The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MAY/JUNE 2026 ■ 41 ger part of the offense this coming fall. The 5-foot-10, 215-pounder from Stock- bridge, Ga., is in line to receive substan- tially more carries and will be asked to set the tone for the running backs room. The Pack has another running back with comparable experience in junior Da- vion Gause, but all of his 128 career carries and 585 rushing yards came as a North Carolina Tar Heel; he's new to NC State after transferring in January. The team's other running backs — Deandre Desinor and Dylan McCoy — will have freshman eligibility this fall. The composition of the running backs room has thrust Scott into a leadership role, and he's stepped outside of his com- fort zone this spring to meet that obliga- tion. "I just try to be the best leader that I personally can be," he said. "I know I'm different from a lot of guys, so I've just got to do the best I can." An Eye-Opening Start Scott isn't trying to replicate the lead- ership style of anyone he's played with or learned from in the past. He just wants to be himself. By being authentic, he be- lieves he can ensure that his message will resonate with the players around him. Scott is also looking to refine an athletic skill set that has already opened a lot of eyes at NC State. He looks bigger on the field after another winter in the weight room, and his innate ability to find the open gap is as evident as ever. Last fall, Scott showcased an elusive- ness that marked him as a player to watch going forward. He forced 41 missed tack- les, and he expects that total to rise this fall. Along the way, he showed that he's not intimidated by college-level competition. Scott knows he belongs in the ACC af- ter proving so last fall — especially in the wake of a 196-yard outburst in the Pack's 48-36 upset win over then-No. 8 Georgia Tech on Nov. 1. "Physically, it's similar to high school a little bit. It's more of a situation where I know I'm just as strong as these guys, just as fast," Scott said. "That's what last year showed me. This year, I'm just working to get faster, stronger and getting ready to finish my runs." Doeren has seen Scott's play only rise as he's looked to build on a quality redshirt freshman campaign. "He's playing fast. You can see guys that have banked game reps and how that helps them," Doeren said. "Success helps your confidence, and he had a lot of suc- cess last year. Moving up the depth chart as he has, he's worked really hard this offseason." Leading By Example NC State will lean on Scott's ability to establish a quality running game. And with the 5-11, 212-pound Gause serving as a complement to his skill set, NC State looks to have the potential for a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield moving for- ward. The Wolfpack coaching staff knows what it's going to get from Scott on the field. It's his off-the-field growth that excites everyone around the program this offseason. He's not a finished product in that area of his development, by any means, but Scott knows exactly what he wants his leadership style to look like. "It's a guy who can lead by example," he said, "and who knows what to say at the right time and is able to bring a group with them when things go wrong." If he can become that type of leader by the time fall camp opens this summer, NC State will be more than eager to see the new version of its top back in full force on the field. ■ " He's playing fast. You can see guys that have banked game reps and how that helps them. Success helps your confidence, and he had a lot of success last year. Moving up the depth chart as he has, he's worked really hard this offseason." Coach Dave Doeren On Scott Scott averaged 5.5 yards per carry while backing up Hollywood Smothers as a redshirt freshman last fall. With Smothers now gone, Scott is in line to be the Pack's top running back in 2026. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS