The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/699450
JULY 2016 ■ 109 Name Pos. Starts T.Y. McGill DT 19 An unheralded late addition to the class, McGill played as a true freshman, starting one game, and finished with 131 career total stops, 24.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble re - covery. Made the roster as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, where he had three sacks and a safety this past year. Maurice Morgan WR 0 Gifted athlete but played sparingly as a reserve, not catching a pass until his senior season (two receptions for 21 yards). Rodman Noel LB 17 Played special teams only as a true freshman while lining up at safety. Moved to linebacker a year later, starting five games. Emerged as a full-time starter his senior season and finished career with 138 tackles, 19 stops for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, four passes broken up, an intercep - tion and a forced fumble. Earned a training camp invite with the Cleveland Browns, but did not make the roster. Michael Peek LB 0 Like McGill, Peek was an unheralded late addition that showed early promise, recording nine tackles and a sack (which came against No. 7 Clemson) as a true freshman, but he tore his ACL in preseason camp a year later. He left the team (and football) in 2013. Brandon Pittman LB 10 Played as a true freshman, almost exclusively on special teams. Became a key part of the linebacker corps his final three years and piled up 148 career tackles, 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Also broke up four passes, forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble. Mike Rose DE 15 Steadily progressed into one of the top pass rushers in school history. Was named second-team All-ACC as a fifth-year senior when he piled up 10.5 sacks, tied for third most ever in one season in school history. Finished career with 122 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and five passes broken up. His career sacks total is eighth all time at State. Signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants. Niklas Sade K 51 Rewrote the record books at NC State, setting new stan- dards for career points scored (332), field goals made (55), field goals attempted (79) and extra points (167). Brian Taylor QB 0 Redshirted his first season at NC State and then left the football team to play baseball for the Wolfpack. Eventually ended up at Campbell for baseball. Scott Thompson LS 0 Was NC State's long snapper for all four years, earning All-America accolades from Phil Steele as a senior. Joe Thuney OL 34 Left NCSU as one of its best linemen in school history. In 2015, was named first-team All-American by USA Today, becoming the first offensive lineman to receive that honor since Jim Ritcher in 1979. Also was NCSU first offensive lineman to be named All-ACC since 2003, and became the first Wolfpack blocker taken within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft since 2005. Picked in the third round by the New England Patriots. Started games at all positions on the line but center at NCSU, where he did register playing time as a redshirt freshman. TOP FIVE WINS FOR 2011 CLASS Wil Baumann was named first-team All-ACC as a senior, and set new all-time school records for punting yards (10,868) and punts (266). PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 1. 17‑16 VS. FLORIDA STATE, 2012: Three redshirt freshmen from the 2011 class played a significant role in NCSU overcoming a 16-0 halftime deficit against the third-ranked Seminoles. Corner Juston Burris intercepted a pass in the third quarter with FSU driving. Defensive end Mike Rose blocked a punt to set up the game-winning drive, and offensive line- man Joe Thuney was on the field blocking on the final Pack posses- sion. Defensive tackle T.Y. McGill, a true sophomore, added two tackles for loss. 2. 35‑7 AT NORTH CAROLINA, 2014: UNC's traditionally high-powered offense under head coach Larry Fedora was shut down, totaling 204 total yards and not scoring until a late, meaning- less touchdown. Burris had an interception, McGill had two tackles for loss (including a sack), linebacker Rodman Noel added a sack and both Burris and Rose also tacked on a hit in the backfield. Thuney and offensive guard Alex Barr both helped block for an offense that rushed for 388 yards, tied for fourth most in school history. 3. 34‑27 VS. CENTRAL FLORIDA, BITCOIN ST. PETERSBURG BOWL, 2014: Thuney started at left guard for a Pack offense that totaled 487 yards (187 rushing and 300 passing). Defensively, Noel was active with eight tackles, including two for loss, and safety Hakim Jones matched him to co-lead the team in total hits. McGill had a tackle for loss in his final career game. 4. 24‑23 VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN, 2014: At first glance, a win over Georgia Southern would hardly seem significant. But this Eagles' squad went 9-3, going undefeated in winning the Sun Belt Conference title, and nearly upset even- tual ACC and Orange Bowl champ Georgia Tech as well (losing 42-38 in Atlanta on a last-minute touchdown). Jones had 11 tackles, and McGill had a pair of for loss. Both Noel and Rose recorded a tackle for loss, too. Baumann was able to change fields effectively, averaging 49.7 yards a punt. 5. 35‑17 AT WAKE FOREST, 2015: The Pack did not defeat a banner Demon Deacons squad this past season, but that does not matter. There had been previous subpar Wake teams that still managed to beat NCSU in Win- ston-Salem over the years. NCSU finally snapped its six-game, 14-year losing streak at Wake. Rose led a defense that had seven sacks, recording three himself. Jones also intercepted a pass. Offensively, running back Matthew Dayes ran for 205 yards behind a line that included Barr and Thuney. Dayes' total was the fifth-highest single-game effort in school history.