The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
56 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY RYAN TICE N C State did not win an ACC game last season under first-year head coach Dave Doeren. The Wolf- pack needs to improve in every area after ranking in the bottom half of the ACC in almost all the major statistical categories. The Pack's spring roster features just 27 scholarship athletes in their junior or senior year of eligibility, while 35 are in their first two seasons. Another 22 freshmen are expected to arrive in the summer, meaning several new contributors should make an impact for the team in 2014. The Wolfpacker examines five position groups that need to step up in a major way this spring in order for NCSU to find suc- cess next fall. ■ Quarterback The signal-caller position is probably the most important on the field, and Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett has had the spot- light on him ever since head coach Dave Doeren basically named the redshirt junior the starter for 2014 as soon as he arrived on campus. However, expectations are nothing new for the former four-star recruit. Last year, the Pack rotated between two quarterbacks, and the old adage "if you have two quarterbacks, you have none" could not have been truer. Injuries were in part to blame, but Brandon Mitchell and Pete Thomas — who will transfer follow- ing his graduation this spring — could not give the team any consistency under center. NCSU finished with 2,890 passing yards on the year to rank ninth in the league, and had 14 touchdown throws (tied for 10th in the ACC) and 15 interceptions. Brissett, who started games in back- to-back weeks at No. 1 LSU and No. 24 Auburn as a true freshman, appeared in 13 games with three starts for the Gators before he transferred last January. He took part in spring practices and then directed the NCSU scout team in practice against the starting defense last fall. He was named the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year, and will be the unquestioned No. 1 entering spring workouts. ■ Linebacker The Wolfpack defense struggled last year in several aspects, but the only ACC team that allowed more than State's 180.2 rushing yards per game last year was North Carolina, at 182.5 ground yards per con- test. The Pack also tied for second-worst in the ACC with 26 rushing touchdowns allowed. Simply put, the front seven must be bet- ter. There are some promising pieces up front with minimal significant losses. How- ever, that is not the story at linebacker, where State must replace two starters in- cluding middle backer Robert Caldwell, the only State player to earn any All-ACC laurels (honorable mention) in 2013. The remaining athletes in the middle of the defense are unproven outside of se- nior Brandon Pittman. The Raleigh native emerged as the starter on the weakside over the team's final four games, and totaled 37 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks during that stretch. He finished fourth on the squad last year and leads all returners with 62 tackles, which included seven stops behind the line of scrimmage and a trio of sacks. Junior M.J. Salahuddin began preseason camp at the top of the depth chart in the middle before he was moved to the weak- side, where he battled Pittman for playing time all year. He started four times last sea- Redshirt junior Jacoby Brissett, who was named the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2013, will be counted on to improve NC State's quarterback play this season. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN SPRINGING FORWARD The Five Position Groups That Must Step Up For The Pack 56,58.Spring Football.indd 56 2/25/14 3:42 PM