The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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40 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 Samuels raced 66 yards against the Ti- gers' speedy defense, and he followed up with a one-yard scoring plunge on the next play. He also caught a 40-yard touchdown reception, and he said that was the one play where he knew the entire defense got faked out. "When I get the ball, I just try and score," Samuels said. "If I see green grass, I'll make a play. "That first receiving touchdown, I knew it would be open. We were running that play all week, and the week before, and had never run it in a game before. I was wide open and I had to beat one person, and I knew I would beat him." Samuels is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan, but when he watches the NFL, he doesn't see many players like him. He gravitates to recently retired Marshawn Lynch, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, or Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both are tough, big and physical running backs. "I like running backs that run hard," said Samuels, who also appreciates the versatil- ity of Stanford junior running back Christian McCaffrey. "I will just watch the offense. I don't really watch one specific position, but I do like watching a lot of running backs. "I don't really look at the tight ends, but I will watch the wide receivers." The former Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek High standout also probably could have thrived at linebacker, which he showed a glimpse of during his freshman year when he tracked down a Georgia Tech defender on an interception return and caused a fumble in a memorable play. He still watches that one on YouTube every now and then. "I like to pull up memories, but usually stuff from my high school days or former teammates at Mallard Creek, who are play- ing college now," Samuels said. When NC State head coach Dave Doeren fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada af- ter the Belk Bowl, he made sure his star player knew that the new hire would utilize his versatile skills. Samuels missed most of spring practice due to injury, but he has gelled well with new offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz. "I saw that he loved tight ends [at Boise State]," Samuels said. "When he first got here, he did a meeting with the whole of- fense to get to know everybody. He watched every game from last year, so he knew what everybody could do. "He's always happy, no matter the time in the morning or the time of the day." It remains to be seen how Drinkwitz handles his super weapon. The element of surprise is a key component in getting him the ball, but Samuels also recalled that about midway through last season opposing de- fenses were being vocal on where he was and what he might be about to do. "You could hear all the linebackers saying my number [No. 28]," Samuels said. "They would make sure they knew everywhere I was. It was just crazy. They would know from the formations that we came out in, they knew what we would run." Samuels got his most "touches" when he played both running back and tight end down the stretch. He rushed eight times for 33 yards and a touchdown, and caught seven passes for 38 yards at Boston College. He followed up with seven carries for 23 yards, and eight catches for 28 yards and a score at Florida State the next week. NC State fans have always had a thirst to see what Samuels could do if he got 25-plus touches in a game, wherever he got lined up. "I would like to get that, but I know it would be a tough game [physically] if I got 30-plus carries in a game," Samuels said. "As long as we are winning, that is all that matters." Samuels actually thought when he was a sophomore at Mallard Creek he was going to be a college basketball player. He re- ceived his first power-five conference foot- ball scholarship offer after attending NC State's camp in June 2013, and he quickly verbally committed. Samuels exploded his senior year in lead- ing Mallard Creek to a NCHSAA 4-AA state title. The Rivals.com three-star pros- pect rushed 109 times for 1,404 yards and 39 touchdowns and caught 49 passes for 932 yards and 16 more scores. Wake Forest of- fered leading up to signing day as a running back, but he stayed loyal to NC State. Samuels was dominant in averaging a touchdown every 2.9 times he touched it at Mallard Creek, and that vaulted him into the discussion over who was the best back in Charlotte — Samuels or Charlotte Catho- lic's Elijah Hood. Three years later, the debate has shifted to the Triangle with Samuels attending NC State and Hood coming off rushing for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns last year for the Tar Heels. It's a debate that Samuels has heard often over the years. "That started when we played Hood in high school, and we destroyed them [52-7 on Sept. 13, 2013]," Samuels said. "He didn't even score and had like 82 yards, and I had three touchdowns. I knew I wanted to go into that game and do my best. "All due respect, though, he is a great football player. I do hear that debate a lot." Probably not as often though as the ques- tions surrounding what exactly is Samuels' true position. ■ Samuels has been listed as a preseason first-team All-ACC performer at both tight end and all- purpose back by various college football preview magazines. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN "He can run, catch and block, and there aren't a lot of guys that can do all that." ■ Tight ends/fullbacks coach Eddie Faulkner on Samuels