The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1389905
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Making Their Mark BY JUSTIN H. WILLIAMS The difference between a good and great season in college football can many times be decided by a handful of special teams plays. If that ends up being the case for NC State this fall, the Wolfpack is in good hands. The Pack returns a trio of specialists that include a placekicker and punter that have made their mark in the program record books, and a long snapper that has set them up to do so. Junior placekicker Christopher Dunn is already the program's all-time field goal leader with 56 makes over three seasons, a total that ranks second among returning kickers in the ACC. He's also a perfect 122 of 122 on PAT attempts, a number that ranks second in school history. Redshirt junior Trenton Gill is a former walk-on that earned a scholarship prior to the 2019 season in which he set the single- season program record with a 47.6-yard average. That clip led the ACC and ranked third nationally that season. He followed it up with a 44.9 average last fall, which ranked 14th nationally and fifth among single-season averages in school history. Both of them will be the first to tell you that one of the primary keys to their success has been sophomore long snapper Joe Shimko, who has been steady and reliable in 24 appear- ances over two seasons. He has snapped for each of NC State's kicks since the beginning of the 2019 season. The Pack's returners are among the ACC's best. Sophomore running back Zonovan Knight earned first-team preseason All-ACC honors as a kick returner according to Phil Steele, while redshirt ju- nior Thayer Thomas nabbed a spot on the league's top team as a punt returner. SPECIAL TEAMS SPOTLIGHT PLAYER JUNIOR CHRISTOPHER DUNN Christopher Dunn, a product of North Davidson High in Lexington, N.C., became the Wolfpack's starting placekicker as soon as he stepped on campus. He set the program record for most made field goals in a single season, with 23, and points scored, with 120, as a freshman. In 2019, Dunn connected on 21 kicks, which ranks second only to his freshman mark for single-season makes in the program record book. He was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award that season, which is awarded annually to the nation's top college placekicker. In 2020, he made a career-best 53-yard attempt at Virginia Tech and later matched it against Miami. In his last converted attempt of the sea - son against Georgia Tech, he set the program record with his 56th career field goal make. He also ranks third in Wolfpack history with 290 career points scored, and fourth in career field goal percentage (83.6), and has earned All-ACC honors (second team in 2018 and 2019, honorable mention in 2020) each year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS BY THE NUMBERS 2 Field goals junior Christopher Dunn made from 50 yards or more in 2020, which tied for third among ACC kickers. Both of Dunn's makes were from 53 yards, which set his personal best and ranked fourth in the conference for longest made attempts. 19 Field goals made in a row for Dunn, from the final 15 attempts his freshman year in 2018 until miss- ing a 51-yarder the next fall. At the time, that was the longest streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2016 and the second-best in school history. He also has the third-longest in Wolfpack annals, making 14 straight at one point last season. 2nd NC State's ranking among ACC special teams units according to Phil Steele's 2021 College Football Preview magazine. He listed the Wolfpack's spe- cialists 26th nationally. PROJECTED DEPTH CHART STARTERS No. Name Year Ht. Wt. Hometown 32 Christopher Dunn (K) Jr. 5-8 184 Lexington, N.C. 99 Trenton Gill (P) R-Jr. 6-4 219 Hillsborough, N.C. 91 Joe Shimko (LS) So. 6-0 220 Belmar, N.J. RESERVES 93 Ian Williams (K/P) Fr. 6-3 232 Charlotte 59 Jayden Tate (LS) Fr. 5-10 262 Lincolnton, N.C. ■ POSITIONAL GRADES ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven STARTERS ★★★ Junior Christopher Dunn is the program leader in field goal makes, and redshirt junior Trenton Gill is currently the school's all-time leader in career punting aver- age. Both have previously earned All-ACC honors, while Dunn was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2019. EXPERIENCE ★★★ Dunn, Gill and sophomore long snapper Joe Shimko have started every game at NC State since the beginning of the 2019 season. They have handled essentially every kick from the Wolfpack over the past two seasons. DEPTH ★★ Freshman Ian Williams kicked off once last year, but was ranked No. 8 among kickers nationally in the 2019 class by ESPN. Long snapper Jayden Tate is a first- year freshman. OVERALL ★★★ Neither Dunn nor Gill had career seasons in 2020, so they won't be short on mo- tivation entering the fall. Health will also be of importance to this group consider- ing the reserves are unproven freshmen. With All-ACC candidates returning both punts and kicks, if the unit performs to its potential, NC State could end up having the best group of specialists in the ACC.