The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546417
32 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN C State head football c o a c h D a ve D o e r e n chuckled when he was reminded recently that this season is the first s i n ce 2 02 2 i n wh i c h he won't have Caden Noonkester as his punter. The f l o w i n g l o c k s o f N o o n k e s te r 's curly brown mullet that peeked out from his helmet won't be seen around the Wolfpack's practice facility anymore, nor will they appear in a jersey reveal video this fall. It will take some getting used to for Doeren. After all, it's been four years since anyone else punted a ball for the Wolfpack. Noonkester earned the start- ing job over the last four games of his redshirt freshman season and never surrendered it. He became a special- teams fixture, developing into the face of the Wolfpack kicking game with his outgoing personality and ability to seemingly roll with whatever happened in front of him. With Noonkester out of eligibility, NC State looked to the transfer portal this past offseason. It didn't take long for the Wolfpack to identify its top target; the staff turned its full attention to Ar- kansas State transfer Jackson Waller and quickly closed the deal. Waller, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound junior from Katy, Texas, brings a strong ré- sumé to his new job, having shined for the Red Wolves last fall. He also brings a different personality to the team than his long-tenured predecessor. "Caden was kind of a free spirit," Do- eren acknowledged. "Jackson is pretty locked in all the time. He has his rou- tine and knows what he's doing. He's a pretty easy guy to have on the roster." 'I Proved I Belong' Waller is a serious individual. He's fo- cused on the task at hand, which this N PURPOSE PURPOSE BUILT BUILT Jackson Waller Brings A Businesslike Approach To NC State's Punting Duties — And Business Is Booming