The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/141892
Football 2013 Getting To Know: Brandon Pittman NC State junior Brandon Pittman knows his way around town as well as anyone on the roster. The Raleigh native excelled at Leesville Road High, and although he had chances to leave the city for college, Pittman spurned offers from East Carolina and Wake Forest to attend NC State. "I need my family everywhere I go," Pittman admitted. "Being able to look up and see my family support in the stands definitely means a lot." It also helps that Pittman can always make a short car trip home to take care of basic needs, such as laundry. "Especially now because I don't have a laundry unit in my apartment, so having my mom help me do my laundry is definitely a plus," he joked. The home-cooked meals could also help. The book on Pittman coming out of high school is that while he was certainly athletic and fast, there were question marks about whether he would he be big enough to play linebacker in college. When he signed with NC State, Pittman carried 212 pounds on his 6-2 frame. Adding the bulk has been a slow grind for Pittman. He was 216 pounds as a sophomore, and this spring was up to 222 pounds. "I still need to put on a couple of more pounds," Pittman Junior Rodman Noel — who started five games last season and tallied 38 tackles, seven stops for loss, a sack, one pass broken up — was also singled out by Huxtable as likely to get a lot of reps in the fall. The four players have one common trait amongst them: athleticism. Along with Salahuddin, both Green and Noel were high school safeties. The duo started their careers at NCSU in the secondary before Pittman, the projected starter at weakside linebacker, has posted 50 career tackles, including 3.5 for loss and a pair of sacks. photo by ken martin bulking up into linebackers. Pittman has been noted for being an above-average athlete for a linebacker since he was recruited out of high school. "He can run like a deer, and he really played well the last week of spring ball," Huxtable said of Pittman. "I'm very excited about him and what kind of player he can be for us." The rest of the depth at linebacker re- ■ Preseason Analysis **** Among country's best; *** Among ACC's best; ** Solid or has potential; * Too Unproven Starters ** NC State's spring starters were senior D.J. Green, junior Brandon Pittman and sophomore M.J. Salahuddin, and all three of them can cover ground. Athleticism was an issue for the linebackers at times last fall. However, being able to run is one thing, while running to the right spot and making the tackle is another.The good news is that both Green and Pittman have quite a bit of experience between them, and Salahuddin is a student of the game who has earned strong praise from head coach Dave Doeren for his enthusiastic approach to football. There is good potential with this threesome. Experience *** Between Green, Pittman and junior Rodman Noel, NC State has three linebackers who have garnered significant experience.The three have combined for 14 career starts and 149 tackles.The one caveat in that equation is that Green missed last season, and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Dave Huxtable acknowledged that Green showed some visible rust during the spring. Fifth-year senior Zach Gentry has been a special teams stalwart throughout his career at NC State. Both senior Robert Caldwell, who transferred in after starting two years at College of the Desert Junior College in Palm Desert, Calif., and Salahuddin played extensive special team snaps last year, so neither is new to game-day experiences. Depth ** Noel has the potential to be, in essence, a fourth starter on the roster. He actually started more games than Pittman last season he can match the expected starting trio athletically. After Noel, the depth chart is a little more uncertain. There are some veterans in Gentry and fifth-year senior Ryan Cheek who are light on experience but high on the toughness that Huxtable values. Caldwell, the biggest linebacker on the team at 6-3 and 250 pounds, made strides throughout the spring, and redshirt freshman Drew Davis may have had the best spring game of any reserve.There are options, but they need to sort themselves out. Overall Grade ** It's easy to see the potential in the unit. Although they must replace starters from last year in Rickey Dowdy and Sterling Lucas, by reinserting Green and coupling that with the emergence of Salahuddin, State has upgraded both the athleticism and potential among the linebackers.That potential, though, won't be realized unless the unit can harness that athleticism correctly. The Wolfpack linebackers must be sound tacklers, especially since they may be a bit undersized. If they can make plays, the linebackers will be a real asset for the defense. acknowledged. "I'm trying to get up. I've been at this little hump for a while. I have gotten stronger because of these new strength coaches we've brought in." Adjusting to a new strength staff under Jason Veltkamp has not been the only change for Pittman and his teammates. The defensive side of the ball has an entirely new staff under first-year head coach Dave Doeren. Replacing the hard-nosed Jon Tenuta as linebackers coach is Dave Huxtable, who also doubles as the defensive coordinator. According to Pittman, though, he "can see some Tenuta in Huxtable." "I like Coach Huxtable, he really cares about us and respects us," Pittman added. Knowing that everyone entered the spring with a clean slate and an open competition under the new coaches, Pittman made the best of the opportunity and was listed firststring at weakside linebacker following spring practices. "I'll go outside on some passing downs," Pittman noted. If Pittman can maintain that edge and win the starting job for the season opener Aug. 31 against Louisiana Tech, then expect some hometown hero stories to start arising from the family section at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturdays, perhaps some even originating from the Pittmans. — Matt Carter mains less certain. Former walk-on and fifth-year senior Zach Gentry moved from the weakside to the middle in the spring and may be first in line to back up Salahuddin. Redshirt freshman Drew Davis, a noted tackling machine since his days at Raleigh's Broughton High School, was listed as second-string linebacker at the weakside on the final depth chart of the spring. Huxtable described Davis as "tough as nails" and labeled Gentry "a bull in the weight room." Huxtable also noted that senior Robert Caldwell could be one to watch. The former junior college transfer played mainly special teams last year. "Robert Caldwell really came on towards to the middle to latter part of the spring," Huxtable said. "He's a big, strong kid that is a good football player. He's going to be a guy that is going to give us some play." ■ NC State's Leading Tacklers The Past Decade YearName 2012 Earl Wolff 2011 Audie Cole 2010 Nate Irving Audie Cole 2009 Audie Cole 2008 Ray Michel 2007 DaJuan Morgan 2006 Pat Lowery 2005 Stephen Tulloch 2004 Oliver Hoyte 2003 Andre Maddox Tackles 145 132 97 97 85 102 117 109 134 93 145 82 ■ the wolfpacker 80-82.LBs.indd 82 7/1/13 9:39 AM