The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472609
JULY/AUGUST 2022 ■ 55 safety from West Jefferson, N.C., was a three-year member of the Wolfpack scout team, Sinford had played just two snaps all season long but found himself on the field for a couple of plays. An errant pass bounced off his hands for what could have been his only career interception, and he recorded his only tackle as a college football player. Teammate Danny Young wrote Sin- ford's name on a whiteboard and egged on the crowd to chant "Rudy ... Rudy … Rudy," mimicking the line made famous in the movie of the same name that told the unlikely tale of a Notre Dame walk- on and his 27 seconds of playing time against Georgia Tech in 1975. Sinford reveled in his bright moment of fame. He gained almost as much at- tention as Burnette, who made the big- gest defensive play of the game early in the second quarter with a hit that knocked Notre Dame quarterback Car- lyle Holiday out of the game, or fellow defensive back Rod Johnson, who inter- cepted three Notre Dame passes in the final game of his career. Not only did Amato and his charges beat the Fighting Irish, they over- whelmed a college football icon. "Those guys will always have some- thing to tell about that game and that season," Amato said. The Longest Season One hundred thirty-one days. Eigh- teen weeks and five days. That's how long the 2002 season lasted, from the Aug. 24 season-open- ing win over New Mexico in the Black Coaches Association Classic at Carter- Finley Stadium to the 28-6 domination of the Fighting Irish on the first day of 2003. In between, the Wolfpack (11-3, 5-3 ACC) went from a team that was heavily doubted to one that proved it belonged on the national stage, despite an early schedule that was softer than a week- old banana. Including the New Mexico game, the Wolfpack had a low-rise slope into the season, with Division I-AA victories over East Tennessee State and Massa- chusetts bookending wins over Navy, Wake Forest and a wild overtime win at Texas Tech, in which McLendon was supposed to get the first start of his ca- reer but was held out of the first series because he was late for a team meeting. All McLendon did in the 51-48 vic- tory was score a school-record-tying 5 touchdowns, carrying the ball 32 times for 150 yards. He ran every Wolfpack play in overtime, scoring for the final time on an 8-yard run that provided the winning margin. "I like touchdowns," McLendon said after the game. Against Massachusetts, McLendon suffered a broken wrist that could have spelled disaster for an offense that be- gan the season with one of the nation's best quarterbacks and wide receivers but no experience in its rushing game. Instead, McLendon had surgery, wore a cast on his right hand and bulldozed North Carolina at Kenan Stadium. McLendon ran over so many Tar Heels for so long — 22 times for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns — he threw up his breakfast on the Kenan sidelines. A win over Duke gave the Wolfpack a perfect record against its Big Four breth- ren and an undefeated mark in the ACC, setting up a rivalry showdown at Clem- son. Just before the season began, ESPN had picked up the game for its Thurs- day night showcase, mainly because of the head coaching matchup. Amato and Tommy Bowden were both Bobby Bowden disciples, and they had engaged in some verbal sparring after the 2001 game in Raleigh. By the time the game rolled around, the Wolfpack had eight wins, no losses and skeptics galore. Some even called the Pack "a fraud." That night in Memorial Stadium, Am- ato and his team shut up the chirpy or- ange fans, putting an exclamation point on the 38-6 whipping when Cotchery, the junior wide receiver, gathered in an onsides kick and ran it back for a touch- down. McLendon ran for a career-best 178 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Wolf- The Wolfpack had never faced Notre Dame before its 28-6 romp in the 2003 Gator Bowl. The teams have met twice in the years since, with NC State prevailing 10-3 in Raleigh in 2016 and the Irish winning 35-14 in South Bend the following year. PHOTO BY MIKE PITTMAN