The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/141892
Top Five Players In NC State's 37-13 win over Clemson in 2011, linebacker Terrell Manning made two fumble recoveries to help set up the Wolfpack's rout of the Tigers. photo by ken martin Top Five Wins For 2008 Class 1. 17-16 vs. Florida State, 2012: NC State was down 16-0 at halftime to the third-ranked team in the country a week after a deflating last-minute 44-37 loss at Miami. The second half was a complete turnaround for the Pack, with Mike Glennon throwing a pair of touchdown passes for an upset on a primetime, nationally televised game to end FSU's national title hopes. 2. 37-13 vs. Clemson, 2011: The Tigers had already clinched an ACC title game berth when they rolled into Raleigh and would go on to win the conference championship two weeks later. That did not matter to NC State, which steamrolled seventhranked Clemson. Glennon threw for three touchdowns, and linebacker Terrell Manning had two fumble recoveries deep in Clemson territory, one that he forced himself, in the second quarter when NCSU outscored Clemson 27-0. 3. 13-0 vs. North Carolina, 2011: The Pack would extend its winning streak over UNC to a school-record-matching five games with the first shutout of the Tar Heels since 1960. Earl Wolff intercepted a pass, Manning had a career-high 11 tackles and Glennon connected with T.J. Graham for the contest's lone touchdown. The game was especially sweet considering the war of words between NCSU head coach Tom O'Brien and UNC interim coach Everett Withers during the week prior to the game. 4. 56-41 vs. Maryland, 2011: NC State trailed 41-14 after Davin Meggett ran for a 46-yard touchdown run with 10:50 left in the third quarter. What followed was six unanswered touchdowns by NC State in the greatest conference-game comeback in ACC history. Glennon threw for five touchdowns and ran for another in the win, Manning forced a crucial fumble in the fourth quarter of the comeback, and C.J. Wilson sealed the victory with a 59-yard interception return for a score with 27 seconds left. 5. 31-24 vs. Louisville, 2011: NC State jumped out to a 31-10 lead and held on against a young and talented Cardinals squad that would rout Florida in the Sugar Bowl a year later. Graham caught two firsthalf touchdown passes from Glennon, and Manning and Wolff both had six tackles apiece in the contest. Top Recruiter Former assistant coach Jim Bridge, who was coaching tight ends at that point in his NC State career, was the primary recruiter for tight end Mario Carter, linebackers Sterling Lucas and Terrell Manning, offensive linemen R.J. Mattes and Andrew Wallace, and safety Earl Wolff. All six would be starters before their careers were over, and all but Wolff were hard-fought recruitments. Wolff, though, may be the feather in Bridge's cap in this class. He was an unknown from Hoke County High in Raeford that Bridge found during the spring evaluation period. After convincing Wolff to camp at NC State, Bridge watched the rising senior put on a show.Wolff was awarded a scholarship and would become one of the best safeties in school history. 1. Mike Glennon: He finished his career as a two-year starter after having to wait behind Russell Wilson for three years, and completed 646 of 1,069 passes for 7,411 yards and 63 touchdowns with 31 interceptions. That's the fourth-highest passing yardage total and third-best touchdown tally in school history. Taking Glennon's pace after two years to a full four years, he would have shattered the marks set by Philip Rivers in both categories over his four years as a starter (13,484 passing yards and 95 touchdowns). Glennon also had the third-most pass completions and fourth-most pass attempts ever at State. 2. Earl Wolff: Wolff concluded his career with exactly 400 tackles and was named first-team All-ACC by both the media and coaches as a senior. He became just the fifth player ever, and the first defensive back, at NC State to reach 400 career tackles. He also intercepted seven passes and forced eight fumbles, the latter stat tied for the thirdmost ever for a Wolfpacker. 3. Terrell Manning: The secondteam All-ACC selection in 2011 despite missing two full games and most of a third left for the NFL following the season. Had he stuck around for his senior year, Manning likely would have finished his career among the top 10 at NC State in tackles for loss and perhaps in sacks and total tackles. He had 206 career tackles in three seasons, including 27 for loss and 10.5 sacks. He also forced five fumbles, recovered five, broke up eight passes and picked off five more. 4. T.J. Graham: Graham will be remembered as perhaps NCSU's greatest kick returner of all-time. He returned two punts and two kickoffs for scores, and his 3,153 career kickoff return yards are most ever for an ACC player. A first-team All-ACC selection as a returner in 2011, Graham also had value as a receiver, catching 99 passes for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns. 5. R.J. Mattes: Former head coach Tom O'Brien, a noted offensive line guru from his previous stints at Virginia and Boston College, said that he had never had a player start at four different positions on the offensive line until Mattes. The lineman started 14 games at left tackle, 11 at left guard, 10 at right tackle and eight at right guard. He was second-team All-ACC in 2012. 116 ■ the wolfpacker 112-114,116,118.Class of 2008.indd 116 7/1/13 10:11 AM