The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532241
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN t's not the Saturday night lights or the thousands of screaming fans that inspire Kurt Roper's offensive mind. Sure, devising efficient game plans and scoring points are the ultimate objectives. But for Roper, quiet midweek practice fields are where the heavy lifting takes place. That's where he sets himself apart. Whether it was at Ole Miss, where fu- ture Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning was his prized student, or at Duke, where he got his start as an of- fensive coordinator, Roper has always shown a unique ability to run a practice session. It's something that sticks with nearly every person who has crossed paths with him over the years. "When I think of him, I don't think of a moment in a game, I think of practice," said David Cutcliffe, former head coach at Ole Miss and Duke. "I think of Kurt's intensity to get it right. That carried right through to the players." Cutcliffe was Roper's boss during the early stages of his 29-year coaching ca- reer and believes his protege's approach to practice is what led to his success as an offensive coordinator at Duke, Florida and South Carolina, and what has now put him in position to excel in a similar role at NC State. "I've watched Kurt Roper get his de- mands met. If you tell somebody to run through the line, you mean it. You see that it gets done," Cutcliffe said. "That's what makes me believe in Kurt so deeply — the fact that it's going to get done properly." I UPWARDLY MOBILE New Coordinator Kurt Roper Looks To Elevate NC State's Offense Roper was named NC State's offensive coordinator in late December. He's been a part of the Wolfpack staff since 2019 when he came aboard as quarterbacks coach after stints at Colorado, South Carolina, Florida and Duke, among others. PHOTO BY GREGG FORWERCK/NC STATE FOOTBALL