The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1343401
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER n a typical spring, the 15 allowed practices are spread out over a pe- riod that begins shortly before spring break and concludes in early- to mid- April. But it seems like forever since we have known what typical is like. Nevertheless, NC State is expected to try to have a semblance of spring practice after an 8-4 season in 2020, a campaign in which the Wolfpack was ranked in the top 25 enter- ing the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 2 and set a school record with seven ACC wins. Here are some objectives facing head coach Dave Doeren as he gets ready to em- bark on his ninth season at NC State: Figure Out The Secondary Twelve different players started among the Pack's defensive backs in 2020, and 10 of them are returning. The lone exceptions are former walk-on Isaac Duffy-Webb, who announced a transfer to Albany after the season was completed, and Malik Dunlap, who left before the season was over and is now at Texas Tech. Duffy-Webb started the Gator Bowl loss, while Dunlap opened five of the nine games he played, all at left cornerback. NC State is also welcoming several vet- erans into the mix. Chris Ingram, a senior and former two-year starting corner prior to missing last season with a knee injury, is hoping to be healthy enough to contribute again. Marshall transfer Derrek Pitts and Florida State transfer Cyrus Fagan, a couple of former four-star recruits according to Ri- vals.com, are both joining the team in time for spring practices. Four defensive backs started every game they played last year and may have an upper hand: redshirt freshman Shyheim Battle at corner, junior Tanner Ingle and sophomore Jakeen Harris at safety, and junior Tyler Baker-Williams at nickel and safety. Junior corner Teshaun Smith started the campaign's opener at left corner before suf- fering a season-ending shoulder injury, and sophomore Rakeim Ashford started in week two at Virginia Tech in placed of an injured Ingle before Ashford himself also was lost for the year after having shoulder surgery. Rebuild The Offensive Line The NCAA gave seniors the opportunity to return for another season if they wanted. Two that decided to bypass that option on the Wolfpack roster were guard Joe Scult- horpe and tackle Justin Witt. Sculthorpe started every game last sea- son, the first five at right guard and then the last seven at left guard. Witt started the first two contests and the last three at right tackle, marking three straight years he opened games at the position. Still, NC State has a good starting point to build on the offensive line in redshirt junior center Grant Gibson and sophomore tackle/ guard Ikem Ekwonu. Pro Football Focus (PFF) had Gibson the top-graded center among the traditional ACC programs (not counting Notre Dame) in 2020. Meanwhile, Ekwonu posted the Wolfpack's second-best overall score on offense, according to PFF, though he rung up his tally (80.4) in more than twice as many snaps (827) as running back Zonovan Knight, the No. 1-ranked offensive player (84.2 grade on 328 snaps). Redshirt freshman Dylan McMahon started the last seven games of the season at right guard, while redshirt junior Bryson Speas started six games at right tackle and one at left guard. SPRINGING FORWARD NC State Aims To Build Off Momentum From The 2020 Season I Spring Football Preview