The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/535299
92 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2015 ing with Cole. Maples made a 41-yard field goal and Stephenson averaged 34 yards per punt with a long of 49 in the Kay Yow Spring Game. Redshirt junior Ben Garnett is also in the mix at long snapper. Junior running back Matt Dayes and redshirt sophomore running back Dakwa Nichols both return at kick returner, but the Wolfpack has numerous candidates to push the duo. Dayes averaged 18.3 yards on 21 kickoff returns with a long of 50, and Nichols led the squad with an av- erage of 19.7 yards on 11 returns and posted a long of 29. The loss of Bo Hines will mean a new punt returner could emerge. Hines took over for ju- nior Bra'Lon Cherry, and both combined to average 3.6 yards on 17 returns. Cherry had a long of 18 among his six punt returns (5.8-yard aver- age), but Hines had the more reliable hands. Another Hines (no relation) could push for a role at kickoff returner or punt returner. Garner (N.C.) High star all-purpose back Nyheim Hines was an impressive return man in high school, and always a threat to go the distance with his sub-4.4-second speed. "We know what he can do if we put the ball in his hands," Faulkner said. "He is fast, elusive and ultimately, you hope to have a total package guy, who can be a game-breaker and a good catcher. He definitely has the ability to do that." ■ Getting To Know: A.J. Cole III A.J. Cole III will always remember his first day of school at NC State. Cole waited longer than usual to punt for the Wolfpack on that cold Jan. 5 day because he grayshirted during the fall. The College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy standout signed with NC State in the class of 2014, but did not enroll until the following January to help put him in position to compete for the punting job and give the Wolfpack some scholarship flexibility. The 6-4, 238-pounder averaged 40.1 yards on 26 punts his senior year and also handled kicking duties. "It was so hectic that first day we got here," said Cole, who Rivals.com ranked as the No. 5 kicker in the class of 2014. "It just felt surreal and I was thinking, 'Is this day actually here?' I was committed here for 18 months before I got on campus. It was a long time coming. "It is great to be in the workouts and practices. I'm really happy to be here." Cole kept himself busy during the fall of 2014 by doing an internship with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and also worked on perfecting his punting. "I really enjoyed spending with my family," Cole said. "Now that I'm here and they are back in Georgia, time with them is limited." Cole said that despite the layoff, he is a better punter now than when he last kicked in high school for Woodward Academy in late November 2013. "I started punting a little late, starting at the end of my junior year," Cole said. "The more reps I get, the more punts I have a chance to do, the more consistent that I will be. It will give me a better chance to make an impact on the field." Cole has made sure to pick the mind of former NC State punter Wil Baumann, who had a bust-out senior year and averaged 45.4 yards per boot. "I would see him pretty much every Monday at Athletes In Action this spring, and he'd work out at NC State a couple of times," Cole said. "It's been really good to get to know him. He had an incredible career here and is a good guy to know. The best advice he has given me is to have a short memory and then move on to the next punt. "You are going to have bad punts and bad plays, but you have to move on to the next one." Baumann let him know that he struggled his first few years at NC State, in comparison to what he achieved his senior campaign. Patience is always going to be needed. "He told me that I am going to have struggles, and that is reassuring," Cole said. "As I gain experience and get more reps, the more consistent I'll be." Cole is aided by sharing the experience with fellow freshman kicker Kyle Bambard, and soon to arrive freshman long snapper Tyler Griffiths. The trio can grow up together similar to what Baumann, kicker Niklas Sade and long snapper Scott Thompson recently did. "It's a special relationship to have," Cole said. "Kyle and I are roommates. We see each at workouts, have classes together and then live with each other. He's someone I can trust." Cole in turn has been the holder for Bambard, which is always an underrated duty. "It's good that when he goes back there, he has someone he can trust and knows," Cole said. "He feels comfortable that I'll get the ball down." Cole spent his spring break in March helping others in Kenya for a week through Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Some NC State teammates might join him in the future. "We were in their schools in the morning and helped teach them," said Cole, who wants to major in industrial engineering. "They have so many questions about America. We shared our testimonies with them." Cole and the others ran a football camp in the afternoon, complete with full pads. "We had guys that had never seen a football game, and they were just wailing on each other," Cole said. "They were just loving every minute of it." — Jacey Zembal Cole averaged 40.1 yards on 26 punts as a prep senior at Woodward Academy in Georgia. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Year-By-Year Kicking Stats Year FG PAT Punt Avg. 2014 12-17 46-48 45.4 2013 19-23 31-31 42.0 2012 13-23 44-46 38.4 2011 11-16 46-47 37.2 2010 21-27 49-50 37.8 2009 10-12 46-47 37.1 2008 16-19 33-34 38.2 2007 16-18 25-25 36.7 2006 12-16 22-23 39.1 2005 15-20 28-29 38.6 Quick Facts Co-Position Coaches: Eddie Faulkner (3rd season) and Clayton White (3rd season) Returning Starter: KR Matt Dayes Starters Lost: K Niklas Sade, P Wil Baumann, LS Scott Thompson and PR Bo Hines FYI: Lindy's named Dayes the second-team All-ACC all-purpose player on their preseason team … NC State landed kicker Kyle Bambard and punter A.J. Cole III in the class of 2014, but both grayshirted and arrived this past spring … Long snapper Tyler Griffiths was signed for the class of 2015, and will compete for the spot during fall camp in August … Cole, who played in the Florida-Georgia All-Star Game last Jan. 4, camped at NC State June 17, 2013, and earned an offer and com - mitted five days later … Bambard camped at NC State during the summer of 2013, and was offered the following November; he immediately picked NC State over offers from Air Force and Grand Valley State … Bambard was one of five finalists for Michigan's Mr. Football award in 2013, and also ran track and played baseball … Griffiths earned offers from NC State and Louisville after camping at both schools, and he verbally committed to the Wolfpack July 26 … Griffiths also played line - backer in high school and participated in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … Freshman return man Nyheim Hines could be in the mix at punt returner or kick returner or both, after he had eight career kick returns for touchdowns during his storybook career at Garner (N.C.) High. ■ By The Numbers 0 Punts or field goals that got blocked last year. 3.6 Yards per punt return for NC State on 17 attempts last year. 50 Yards for the longest kick return last year, which junior Matt Dayes notched against Boston College Oct. 11.