The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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JULY 2016 ■ 83 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 ■ Preseason Analysis **** Among country's best; *** Among ACC's best; ** Solid or has potential; * Too unproven Starters **½ The group is battle-tested, but they have struggled to be consistent. If the defensive backs can play to their full potential, the secondary could be a strength on the defense. The defensive coaches were optimistic after spring practices that their safeties and corners made good strides in that regard, leading to hope that the secondary will be more stable in 2016. Experience *** Among the expected starters, there is plenty of experience. Senior corner Jack Tocho has 23 career starts, and junior corner Mike Stevens has 10. At safety, redshirt junior Josh Jones has started 19 times, and junior Shawn Boone received two last season. Senior Dravious Wright has 25 starts at nickel. However, there is a significant drop-off in experience after the first line, outside of fifth-year senior nickel Niles Clark. Depth ** Other than Clark, there is a concern for the Pack. A pair of converted players in fifth- year senior Johnathan Alston, previously a wide receiver, and sophomore Freddie Phillips Jr., a former nickel, are being counted upon to help give depth at corner. The backup safeties are a rookie in redshirt freshman Jarius Morehead and redshirt sophomore Dexter Wright, who played exclusively on special teams in 2015. Overall grade **½ Physically, this is a talented group that should be able to get the job done. The question is will they perform with the consistency and confidence that they need, and will some of the unproven talents behind the starters give a boost? times when you watched film where you would see Jack just get totally beat off the line of scrimmage," Barlow said. "When he gets in that moment of the key position, he has to do a better job of track- ing the ball and getting in position." Stevens is the opposite. Barlow is looking for him to master the craft of a corner. "Mike needs to improve more technique-wise as far as his foot- work and his eyes," Barlow said. "He has a lot of natural abilities, so we need to kind of harness that where his eyes are in the right spot and that puts his feet in the right spot so he won't have as many breakdowns as he did last year." Like safety, Barlow is dealing with an inexperienced group of backups. He wants to have five corners that he can count on, and coming out of spring questions remain about who will join Stevens and Tocho. One of the leading contenders is redshirt junior Sean Paul, who is hoping to put his history of nagging injuries behind him. Sophomore Freddie Phillips Jr. and senior Johnathan Alston give him a couple of athletic options, but both are new to the position. Phillips comes over from nickel, and Alston was a receiver. Bar- low noted that both have all the physical abilities but must prove that they can handle the responsibilities. Barlow also thinks that a corner from the four that they signed in 2016 — Bryce Banks, J.J. Givens, Nick McCloud and James Valdez — could get into the mix. At nickel, senior Dravious Wright and fifth-year senior Niles Clark formed a solid duo at the end last season. Wright is the hard- hitting tackler while Clark, a former corner, provides stability in coverage. ■ Getting To Know: Shawn Boone NC State junior safety Shawn Boone's potential breakout season had to be put on hold last year due to injuries, but he's healthy and ready to show what he can do. Boone broke into the starting lineup at strong safety in the win at Wake Forest in the seventh game of last season, and followed with a start against Clemson the next week. Injuries struck and he missed four of the last five games. "It was really frustrating because I never have been out of football my whole life that long," Boone said. "It really brought me back to my senses. I really love this game." The 5-10, 201-pounder ended up with 12 tackles and one sack in nine games played. He had a season-high five tackles in the 56-41 loss against then-No. 1 Clem- son, but he hopes his sideline perspective can help the defense. Boone was frustrated in watching the Wolfpack defense give up 96 points the last two games, knowing there wasn't much he could do about it. He said there is pres- sure on the defense and safeties in general to make sure that doesn't happen again. "[Co-special teams coordinator and safeties] Coach [Clayton] White wants us to be the best group on the field," Boone said. "We are the quarterbacks of the defense. If we aren't right, then everyone else isn't lined up right. It falls back on us. "In order for us to be the great defense that we want to be in the ACC and the nation, we have to be able to play together. It starts from the front to the back, but the back end helps them out." Boone was able to work out during spring break with one of his two favorite NFL players — safety Matt Elam of the Baltimore Ravens. The "Honey Badger," Tyrann Mathieu of Arizona Cardinals, is his other favorite, but Elam has always given back to the players at West Palm Beach (Fla.) Dwyer High, where Boone and former NCSU quarterback Jacoby Brissett played high school football. "Elam is my guy, my brother," Boone said. "He has helped me a lot. I was just working out with him all week this past break, and he gets me right. I watch a lot of film on him and Tyrann, just to get my game versatile. They play in the slot and play back." Elam, who has set up a foundation in his home area, also told Boone the key to staying healthy. "He said to stay in the training room and do what you have to do," Boone said. "You make sure you treat your body like a temple." Boone admitted it is a little weird not seeing Brissett under center for the Wolf - pack. The two friends have known each other since middle school. "I was a freshman when he was a senior [at Dwyer], and I watched all their games that year," Boone said. "Even when I was in middle school, I watched him and Matt Elam win a state championship. It's been a real good thing. Our connection will always be there." — Jacey Zembal Boone broke into the starting lineup and tallied a season-high five tackles against then-No. 1 Clemson Oct. 31, but then missed four of the final five games last season with injuries. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN "There were some plays throughout the year that you can go back and look, if this tackle would have been made here it would have been a different game." ■ Safeties coach Clayton White