The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/49933
missing this season with a foot injury. Greene led the 2010 squad with 597 yards and four touchdowns on 134 carries, plus 30 receptions for 272 and two scores. Sophomore Tyler Purvis and redshirt freshman Logan Winkles have filled in for the injured Taylor Gentry this season at fullback, and will continue their competi- tion in the offseason. The offensive line should be in great shape with the return of four starters, plus one former starter and a key reserve. Red- shirt junior left tackle R.J. Mattes, redshirt sophomore left guard Duran Christophe, junior center Camden Wentz and redshirt junior right guard Zach Allen all return from the starting lineup. Former starting left guard Andrew Wal- lace, a redshirt junior who had his 2011 campaign altered by knee surgery a year ago, will bolster the group. NC State returns seven starters from its defense, but some of the reserves have past starting experience. The Wolfpack also remain hopeful that redshirt sopho- more cornerback Jarvis Byrd will make a successful return from a second knee injury that wiped out his 2011 campaign. The top four defensive ends return, led by redshirt freshman Art Norman and junior Brian Slay. Redshirt sophomore Darryl Cato-Bishop played some of his best football down the stretch, and junior McKay Frandsen will be a full year re- moved from junior college football. Norman enters the bowl game with 25 tackles, nine tackles for loss, six sacks and 30 quarterback pressures, while Slay has 20 tackles and three sacks in 11 games. Both Slay and Cato-Bishop have also played defensive tackle in the past. The Wolfpack returns backup defensive tackles Thomas Teal, a redshirt freshman, and freshman T.Y. McGill, who have one start apiece. NC State always likes to play its best linebacker in the middle, which could mean a position change for redshirt junior weakside linebacker Terrell Manning. He enters the bowl game with 77 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two in- terceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 10 games. The Wolfpack welcomes back a pair of linebackers from injury. Sophomore strongside linebacker D.J. Green had 33 tackles and one interception, but had his season end after seven games due to a toe injury. Senior middle linebacker Sterling Lucas suffered a season-ending knee in- jury in August and redshirted this past season. The secondary should be the strength of the defense with all four starters back, plus potentially three other players who will push for playing time. Sophomore cornerback David Amerson will be the face of the program going into next year. The All-America candidate, Jim Thorpe Award finalist and ACC Defensive Player of the Year runner-up is currently tied for the conference single-season re- cord with 11 interceptions. He also has 54 tackles and five passes broken up. NC State will have at least three op- tions competing for the starting cornerback spot opposite Amerson. Redshirt junior C.J. Wilson has started nine of 12 games and has 28 tackles and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown against Maryland. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Rashard Smith earned the other three starts, and Byrd has past starting experience. Redshirt junior strong safety Earl Wolff is second on the team with 107 tackles, plus three forced fumbles and two in- terceptions. Junior free safety Brandan Bishop is currently third on the team with 87 tackles, one forced fumble, three fum- ble recoveries and five interceptions. Sophomore safety Dontae Johnson earned starters' snaps over the last three games at the nickel back, and enters the bowl game with 27 tackles and two sacks. NC State returns punter Wil Baumann and kicker Niklas Slade, plus long snap- per Scott Thompson, and all three will be sophomores next year. NC State will miss the potential home- run threat of Graham on punt returns and kickoff returns, but Palmer and Smith could be options. ■ How NC State's 2012 Opponents Fared In 2011 ■ ACC Boston College: The Eagles finished 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the ACC. The Eagles won three of their last five games, including a 14-10 home victory against NC State on Nov. 12 in Chestnut Hill, Mass. At Clemson: The No. 14-ranked Tigers are 10-3 overall, posted a 6-2 mark in the ACC en route to winning the Atlantic Division title and defeated Virginia Tech 38-10 in the ACC championship game. The Tigers will play West Virginia in the Discover Orange Bowl on Jan. 4, 2012. NC State crushed Clemson 37-13 on Nov. 19 in Raleigh. Florida State: The No. 25-ranked Seminoles are 8-4 overall and finished 5-3 in the ACC to tie for second in the Atlantic Division. FSU earned an invite to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia Dec. 31. Florida State hammered NC State 34-0 on Oct. 29 in Tallahassee, Fla. At Maryland: The Terrapins finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the ACC to place last in the Atlantic Division under first-year head coach Randy Edsall. NC State rallied from 27 points down in the second half to defeat Maryland 56-41 on Nov. 26 in Raleigh. At Miami: The Hurricanes went 6-6 overall and 3-5 in the ACC to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division under first-year head coach Al Golden. Miami declined to play in a bowl game in an effort to reduce future punishments related to an NCAA probe. NC State and Miami didn't play this season. At North Carolina: The Tar Heels are 7-5 overall and were 3-5 in the ACC to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division under interim head coach Everett Withers. UNC will play Missouri Dec. 26 in the Independence Bowl. NC State defeated North Carolina for the fifth straight year, 13-0, on Nov. 5 in Raleigh. Virginia: The Cavaliers are 8-4 overall and went 5-3 in the ACC to finish second in the Coastal Division. UVa was invited to play Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31. NC State defeated Virginia 28-14 on Oct. 22 in Charlottesville, Va. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are 6-6 overall and went 5-3 in the ACC to finish tied for second in the Atlantic Division. Wake Forest was invited to play Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. The Demon Deacons defeated NC State 34-27 on Sept. 10 in Winston-Salem, N.C. ■ Non-Conference Vs. Tennessee: The Volunteers fell apart amidst some key injuries and inner turmoil, going 5-7 overall and 1-7 in the SEC en route to a sixth-place finish in the East Division. Tennessee had a chance to become bowl eligible but lost 10-7 at Kentucky in the season finale, snapping a 26-game winning streak against the Wildcats. NC State takes on Tennessee in its season opener Sept. 1 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The two teams didn't meet this past season. At Connecticut: The Huskies went 5-7 overall and 3-4 in the Big East to finish in sixth place under first-year head coach Paul Pasqualoni. UConn had a chance to become bowl eligible in its season finale, but lost 35-27 to Cincinnati. The Wolfpack takes on the Huskies Sept. 8 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. The two teams didn't meet this past season. The Citadel: The Bulldogs finished 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the Southern Conference to place eighth. The Bulldogs, who are part of the Football Championship Subdivision, closed out the season with a 41-20 loss at No. 14-ranked South Carolina on Nov. 19. NC State and The Citadel didn't meet this past season. South Alabama: The independent Jaguars finished 6-4 in their third season of competition, with all but two of the opponents coming from the FCS ranks. NC State defeated South Alabama 35-13 on Sept. 17 in Raleigh. The Jaguars also lost 33-25 at Kent State Sept. 24. NC State is scheduled to host South Alabama Sept. 15 at Carter- Finley Stadium in Raleigh. JANUARY 2012 ■ 39