The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 ■ 25 "[It was] kind of special seeing some of the players back out there — Payton, [redshirt sophomore defensive tackle] C.J. Clark, Isaiah Moore, so many of them un- fortunately," Doeren said. "To have them back on the grass … it's a great feeling as a coach to see those guys and the emotions some of them had coming out there again, putting the helmet on." There are not many, if any, linebacker corps as experienced as the one that is slated to start for NC State this fall. Moore, Thomas and Wilson have played a combined 11 seasons at Carter-Finley Stadium and now have the chance to make history in their final year together. The opportunity to do what few Wolf- pack squads have done before — win 10 games in a season — was taken from the team last year when UCLA withdrew from the Holiday Bowl. Moore is looking for- ward to having the chance to reach that milestone again. It would help elevate the program to a place he hoped to take it when he arrived on campus in 2017. "When we all came to NC State, we wanted to put it in a place it's never been before," Moore said at ACC Kickoff in July. Moore, a graduate student, picked up honorable mention All-ACC honors last year despite missing the end of the season with a knee injury. Through seven games, he had been leading the team in tackles for loss with 5, but he was forced to sit out the team's final five contests, an emotionally difficult experience. "It definitely humbled me tremen- dously," he said. "I put a lot of hopes and dreams into last season. To have it taken away from me was tragic and humbling and emotional, really just to be frank." When it came down to choosing to pur- sue an NFL career or return for one last run with the Pack, Moore chose NC State. He attacked rehab with the same passion and intensity that helped him develop from a three-star recruit with only one ACC offer into one of the best linebackers in the nation. Moore returned to the field for the first day of practice feeling healthy and with a rejuvenated mindset. "It definitely reignited a passion about how much I love the game and how much I really, really want this to be my life career," he said. "It's just continuing to spark, and I plan to use that as my fuel this season." The linebacker is excited to share the field with his teammates again. He made sure to credit everyone who helped him throughout the rehab process. "It's a surreal feeling," Moore said. "All of the work that I put in to get my body to the way it is now, shout out to our train- ing staff for putting me in position to get healthy and to be great. My support cast around me, my family, my brothers, my brothers on the team. They've been great, man. I'm especially ready to be back with them." 'It's Going To Be So Much Fun' One of the 10 athletes Moore will line up beside this season is Thomas, a fourth- year linebacker who is actually the most inexperienced of the group compared to Moore's six-year tenure and Wilson's five years in Raleigh. For the second half of last year, Thomas was the only member of the trio still healthy and on the field. NC State's defense continued to oper- ate at a high level despite the numerous injuries. In three of the five matchups af- ter Moore's injury, the Pack held its op- ponents under 20 points and finished that stretch with a 4-1 record. While Thomas and the rest of the group showed that the defense could withstand a few injuries, he is pumped to have the team healthy and reunited on the turf this fall. "It's going to be so much fun to get back out there with the guys and compete," Thomas said at ACC Kickoff. "It got taken Super senior Isaiah Moore was an honorable mention All-ACC choice last season despite missing the Wolfpack's final five games with a knee injury. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 2022 Football Schedule Date Opponent (TV) Time Sept. 3 at East Carolina (ESPN) 12 p.m. Sept. 10 Charleston Southern (RSN) 12:30 p.m. Sept. 17 Texas Tech (ESPN2) 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Connecticut TBA Oct. 1 at Clemson TBA Oct. 8 Florida State TBA Oct. 15 at Syracuse TBA Oct. 27 Virginia Tech (ESPN) 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 Wake Forest TBA Nov. 12 Boston College TBA Nov. 19 at Louisville TBA Nov. 25 at North Carolina TBA Dec. 3 ACC Championship^ TBA ^ at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.