The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MARCH 2016 ■ 49 BY JACEY ZEMBAL F irst-year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Eliah Drink- witz is full of energy, and the Wolf- pack is hoping that he will provide its unit with a jolt. Head coach Dave Doeren tabbed Drink- witz from Boise State to replace former of- fensive coordinator Matt Canada, who was let go following the 51-28 loss to Mississippi State in the Belk Bowl Dec. 30 in Charlotte. Drinkwitz said that while he has his own offensive philosophy, some things will look the same from the last few years. He will keep the same terminology and playbook, but add his own touch. NC State's offensive staff also has numerous former offensive co- ordinators, so it will be a melting pot of ideas. "I know it's easier for me to learn what they did, but there is a system that has been very effective for myself as an offensive co- ordinator and play caller that they will learn," said Drinkwitz, 32, who goes by Eli. "We will make concessions to make it the best NC State can be in 2016. That is the goal, and it won't be me and them, but us." Boise State lit up the scoreboard in his lone year as offensive coordinator, averaging 39.1 points, 191.4 rushing yards and 310.2 passing yards per game en route to a 9-4 record. The big offensive showing included trouncing Virginia 56-14 in Charlottesville Sept. 25 and rolling past Northern Illinois 55-7 in the SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl Dec. 23. The latter game caught the eye of Doeren, who used to coach the Huskies. Drinkwitz said the offensive philosophy re- volves around one goal — winning the game. Controlling tempo, attacking and executing are the three tenets of offensive football. "However possible it is to win the foot- ball game, that is what we are going to do," Drinkwitz said. "You can't always dictate who is going to get the football. We don't call plays for the sake of calling plays. We call plays for the sake of players touching the football. "We will have the philosophy of feeding our best players the ball." Drinkwitz is excited about the challenges and potential of NC State's offense, and plans to improve upon last year's 7-6 record. "It's going to require a lot of hard work and dedication," Drinkwitz said. "That is why you do this. You push yourself to test yourself and see what you are made of." NC State's offensive players will be thrilled with some of the individual numbers of the Boise State players. Star sophomore running back Jeremy McNichols rushed for 1,337 yards and 20 touchdowns on 240 car- ries, plus caught 51 passes for 460 yards and six scores. Boise State freshman quarterback Brett Rypien went 273-of-430 passing for 3,353 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight intercep- tions. Junior wide receiver Thomas Sperlock emerged to catch 88 passes for 1,412 yards and eight scores. Drinkwitz is a former tight ends coach, and the Broncos utilized a pair of tight ends, sometimes in a flex position. Sophomore tight end Jake Roh had 33 catches for 357 yards and a score, and senior Holden Huff added 18 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns. "Our philosophy is to attack the defense," Drinkwitz said. "The first way to attack a defense is a physical, downhill run game. The second way is to attack them vertically downfield. "In order to do that, you have to create the best matchup that is possible. Sometimes it is a wide receiver on a cornerback, or a safety or linebacker on a running back — if they are a better athlete in space. It is all about matchups." NC State rising senior running back Mat- thew Dayes has great hands and speed, and he could thrive in the new offense. He rushed for 883 yards and 12 touchdowns, and caught 24 passes for 172 yards, in eight games be- fore a toe injury ended his season. "Your tailbacks have to be multiple with what they do, and not all of them are [in col- lege football]," Drinkwitz said. NC State has one of the more unique tight ends in college football in junior Jaylen Sam- uels. His versatility and not being the nor- mal sized tight end at 5-11 and 233 pounds sometimes throw off both fans and defenses. Samuels led the team with 65 catches for 597 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran 56 times for 383 yards and nine scores, courtesy of numerous jet sweeps. "Jake Roh was our version of J-Sam, but J-Sam is obviously more dynamic than Jake is," Drinkwitz said. "J-Sam can play multiple positions and create matchups on linebackers and safeties in coverage." Boise State returned most of its starting offense, but Drinkwitz knew he wanted the challenge of the NC State job. He agreed to a reported three-year deal at $450,000 a year in base salary. "We had a true freshman quarterback who is as good as anybody in the country and a lot of good returning players, but here is the deal, I believe in Coach Doeren," Drinkwitz said. "When he sold me on the vision of what he wanted to do here at NC State, it was an op- portunity to be a big-time program and coach in the Power Five [conferences] and coach at a place that could reach its potential. "To be a part of that with this offensive staff and put this thing together, that is what sold me." Drinkwitz will be settling on a new quar- terback this spring between rising redshirt sophomore Jalan McClendon and redshirt freshman Jakobi Meyers. "They have a lot of work to do but are hungry to prove that they are capable of being the starting quarterback here at NC State and carry on the tradition of the quarterbacks at NC State," Drinkwitz said. "There is a great history of quarterback play at NC State, and it's the next man up." NC State signed Southeast Raleigh quar- terback Dylan Parham, who is enrolled for the spring semester. Drinkwitz knows what he's looking for in future NCSU quarterback on the recruiting trail, and he believes he has a quarterback-friendly offense to sell. "We have five requirements for the quar- terback position," Drinkwitz said. "No. 1 is toughness. No. 2 is preparation, as you have to be willing to prepare. No. 3 is decision making, we have to trust you on and off the football field to make great decisions for our university. No. 4 is accuracy and No. 5 is leadership. "Whether a quarterback plays in a pro- style system or a run-first offense will not de- termine if we recruit him or not. Ideally, he'll win us a game in a two-minute offense." ■ Drinkwitz directed a Boise State offense that averaged 39.1 points, 191.4 rushing yards and 310.2 passing yards per game in 2015. PHOTO BY STANLEY BREWSTER JOLT OF ENERGY Offensive Coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz Is Excited About His New Opportunity