The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/535299
JULY 2015 ■ 75 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2015 "Our defense enjoys it when we run the ball, too. It's just good for your football team to run the ball." The 6-5, 295-pound Thuney has found a home at left guard, and will be counted upon to help Jones out with his adjustment. Thuney, who has graduated already, won the Jim Ritcher Award for NC State's most valuable offensive lineman in 2013. "Joe is good and really athletic," Uremovich said. "He still needs to get his weight up, but he usually gets it up by camp every year, and then it slowly comes off as the season goes on. He is the most athletic guy we have and the most explosive guy. He had a great spring and I was impressed with how hard he played. He is playing like a senior should, and I'm excited to watch him for his senior year. He is going to have a good year." Schooley has been a relative iron man at center. The 6-4, 298-pounder has played every offensive snap in 20 of 25 career games with NCSU. "He is doing good and his weight is down a little bit," Uremovich said. "He was a little heavy in the spring, and he is back down to where we want him at 293, 294. His ankle is almost 100 percent. He had some issues with it in spring ball. He is doing what a senior should and leading in the room." The 6-2, 300-pound Adams broke into the lineup at right guard against Presbyterian, and he finished with nine starts. Thuney went down for four games due to mononucleosis, causing Barr to move to left guard, and Adams to be inserted into the lineup. "He made a big improvement this spring, just in terms of knowl- edge of the offense, and knowing the smaller details of angles, fronts and blitz pickup," Uremovich said. "The first spring [in 2014], he was just trying to get through. Last fall, he also was just trying to get through. This spring, he played a lot more confident, and he had a good spring." Barr ended up starting four games at right guard and four at left guard, but missed the last three contests due to a concussion. The 6-8, 318-pounder played right tackle his redshirt freshman year, and also in high school. "He is really, really smart," Uremovich said. "He is assignment sound and he isn't going to beat himself. That is 90 percent of the battle on the offensive line, knowing where you are going and how to do it with the right technique. He is good at all those things." The 6-3, 300-pound Jones was redshirted this past season. He played left tackle at Stone Moun- tain (Ga.) Stephenson, and was rated as the No. 48 overall tackle in the class of 2014 by Rivals.com. He originally committed to Mississippi State be- fore switching to NC State. "He has a lot of challenges," Uremovich said. "He is playing his first college football game against Troy and he'll be better from game one to game two, and game two to game three. "He matured as the spring went on and he has gotten stronger. He has some things in front of him and it is going to be exciting to watch him grow. I just hope he grows as fast as he can." NC State doesn't have ideal depth after losing four offensive linemen for various reasons this offseason. Junior college transfer Daris Workman, who is originally from Greensboro, N.C., arrives this summer to supply some depth, likely at left tackle. The 6-5, 285-pounder is a former basketball player at Contra Costa College. Incoming 6-6, 295-pound freshman Emanuel McGirt Jr. of Durham (N.C.) Hillside will also get a long look at left tackle, and has added 65 pounds over the last two years. Redshirt freshman Will Richard- son, who is 6-6 and 303 pounds, will push Barr on the right side. NC State would likely turn to Adams at center if anything hap- pened to Schooley. Redshirt junior Bryce Kennedy can play both guard spots at 6-3, 305 pounds, and massive 6-5, 338-pound red- shirt freshman Terronne Prescod is second-string behind Adams. Redshirt junior John Tu'uta, who is 6-3, 280 pounds, adds depth at center and could also slide out to guard. ■ Rushing Yards Per Game Behind The Wolfpack Line Year YPG ACC Rank 2014 204.5 4 2013 162.7 7 2012 111.1 9 2011 104.8 11 2010 123.3 11 2009 120.9 9 2008 123.2 7 2007 89.2 11 2006 119.7 5 2005 124.4 10 STARTERS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 50 Tony Adams So. 6-2 300 Charlotte, N.C. Adams started nine of 12 games last year and did a quality job filling in for injured center Quinton Schooley in the win against North Carolina. 71 Alex Barr 5th-Sr. 6-8 318 Fayetteville, Ga. The former prep tackle has played guard the last two years and started 18 games, but he is now at right tackle full-time. He missed the last three games due to concussion last year. 53 Tyler Jones R-Fr. 6-3 300 Stone Mountain, Ga. Originally thought to be a guard when he arrived, but has blossomed at left tackle during his redshirt year. Jones has gained at least 13 pounds, and his 6-8 wingspan has helped him adjust smoothly back to left tackle. 60 Quinton Schooley Sr. 6-4 298 Chanute, Kan. Arrived during the summer of 2013 from Butler (Kan.) Community College, and has started 25 straight games. He suffered an ankle injury in the North Carolina win, which hampered him this spring, but is healthy now. 54 Joe Thuney 5th-Sr. 6-5 295 Centreville, Ohio Thuney has played all five positions in a game during his time at NC State. The graduate student has thrived at left guard, and is a candidate to be an All-ACC player this season. RESERVES No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 56 Bryce Kennedy R-Jr. 6-3 305 Southern Pines, N.C. Kennedy is expected to provide depth at both left guard and right guard this season. He played on special teams last year and earned 12 snaps in game action. RESERVES (Cont.) 70 Terronne Prescod R-Fr. 6-5 338 Decatur, Ga. Prescod was hampered by injuries at times last fall. He has lost at least nine pounds and is expected to battle Kennedy for the backup job at right guard. 66 Will Richardson R-Fr. 6-6 303 Burlington, N.C. Richardson has played both left tackle and right tackle, but is expected to settle in behind Alex Barr this season at right tackle. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 57 Peter Daniel R-So. 6-6 294 Raleigh The Broughton High product walked on and has gained 34 pounds over the last year. He is battling for a reserve spot at right tackle. 74 Emanuel McGirt Jr. Fr. 6-6 295 Durham, N.C. McGirt has gained at least 65 pounds over the last two years at Hillside High, and blos - somed into a Rivals.com four-star prospect. The left tackle will be battling for a chance to play as a true freshman. 59 John Tu'uta R-Jr. 6-3 280 Fredericksburg, Va. The former prep school standout at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy can play both center and guard, and was a Rivals.com two-star prospect in the class of 2012. 72 Philip Walton Fr. 6-7 260 Charlotte, N.C. The Rivals.com three-star prospect in the class of 2015 is expected to redshirt this season. 78 Aaron Wiltz Fr. 6-5 278 Baton Rouge, La. Wiltz is another tall, rangy offensive tackle that the NC State coaches believe has a bright future. 55 Daris Workman Jr. 6-5 285 Greensboro, N.C. Workman attended Contra Costa Community College in San Pablo, Calif., the last two years, and will get a chance to compete at tackle right away for NC State. Offensive Line Roster