The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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30 ■ THE WOLFPACKER He changed how he worked out and his diet to shed the unwanted weight. "I feel great and 200 times better than I did last year," Dayes said. "I was always getting tired and now I have more energy. I've changed tremendously since last year. I feel a lot stronger and my endurance is up." Dayes proved in spurts that he could make something happen in both the run game and pass game last year. Dayes rushed for a season-high 84 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries in a 40- 14 win over Louisiana Tech in the season opener. He also tallied 43 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards (and a score) in the 23-21 win over Richmond the following week. In addition, Dayes contributed a 44-yard reception at Duke Nov. 9 and a 61-yard catch at Boston College Nov. 16 toward the end of the season. "I did a lot of catching the ball in high school and I think I had some of the best hands on the team," Dayes said. "That has just carried over to college. I have great hands." Dayes is confident he's going to have a great sophomore season and establish his role. The former Rivals.com three-star back is used to carrying the load. He rushed for 1,864 yards and 31 touchdowns on 237 carries, and had at least 150 yards in every game his senior year in leading Weston (Fla.) Cypress Bay High to an 8A state runner-up finish. Dayes hopes to get into a running rhythm, like he did for Cypress Bay. "My confidence just builds up and I feel like I'm unstoppable," Dayes said. The 5-11, 213-pound Creecy has rushed for 983 yards and seven touchdowns on 272 carries in his Wolfpack career. He be- gan last year as the starter when Thornton was previously suspended, but his role de- creased after the first two games, while battling a turf toe injury. He went for 103 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries during the first two contests, but just 22 yards on 17 carries the rest of the way. "Creecy can do it all efficiently and is a thicker back for us," Kitchings said. "He has done a good job as well." Creecy was a star wide receiver at South- ern Durham High, but converted to running back at NC State. He has caught 71 passes for 412 yards and five touchdowns in his three years at NCSU. Creecy feels healthy and confident that his speed and explosiveness are back, evi- denced by squatting 465 pounds. "I'm 100 percent healthy after be- ing plagued by this turf toe injury," said Creecy, who has already earned his NCSU degree. "It just would not let me use my explosiveness. I had a great spring." Creecy said he could barely walk and had to use walking boots to help get through the injury. He would run more with his feet than his toes. "It was very frustrating because even when you think it's 100 percent healthy, it would flare up on me," Creecy said. "This spring, it never did that. I can't wait to show that off." Kitchings is excited about all of his backs, including redshirt freshman speed- ster Dakwa Nichols, who sports a 40-inch vertical jump and runs a 4.4-second 40- yard dash. Nichols just needs more confi- dence in his abilities. "Nichols is also steadily progressing," Kitchings said. "He isn't where we want him to be yet, but he has shown us flashes of some of the things that he can do. He is a fast kid and is quick." The depth at running back has allowed NC State to play prized freshman Jaylen Samuels at fullback/tight end. Last year, the 5-11, 240-pound Charlotte Mallard Creek High superstar rushed for 1,404 yards and 39 touchdowns on just 109 car- ries, plus caught 49 passes for 932 yards and 16 scores. "Watching Jaylen out here, he's a versa- tile kid who can do some things," Kitchings said. "If we need him in a pinch, we can certainly do that." ■ Matt Dayes saw action as a true freshman last season, rushing for 252 yards and four touch- downs. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Fifth-year senior Tony Creecy, who has rushed for 983 yards and seven scores in his career, said he is fully recovered from a turf toe injury that hampered him a year ago. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN