The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1285691
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 ■ 31 under first-year coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck. Despite the challenges of a mostly virtual offseason due to the corona- virus pandemic, Ekwonu expressed confi- dence in how quickly the team has picked up Beck's scheme through fall camp. "This system plays really well to the strengths of the O-line," Ekwonu said. "We're all a bunch of really physical and athletic guys. It allows us to play fast and physical, which is something that you al- ways love to do as an offensive lineman." ■ Philip Rivers, 2000 Rivers was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2000 after leading the Wolfpack to an 8-4 record. He threw for 3,054 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 intercep- tions, including a five-score performance in the second game of his college career, a 41-38 road win over Indiana. Rivers' 25 touchdowns set the school record for most in a single season at the time. He later broke his own record with 34 as a senior in 2003, a mark that still stands today. The 2003 ACC Player of the Year for football and league's overall Male Athlete of the Year in 2004 wrapped up his career with an NCAA-record 51 consecutive starts at quarterback, four bowl MVP awards (two Tangerine Bowls, and one each in the Gator Bowl and Senior Bowl), and nearly every significant passing record in school and ACC history at the time. His 13,484 career passing yards (second) and 95 touchdowns (fifth) were among the NCAA's all-time top five upon graduation, but now rank 14th and tied for 34th, respectively. Ted Brown, 1975 His freshman season was the only year Brown didn't rush for over 1,000 yards, but his perfor - mance was still strong enough to win the ACC Rookie of the Year title in 1975. In 10 games, Brown rushed for 913 yards on 142 car- ries under fourth-year head coach Lou Holtz. He led the ACC in rushing touch- downs (12) and yards per carry (6.4) that season. Forty-two years since his last perfor- mance at NC State, Brown still holds the school record for career rushing yards (4,602) and rushing touchdowns (49) — both were the most in ACC annals at the time, and his career rushing total has still not been eclipsed. The only four-time All-ACC performer in school history went on to earn consensus first-team All-America honors in 1978 and play eight years with the Minnesota Vikings, where he rushed for 4,546 yards and 40 scores, plus added 2,850 yards and 13 more touchdowns through the air. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. T.A. McLendon, 2002 McLendon's debut in 2002 in which he was named first-team All- ACC and the league's Rookie of the Year was one of the best seasons of any running back in school history. The true freshman from Albe - marle rushed for 1,101 yards and 18 scores, and added 42 receptions for 354 receiving yards. He tied a single-game school record with five rushing touchdowns in a 51-48 overtime win at Texas Tech, while his 108 points scored were a single-season pro- gram record that has since been broken (now stands third). His ground touchdown total tied an ACC freshman record and was an overall school record that was tied in 2018 by Reggie Gallaspy. Meanwhile, his 1,455 yards accumulated from scrimmage that year still rank third for a single season in school history and are the most ever by a Wolfpack rookie. His rushing yardage total as a freshman still stands ninth overall in school history, while his number of receptions check in third for NCSU freshmen. McLendon led the team in rushing three straight campaigns from 2002-04, but injuries prevented him from ever being as productive as he was during his first sea- son in Raleigh. He turned pro following his junior year and went undrafted. — Justin H. Williams Notable Seasons By NC State True Freshmen Philip Rivers set a school record with 25 touchdown throws as a true freshman in 2000, and later broke that and just about every other major passing record in school and ACC history. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN