The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
JULY 2019 ■ 27 TRACKING THE PACK Sponsored by Colony Tire & Service www.colonytire.com ■ BY THE NUMBERS 3 Ranking among returning ACC interior defenders in pass-rush win percentage for fifth-year senior defensive tackle Larrell Murchison of NC State per Pro Football Focus. Murchison is tied for third at 10.5 percent, trailing first-place Marvin Wilson of Florida State by 4.1 percent. 6.0 Percentage of dropped passes by Indianapolis Colts first-year run- ning back Nyheim Hines, who finished with 63 receptions for 425 yards and two scores. The former NCSU standout tied for ninth in the NFL for lowest drop rate among running backs per Pro Football Focus. 27 National ranking by Rivals.com as of June 28 for NC State's football class of 2020, which featured 15 verbal commits. 29.5 Points per game for senior shooting guard and NC State target Cameron Thomas, who played 13 games with Boo Williams traveling team in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. The Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy prod- uct topped 40 points in two contests. 57 Quarterback pressures by former NC State star Bradley Chubb during his rookie season with the Denver Broncos. That figure tied for first among NFL rookie edge defenders since Pro Football Focus began tracking the statistic. $89.5 Millions earned by former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson from June 2018 to June 2019, making him the highest paid athlete in America according to Forbes and sixth highest in the world. "You don't think about building right now. You think about [sophomore catcher] Patrick Bailey and Evan Edwards, a senior who gave us every- thing for two years and hit a mammoth home run in the game. He was in there crying and hugging Pat at the end. You build friendships, and that's what you think about right now." ■ NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent following the season-ending 9-2 loss to East Carolina in the NCAA Regional (The Technician) "I think that's what part of the coaches' plan for me was — they sold me on that I'm going to come here and be great, and I really believe that deep down. The dream has always been to win big tourna- ments. I've always been in those tournaments but have never really quite put it together. To come here and do it for the first time in my home gym is so special for me." ■ NC State freshman wrestler Trent Hidlay on becoming the first in school history to win the Junior Freestyle World Team Trials, capturing first place May 19 at historic Reynolds Coliseum (TheWolfpacker.com) 113 Major League Baseball Draft picks produced during head coach Elliott Avent's 23 years at NC State. 35 National ranking for the NCSU men's basketball team going into next year by Andy Katz of NCAA.com. "I just tried to set that vision for him to say, 'You be the guy here for the next 10 years, and let's not have to worry about having anybody else to snap for the quar- terback.' He's got a long ways to go to do that, but he's got all the right stuff. We'll just keep stacking days on top of one another to get him where he needs to be." — Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins on former NC State center Garrett Bradbury potentially becoming a rookie starter next fall (ESPN.com) "[NCSU running back Zonovan] Knight was a big- time talent out of high school, rated as a four-star with excellent speed and breakaway ability, and he's already shown that at the college level. He has a chance to be the man at NC State down the line, and the competi- tion from [sophomore Ricky] Person will be great for him. NC State has done a very good job of recruiting running backs, and Knight is next in line." — Recruiting analyst Mike Farrell on the impact of NCSU freshman running back Zonovan Knight of Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High (Rivals.com) "It would be cool to be playing with Blake [Harris] and Braxton [Beverly]. Those are some high-level guys. It's a family program, and Coach [Kevin] Keatts is going to coach you very hard. That is what I like. I know he lets his guards do everything, and it's a guard's game. They control how the game goes. That would be a good fit." — Greensboro (N.C.) Day reclassed junior point guard Camren Hayes on NC State (The Wolfpacker) "Josh Hall had the best-looking jumper I saw at Pangos Camp. I just wish I had gotten to see a bit more of it, but un- fortunately he wasn't feeling the love from his teammates. As smooth as he shoots it from distance, it's hard not to see some flashes of young Joe Johnson in his game." — Recruiting analyst Eric Bossi on naming Durham native Josh Hall, a top class of 2020 NC State recruiting target, the best shooter at the Pangos All-American Camp (Rivals.com) PHOTO BY RYAN TICE PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN