The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/141892
wolfpack Football spring, either, and that's really where safety shows its weaknesses sometimes," Doeren said. "There are not really question marks on our capability, but questions marks on our performances because they haven't really performed yet." Doeren, who coached linebackers at Kansas and Wisconsin in the past, like what he saw from NC State's linebacking corps in the spring. The projected starting trio of senior D.J. Green, junior Brandon Pittman and sophomore M.J. Salahuddin have only nine combined starts, but they showed that they have the potential to be a productive group. "You want guys that can change direction, accelerate and strike," Doeren said. "They need to be able to play in space, but at the same time, they need to be able to be in tight corners and shed a block. We've got a good group of guys." Doeren is impressed that his projected starters and junior reserve outside linebacker Rodman Noel can "really run," but hopes the other reserves can emerge to provide depth. He also left the door open for a freshman or two to crack the two-deep. "We've got some tough guys that will strike you in Robert Cheek, Robert Caldwell, Zach Gentry," Doeren said. "Those guys love contact. Gentry plays all three positions — he's really a versatile with great football aptitude. I feel like we have some good depth." The Addition Of Strength Coach Jason Veltkamp Is Paying Off NC State has been on fire in football recruiting in the class of 2014, but one of head coach Dave Doeren's biggest recruiting coups was actually landing strength and conditioning coach Jason Veltkamp. Veltkamp worked under former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, both with the Razorbacks and also at Louisville from 2004‑11. Veltkamp stayed with the Hogs during John L. Smith's interim coaching season last year before making his way to Raleigh. It helped that Veltkamp's wife, Kristin, graduated from Duke's physical therapy school in 1998. "In the process of searching for a strength coach, there's a couple of guys in the profession that I really look to for guidance on who to hire. His name came up repeatedly in those conversations," Doeren said. ■ 2013 NC State Depth Chart Pos. LT LG C RG RT TE QB or or RB FB F Z X OFFENSE No.Name Ht. 78 Rob Crisp 6-7 61 Ali Kassem 6-7 62 Duran Christophe 6-6 52 Cole Blankenship 6-2 54 Joe Thuney 6-5 59 Jon Tu'uta 6-2 71 Alex Bar 6-7 50 Cam Fordham 6-2 74 Tyson Chandler 6-7 73 Andy Jomantas 6-7 82 Asa Watson 6-3 86 David J. Grinnage 6-5 4 Pete Thomas 6-6 15 Manny Stocker 6-1 8 Brandon Mitchell 6-4 26 Tony Creecy 5-11 10 Shadrach Thornton 6-1 47 Tyler Purvis 6-2 44 Logan Winkles 6-1 80 Bryan Underwood 5-9 19 Maurice Morgan 6-2 2 Rashard Smith 5-9 13 Bra'Lon Cherry 5-11 88 Quinton Payton 6-4 84 Charlie Hegedus 6-2 Pos. PK P No.Name Ht. 32 Niklas Sade 6-3 99 Ryan Stevens 6-3 36 Wil Baumann 6-6 47 William Stephenson 6-3 Wt.Cl. 298Sr. 350 Jr. 300 5th-Sr. 290 Fr. 276 R-So. 311 R-Fr. 326 R-So. 284 R-Jr 360 R-Jr. 295 R-Jr. 237 5th-Sr. 267 R-Fr. 234 R-Jr. 212 So. 239 5th-Sr. 210 R-Jr. 203 So. 229 R-Jr. 240 R-Jr. 177 R-Jr. 226 R-So. 175 5th-Sr. 180 Fr. 211 5th-Sr. 200 So. DEFENSE Ht. Pos. No.Name FE 95 Art Norman 6-0 or 97 Forrest West 6-1 6-1 T 75 T.Y. McGill 91 K'Hadree Hooker 6-0 6-1 N 69 Thomas Teal 98 A.J. Ferguson 6-2 6-3 BE 90 Mike Rose or 92 Darryl Cato-Bishop 6-3 6-4 SLB 31 D.J. Green 5 Rodman Noel 6-4 6-2 MLB 42 M.J. Salahuddin 49 Zach Gentry 6-1 WLB 39 Brandon Pittman 6-2 46 Drew Davis 6-3 LC 25 Dontae Johnson 6-2 21 Niles Clark 5-11 FS 14 Jarvis Byrd 5-11 24 Josh Stanley 6-0 SS 20 Hakim Jones 6-2 6 Tim Buckley 6-0 RC 11 Juston Burris 6-1 3 Marchez Coates 5-10 Special Teams Wt.Cl. Pos. No.Name 212Jr. KR 2 Rashard Smith PR 2 Rashard Smith 190 So. H 36 Wil Baumann 190 Jr. LS 57 Scott Thompson 181 R-Fr. 52 Ben Garrett Ht. 5-9 5-9 6-6 5-11 6-0 Wt.Cl. 243 R-Jr. 263 5th-Sr, 293 Jr. 307 R-Fr. 312 R-Jr. 301 Sr. 252 R-So. 266 5th-Sr. 228 Sr. 215 Jr. 220 So. 230 5th-Sr. 222 Jr. 232 R-Fr. 195 Sr. 188 R-Fr. 183 5th-Sr. 197 R-So. 198 R-So. 193 R-So. 203 R-So. 178 Fr. Wt.Cl. 175 5th-Sr. 175 5th-Sr. 190 Jr. 233 Jr. 225 So. Veltkamp is an 18-year veteran in the strength and conditioning field and has worked with 47 NFL Draft picks during his career, including four first-round selections. photo courtesy nc state media relations "Then, Jason actually reached out to me because his wife went to Duke for graduate school. His wife would really like to live in the Triangle again. The timing of it was perfect. Then, I called him one morning, and we had a great conversation and had a good connection in that way." Veltkamp has developed 47 NFL draft picks in 18 years, including four firstrounders. He also has a working history with Arkansas quarterback transfer Brandon Mitchell, which should aid the Mitchell's transition. Doeren wants Veltkamp to not only work on the NC State players physically, but also mentally. "Our job is to recruit them and coach them, and their job is to develop them," Doeren said. "It's not just getting them stronger. It's flexibility to help them stay healthy, the explosiveness, the change of direction, mental toughness, camaraderie, team chemistry, how to push them to the limit without getting them to break so that they know how to fight through that on game day." Doeren said getting players strong is easy, but it's more important about having them be able to play football with the physical changes. Veltkamp earns praise for his well-rounded approach. "Those guys do a phenomenal job," Doeren said. "Coach Veltkamp is a good leader. He's very detailed and organized. He's got a good staff underneath of him that understands how he likes things done, 108 ■ the wolfpacker 106-108,110.Wolfpack Football.indd 108 7/2/13 1:30 PM