The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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Tiger defenders miss, was one of the high- lights of State's season. 17. Offensive guard Duran Christophe The redshirt sophomore was tasked with the responsibility of replacing redshirt ju- nior Andrew Wallace at left guard. Wallace was the full-time starter in 2010, but he tore his ACL in the bowl preparations last December and was not ready by the start of the season. Christophe put a scare into NC State when he had to have a torn meniscus surgi- cally repaired in August, but he returned in time to have a solid season, giving up just one sack in 12 starts, which came in the season opener to Liberty Sept. 3. 18. Linebacker Dwayne Maddox With injuries to Manning and then-soph- omore D.J. Green, Maddox's versatility and experience proved a huge help in the linebacker corps. He ended up starting five games and finishing with 42 tackles, in- cluding a career-high six for loss. Maddox, a senior, had 5.5 career tackles for loss entering this season. Maddox's best game came in NC State's 28-14 win at Virginia Oct. 22. He made seven tackles, including one for loss. 19. Running back Tony Creecy Creecy emerged against Georgia Tech Oct. 1 as a viable second option at running back, rushing 12 times for 77 yards. He finished the year with 99 carries for 366 yards and a score, and he also proved to be a receiving threat out of the backfield with 25 receptions for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Creecy's best receiving game came in the regular-season finale against Maryland, a 56-41 win. Creecy, a redshirt freshman, caught eight passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns. 20. Wide receiver Jay Smith Smith, the most highly touted recruit in NC State's 2007 class, had his best season during his fifth-year senior campaign. He caught 36 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns. Smith set career highs with six receptions for 63 yards and a score in the win over Maryland that clinched bowl eligibility. Smith's numbers in 2011 dwarf his ca- reer totals of 22 catches for 211 yards and one touchdown over his first three seasons. 21. Defensive lineman Brian Slay Slay's versatility proved to be a sig- nificant asset to the defensive line while they battled through injuries all year. Slay started the first four games at defensive tackle, and after missing the Georgia Tech contest Oct. 1 with an ankle injury he started the next seven at defensive end. The junior finished with 20 tackles, in- cluding five for loss and three sacks. He also had five quarterback hurries, two fum- ble recoveries and a forced fumble. Slay was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after he had six tack- les, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 52 yards for a touchdown, in the season-opening win over Liberty Sept. 3. 22. Defensive lineman Darryl Cato-Bishop Cato-Bishop, a redshirt sophomore, per- formed well in his first season as a primary starter at defensive end, although he also played some defensive tackle this fall. He started the season strong with three sacks and six quarterback hurries in the first three games before being slowed with a hand injury. Cato-Bishop also finished well. His in- terception sealed the shutout over UNC Nov. 5, and he had two sacks in the win over Clemson Nov. 19. He concluded the regular season with 25 tackles, including five sacks, 11 quar- terback hurries, one forced fumble and the one interception. He was second on the team in sacks. 23. Offensive lineman Mikel Overgaard Overgaard, a fifth-year senior, won the battle to start at right tackle during the preseason, but it was his versatility that landed him a spot in the top 25. Overgaard, who started all 12 games, could play every position on the line except center. He saw extensive playing time at both left tackle and left guard, in particular. 24. Cornerback C.J. Wilson Wilson, a redshirt junior, had to battle this season to hold onto his starting job after he started all 13 games last year. First he lost the position to redshirt sophomore Jarvis Byrd in the spring before Byrd tore his ACL over the summer. Then Wilson's at times inconsistent play helped lead to redshirt sophomore Rashard Smith getting three starts at corner. Wil- son, though, closed the season on a high note, breaking up a pass and returning an interception for the final touchdown of the regular season against Maryland Nov. 26. Wilson's three career pick-sixes tie him with former NC State corner Marcus Hud- son for the most in school history. Wilson finished 2011 with 28 tackles. 25. Linebacker D.J. Green Green would have almost surely been higher on this list had he not missed four of the last five games, and the bulk of the other, with injuries. Green, a converted sophomore safety, Redshirt freshman running back Tony Creecy totaled 99 carries for 366 yards and a touchdown, along with 25 catches for 137 yards and three scores, leading into NC State's bowl game. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN had 33 tackles, five stops for loss and a sack, a pass breakup and interception be- fore getting hurt. In his final four games before the injuries, Green had 21 tackles, including five hits for loss. ■ JANUARY 2012 ■ 25