The Wolfpacker

July 2014 - Football Preview

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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50 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL 2014 BY JACEY ZEMBAL N C State has made it clear who the quarterback is going to be for the next two years, if everything falls into place. The Wolfpack rotated Pete Thomas, Brandon Mitchell and Bryant Shirreffs last year, and the position was uncertain from game to game en route to a 3-9 overall record. Mitchell exhausted his eligibility, Thomas earned his degree and transferred to Louisiana-Monroe, and Shirre- ffs elected to transfer in June. Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett — who sat out last season and has two years of eligibility remaining — is the reason for optimism. He was a decorated prep player out of West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer High and was recruited by an up-and-coming young coach at Wisconsin at the time. That coach was Dave Doeren, who was the defensive coordinator for the Badgers, and later became head coach for Northern Il- linois before coming to NC State. Brissett, whom Rivals.com ranked as the No. 75 overall player in the country and No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2011, ended up picking Florida due in part to then-offensive co- ordinator Charlie Weiss. However, Weiss was a one and done in Gainesville, Fla., and was hired to be Kansas' head coach. Brissett ended up in a heated quarterback battle with Jeff Driskel in the spring of 2012, with the latter winning the job and guiding the Gators to an 11-2 record and Sugar Bowl berth. Brissett earned one start that season in a 23-0 win over Jacksonville State, but he knew the odds weren't stacked in his favor. He left Florida after two years, and Doeren quickly re-entered the picture. Brissett narrowed his second recruitment to NC State and West Virginia, and from the mo- ment he announced for the Wolfpack on Jan. 16, 2013, it has been clear who was going to be quarterback for the 2014 season. "Jacoby had a very good spring and con- tinues to work here this summer," NC State offensive coordinator Matt Canada said. "He is a highly motivated guy who wants to do well. We are excited to see him play for us this fall and what he can bring to our offense." Brissett started three games and played in 13 at Florida. He went 41-of-74 passing for 455 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions, and rushed 20 times for three yards and three scores. Expectations haven't been over the top for Brissett, but they are sizable. Canada has been impressed with Brissett's ability to adapt to his new surroundings, but cautioned that the quarterback position sometimes gets too much of the credit or too much of the blame depending on the outcome of games. "There is a reason only certain guys play quarterback," Canada Year-By-Year Passing Stats Year Comp. Att. Yards TD INT 2013 249 426 2,890 14 15 2012 330 569 4,031 31 17 2011 291 466 3,120 32 12 2010 319 545 3,655 28 14 2009 248 421 3,275 32 13 2008 197 392 2,678 20 14 2007 281 502 2,948 14 23 2006 196 379 2,188 10 16 2005 183 335 2,282 14 14 2004 191 343 2,222 10 16 QUARTERBACKS CLEAR CHOICE Jacoby Brissett Is Set To Direct The Wolfpack Attack Quarterback Roster STARTER No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 12 Jacoby Brissett R-Jr. 6-4 236 West Palm Beach, Fla. The former Florida reserve passed for 455 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions in 13 games during his two years in Gainesville, Fla. Brissett has played in a pair of Kay Yow Spring Games at NC State, passing for 365 yards and two scores this April, and 59 yards and a score in 2013. RESERVES No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 11 Garrett Leatham R-Jr. 6-4 221 Apex, N.C. Leatham was 9-of-17 passing for 146 yards with a touchdown in three games last year. The 2012 redshirt was a gunslinger in high school at Apex (N.C.) Middle Creek before walking on at NCSU. Leatham passed for 3,395 yards and 24 touchdowns his senior year, and 3,855 yards and 36 scores his junior year. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 2 Jalan McClendon Fr. 6-5 195 Charlotte, N.C. NC State earned McClendon's commitment May 16, 2013, and Tennessee tried and failed to flip him during a visit last fall. He also earned offers from North Carolina, Miami, Florida State, Wake Forest, Virginia, East Carolina, Charlotte and South Carolina State. 5 Josh Taylor So. 5-11 190 New Bern, N.C. Taylor was brought to NC State as a preferred walk-on and played in two games last year, posting one incompletion and rushing twice for minus-four yards. He helped lead New Bern High to a 4A state title, going 155-of-246 passing for 2,665 yards with 25 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,159 yards and 17 scores. Quick Facts Position Coach: Matt Canada (2nd season) Returning Starters: None Starters Lost: Brandon Mitchell (6 career starts) and Pete Thomas (6) FYI: Athlon named Florida redshirt junior quarterback transfer Jacoby Brissett one of the 14 "Quarterbacks On The Move" to watch this season … Athlon also ranked NC State's quarterbacks No. 7 in the ACC … Sporting News selected Bris- sett as one of 10 "Transfers To Watch" in college football … Lindy's named Brissett the "top newcomer" for NC State … Brissett was a decorated two-sport standout at West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer High. He led the football squad to a state title his junior year, and a 12-2 mark and the state semifinals his senior year. He also led the basketball program to a state title his senior season while posting averages of 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Brissett poured in 30 points in an upset of famed Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep in the ESPN RISE National High School Invitational … Brissett chose NC State over West Virginia during his second recruitment … Rivals.com ranked Charlotte West Mecklenburg quarter- back Jalan McClendon as the No. 15 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 18 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2014 … McClendon represented North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. At the Shrine Bowl combine in Charlotte, the 6-5, 195-pounder clocked 5.16 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and he jumped 30.6 inches on the vertical jump … McClendon passed for around 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions, his senior year for 9-3 West Mecklenburg. He followed by gong 16-of-24-passing for 164 yards in the aforementioned Shrine Bowl … McClendon also was selected to the International Bowl in Arlington, Texas. ■ By The Numbers 3 Yards on Jacoby Brissett's last touchdown pass, a short toss to then-Florida team- mate Quinton Dunbar in an eventual 27-20 win over UL-Lafayette on Nov. 10, 2012, in Gainesville. 9 NC State's ranking in ACC-only games for passing yards per contest (221.6) amongst 14 league squads last year. NCSU threw for 1,773 yards in eight ACC games. 146 Passing yards returning from last year, with redshirt junior Garrett Leatham tossing for 146 yards. 50-52.QBs.indd 50 6/27/14 11:52 AM

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