The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
JULY 2019 ■ 55 RUNNING BACKS yards and 38 touchdowns in 11 games during his final prep season. Rivals. com ranked Person as the No. 5 prospect in the state, and the No. 4 all- purpose back and No. 85 overall player in the class of 2018. The first key with Per- son is to get him fully healthy again. "Ricky has been par- ticipating in the summer workouts," Kitchings said. "It's been good getting him back in there and progressing him. I expect him to be fully ready to go come August." The 6-1, 216-pound Person was expected to supply some big- play speed in replacing Hines and to complement Gallaspy. He got injured during fall camp, and missed the second and third games NC STATE'S TOP RUSHER THE PAST 10 SEASONS Year Name Yards 2018 Reggie Gallaspy 1,091 2017 Nyheim Hines 1,112 2016 Matthew Dayes 1,166 2015 Matthew Dayes 865 2014 Shadrach Thornton 907 2013 Shadrach Thornton 768 2012 Shadrach Thornton 694 2011 James Washington 897 2010 Mustafa Greene 597 2009 Toney Baker 773 Running Back Roster STARTER No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 8 Ricky Person Jr. So. 6-1 216 Wake Forest, N.C. Battled through injuries from the start of the season until the end, but played in nine games. Carried the ball 112 times for 471 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for seven yards and a score. He rushed 14 times for 108 yards against Virginia, and then added 17 carries for 92 yards the next game versus Boston College for his most productive stretch. RESERVES No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 24 Zonovan Knight Fr. 6-0 188 Bailey, N.C. Is Southern Nash High's all-time leading rusher with 5,073 yards. He scored 71 rushing touchdowns and reached the 100-yard rushing mark in 23 of 38 career games while averaging 133.5 yards per game and 12.5 yards per carry. Finished his prep career with 6,007 all-purpose yards and 80 touchdowns. 26 Trent Pennix R-Fr. 6-2 213 Raleigh The former Rivals.com three-star prospect flirted with burning his redshirt, but ended up playing in only four games last fall. His best effort was a nine-carry, 33-yard perfor - mance versus Marshall, plus his 56-yard reception against Georgia State was the team's fourth longest last season. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 35 Dalton Counts R-So. 6-0 212 Raleigh Walk-on from Garner (N.C.) High that had three tackles in six games on special teams last year. 38 Will Dabbs R-Jr. 5-11 191 Eden, N.C. Had one carry for minus-three yards in his lone offensive appearance last year. His twin brother is wide receiver Tyler Dabbs. 20 Jordan Houston Fr. 5-10 190 Oakton, Va. The scatback carried the ball 128 times for 1,582 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior year at Flint Hill High. The former Maryland commit had 532 carries for 5,405 yards and 61 scores during his prep career. 33 Delbert Mimms Fr. 5-11 205 Indianapolis The Rivals.com two-star prospect had 203 carries for 1,232 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior year at Ben Davis High. He was a blueshirt recruit that will enroll at NC State in August. 5 Damontay Rhem 5th-Sr. 5-11 210 Wendell, N.C. The former UNC Pembroke transfer rushed nine times for 34 yards, caught two passes for 13 yards and had four special teams tackles in eight games played last year. 30 David Wetherington Fr. 6-0 190 Thomasville, N.C. Walk-on from Ledford High that will try to contribute on special teams. As a senior at Southern Nash High in Bailey, N.C., Zonovan Knight rushed 124 times for 2,054 yards (16.6 per carry) and 26 touchdowns. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN ■ PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven Starter ★★ Sophomore Ricky Person Jr. could easily be among the best in the ACC at some point, but he'll need to stay healthy to do it. He was injured last August, missed four games and gutted through several others, and then missed the spring to rehab. Person and two other running backs will likely share the carries in 2019. Experience ★★ After Person, the most experienced running back is redshirt freshman Trent Pennix, who rushed 22 times for 68 yards in four games last year. Depth ★★ The key for the depth is likely the continued improvement of Pennix and the big-play potential of freshman Zonovan Knight. Pennix has good hands and at 213 pounds can run between the tackles, while Knight can be a home-run hitter. If fellow freshmen Jordan Hous- ton or Delbert Mimms emerge, the opportunity will be there for them. Overall grade ★★ The Wolfpack running backs are talented, but very young and inexperienced. Person and Knight have 1,000-yard potential, but would need good health and the opportunity to reach that milestone.