The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546417
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Davion Gause was no stranger to NC State. He battled against the Wolfpack defense for the past two seasons as one of North Carolina's go-to running backs under both Mack Brown and Bill Belichick. During his preparations for facing the Pack, Gause was able to draw a few conclusions about head coach Dave Doeren's program that jumped off the film. "What stuck out the most to me was how physical the guys were when we were playing," Gause said, "and how much pride they had going out on the field and playing for the Wolfpack." In January, Gause entered the transfer portal after two years in Chapel Hill. NC State took notice right away and began recruiting the rising junior in hope of reuniting him with junior quarterback CJ Bailey, his childhood friend and high school teammate at Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep. Bailey was eager to have Gause as a teammate once again, and their con- nection helped bring the veteran running back into the fold. Gause, whose nickname is "Bullet," ended up committing to the Wolfpack after a brief pe- riod on the open market. With his departure for Raleigh, the 5-foot-11, 217-pound ball carrier be- came the first UNC-to-NC State football transfer since offensive lineman Heath Woods in 1993. Former safety Jakeen Harris was the first to go from NC State to UNC in the transfer portal era, doing so ahead of the 2024 campaign. Gause has enjoyed trading in Carolina blue for the Wolfpack's distinct shade of red. "It's been a good experience," he said during preseason camp. "Seeing where we were in the spring and getting back out here on the field, all the guys are flying around and making plays, so it's been fun overall." At North Carolina, Gause was part of a running back rotation that lacked consistency following Belichick's arrival. He totaled 61 carries for 259 yards and 3 touchdowns last fall, while also catching 16 passes for 132 yards and 2 more scores. Those modest numbers didn't reflect the potential he had dis- played at Chaminade-Madonna, where he recorded 4,936 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns in his prolific high school career. NC State, meanwhile, added Gause to pair with junior running back Jayden "Duke" Scott this season. Scott, who will wear the No. 1 jersey this fall, is the lead tailback. Gause is expected to earn a significant share of the carries as well, though he didn't have any attempts in the opener against Virginia, a game in which 16 of the team's 24 carries were by quarterbacks. The Opa-locka, Fla., native is thrilled to be teaming up with Scott. "I feel like it's good to have two workhorses in the backfield, because we can wear defenses out," said Gause, whose physicality and pass-catching prowess figure to complement Scott's skill set. "They ain't going to tackle us all game." Being in a two-back rotation seemed to delight Gause. He will have a clear understanding of how NC State wants to divide the carries, and the split should keep both backs' legs fairly fresh through the grind of a 12-game regu- lar season. "A running back can play the whole game, but you won't go 100 percent every play," Gause said. "You can go out of the game and know that your brother is stepping in and there's no drop-off when you get into the game. It's good having me and Duke in the backfield, and other guys in the room that can step in and play, to make it a running back by committee." Bailey is just as eager to see the rushing attack establish itself this fall. After all, the quarterback has been seeing what Gause can do since they were both playing in South Florida, while Scott proved his capabilities with a pair of 100-plus-yard performances in his two starts in place of Hollywood Smothers last year. Put simply, Bailey has no problem giving the ball to his running backs. "I don't have any doubt about what's going on in the running game or what's in the backfield. They're going to have a good one-two punch," Bailey said. "It's going to be hard to tackle both of them all day. On a lot of these RPOs, just letting them run it is fine with me, because I know they're going to make something happen with the ball." Gause has had a "different experience" at NC State than he did at UNC. From a "player-led" leadership that he's proud to be a part of to the hard, tough, together culture that Doeren has instilled inside the Murphy Center, Gause has enjoyed what appears to be a smooth transition to the Wolfpack. And, yes, he's looking forward to being on the Raleigh side of the intra- state battle when NC State visits Kenan Memorial Stadium in November. "I've seen how NC State treats the rivalry and how UNC treats the rivalry," Gause said. "It's good to see both sides, but this side is better." — Noah Fleischman Transfer To NC State Gives Davion Gause A New Perspective Gause transferred to NC State in January after rushing for 585 yards and 7 touchdowns on 128 carries in two seasons at North Carolina. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS