honestly," Acceus said. "He came in and worked hard. He's a great player, phenomenal. I have high expectations for him this year. "I felt more comfortable [at NC State] because I always had backup. I had someone to lean on who I am comfortable with already." — Jacey Zembal Getting To Know: Louis Acceus Acceus saw action on special teams in 12 of 13 games last season and contributed four stops. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Quick Facts Position Coach: Dave Huxtable (sixth season) Returning Starters: None Starters Lost: Jerod Fernandez (43) and Airius Moore (43) FYI: Athlon ranks the NCSU linebackers at No. 11 in the ACC … Redshirt freshman Isa - iah Moore chose NC State over offers from Army, Kent State, Navy and Old Dominion, but he enjoyed a quality senior year and Rivals.com ranked him the No. 31 player in Vir- ginia in the class of 2017 … Freshman linebacker Payton Wilson was one of the prizes of the Wolfpack's class of 2018. Rivals.com ranked him the No. 166 overall player and No. 13 outside linebacker in the country, and the No. 8 overall player in the state of North Carolina. He originally selected North Carolina over Clemson and Virginia Tech, but eventually flipped to NC State on Dec. 1, 2017. He officially visited Notre Dame and NC State, and decommitted from UNC right before Thanksgiving … Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage freshman linebacker Calvin Hart was a Rivals.com two-star prospect, but he played for a prep powerhouse and helped American Heritage win back-to-back Florida Class 5A state titles. He picked NC State over offers from Texas A&M, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse and Wisconsin. ■ By The Numbers 42 Pounds gained for fifth-year senior linebacker Germaine Pratt, a former safety, since the beginning of his senior year at High Point (N.C.) Central. 78 Combined tackles for returning linebackers Pratt (69), redshirt sophomore Brock Miller (five) and sophomore Louis Acceus (four). Seven of the nine combined tack- les by Miller and Acceus came on special teams. 314 Career tackles for sophomore Acceus while at St. Joseph Regional High in Montvale, N.J.