The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1506671
32 ■ THE WOLFPACKER plaining the overall culture around the university. "She described it as they're like the Texas A&M of North Carolina with how dedicated their fans are and how loyal they are to NC State and how supportive they are," Rozner said. The receiver committed on July 17, choosing the Pack after a brief recruit- ment in which about 20 programs reached out to him. He picked the Wolf- pack over Colorado and Washington State, a decision that brought an end to the barrage of phone calls he received from interested coaches. "I was on the phone from 9 a.m. to like 7 p.m. every day," Rozner said. After his commitment, the calls were replaced by a massive wave of support via social media from Wolfpack Na- tion. The high level of fan engagement was one of the reasons why NC State emerged as the winner in the battle for his services. Also factoring into his decision was the coaching staff. Rozner wanted to play in coordinator Robert Anae's of- fense, and he was eager to team up with a proven quarterback in graduate trans- fer Brennan Armstrong. "I just felt like NC State was the obvi- ous choice for me," Rozner said. Stretching The Field While his recruitment was short, the road that brought Rozner from Need- ville (Texas) High to Raleigh was long and winding. "It's been a journey," he said. "I couldn't have predicted any of it. It's taught me a lot about perseverance and believing in yourself, and I'm grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point." Tony Shields, NC State's director of college personnel and scouting, was the first staff member to reach out to the graduate student, and receivers coach Joker Phillips started building a rela- tionship with him from there. Rozner has a solid connection with his new po- sition coach. "We've kind of bonded over my age," Rozner said. "He actually sent me a text saying that I need to sign up for AARP, which I thought was hilarious. "He's a great dude, he's genuine and he means well. I can't wait to learn from him, because he's got a lot of ex- perience." The jokes from the NC State posi- tion coach continued once he arrived on campus. "Every day in the room, he says I graduated with him," Rozner said. On the field, Rozner has experience playing in a spread offense from his junior college and high school careers. The receiver knows he can fill a need for the Wolfpack. "They said they need a big guy who can stretch the field vertically," Ro- zner said. "Obviously, I believe and I've shown that is something I can do." Doeren echoed that sentiment, ex- plaining what Rozner adds to NC State's offense corps. "We've been looking for a taller re- ceiver since Devin Carter decided to leave the team [after the 2022 season]. Rozner is eager to find a role in coordinator Robert Anae's offense. "I like the quick pace and getting the ball out," he said. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS " I've gotten a lot of support about this whole ordeal, and I've gotten a lot of negative comments. I laugh at that kind of stuff because I think it's funny. If I didn't think I could do it, I wouldn't be here. " Rozner