The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1456098
TRACKING THE PACK 18 ■ THE WOLFPACKER QUOTING THE PACK BY THE NUMBERS Sponsored by Colony Tire & Service www.colonytire.com PHOTO COURTESY CINCINNATI BENGALS PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS 4th ACC regular-season title in the last five years won by THE WRESTLING TEAM after its 21-10 victory over No. 7 Virginia Tech at Reynolds Coliseum. In addition to a perfect ACC record, the Wolfpack went 13-1 overall this season, losing only to then-No. 1 Iowa (19-15). The Pack was especially dominant within the league this year, however. The aggregate scoring margin was 147-33 in its five conference competitions, a total margin of victory of 114 points. The average total margin of victory for the ACC dual meet champion the last five years was 66.8 points. 31 ACC championships won by the men's swimming and diving team, an all-time conference record for any sport. 63 Was where former Wolfpack offensive lineman Joe Thuney, now a guard for the Kansas City Chiefs, ranked on Pro Football Focus' countdown of the top 101 players during the 2021 season. Thuney's season-long PFF grade was an 82.6, and he checked in 19th among offensive linemen and sixth among guards on the countdown. He posted the best pass-blocking grade (90.5) of his career. 416 Feet was the average distance of freshman first baseman Tommy White's five home runs on opening weekend, with an average exit velocity of 105.6 mph. In his first three collegiate baseball games, he went 9 for 14 at the plate with 12 RBI and a 1.788 slugging percentage — not OPS — which meant he was equally as likely to hit a home run as he was to not get on base. "B.J. HILL was one of the key offseason acquisi- tions for the Bengals that helped propel them to a Super Bowl appearance. In just his first year in Cincinnati, the defensive tackle registered 5.5 sacks and a career-high [46] tackles in 16 games played. He carried over that strong level of play into the playoffs where he added 1.5 sacks and recorded an interception. The 26-year-old is a well- rounded presence along the defensive line that can stuff the run, and make an impact at attacking the quarterback on occasion." — CBSSports.com on ranking the former NC State defensive lineman No. 22 among its top 25 defensive free agents Landing six four- star signees helped make this NC State's highest-ranked recruiting class in a decade, but the quantity of contributors has been as impressive as the quality. Dave Doeren and his staff brought in 15 players in this cycle who've started games. "[Alim] McNeill was a first-team selection for The Athletic's 2020 All- America team. … [Tanner] Ingle has developed into a four-year starter and first- team All-ACC performer, and [Payton] Wilson, when healthy, is one of the con- ference's best defenders. They found a QB to build around in [Devin] Leary and had a strong hit-rate on in-state takes, includ- ing McNeill, Wilson, [Tyler] Baker-Williams, Devin Carter, Ricky Person Jr. and Christopher Dunn. "NC State looks poised for a big 2022 season with so many of these players returning." — The Athletic on listing the Wolfpack's 2018 recruiting class 18th nationally in a February 2022 re-ranking of the nation's top classes. Per the On3 Consensus team rankings, NC State's class originally checked in 32nd nationally.