The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/73006
R.J. ARMSTRONG Tight End Junior College/Hometown: Butler Community Col- lege in El Dorado, Kan./Parson, Kan. Rivals.com Ranking: Three stars NC State Recruiter: Special teams coordinator Jerry to the 2007 class. He signed in March, filling an immediate need for tight end depth. Arm- strong had caught six passes for 68 yards as a sophomore at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., and garnered interest during the recruiting process from Iowa State, New Mexico and Utah State. Armstrong's signature proved to be valuable Petercuskie Career Summary: Armstrong was a late addition they come for a defensive player. In his third collegiate snap, Barnes scooped up a Wofford fumble and returned it five yards for a touchdown. Final Analysis: Barnes was undersized at 5-11, 225 pounds, but full of promise and potential. He was pro- jecting toward a promising career at NC State before his dismissal. Highlight: Barnes' debut was about as memorable as Players Signed In Class: 25 Players Enrolled In 2007: 22 Played As A True Freshman: 5 (Thomas Barnes, Markus Kuhn, Owen Spencer, Curtis Underwood and Jake Vermiglio) Players With At Least One Start In Their Careers: 13 2007 Recruiting Class when State lost projected starting tight end Anthony Hill in the 2007 preseason with an ACL tear in his knee. Converted quarterback Marcus Stone became the starter at tight end, but Armstrong was able to provide a blocking presence on the depth chart. The 2007 campaign would be Armstrong's at NC State, but he did play in every game dur- ing the 2007 season, logging 145 total snaps in 12 games, for an average of 12 plays a contest. Highlight: NC State trailed UNC 27-24 only year at NC State. He left after the season to return home. Career Stats: Armstrong did not catch a pass Rivals.com — No. 50 in the nation, No. 9 in the ACC Scout.com — No. 60 in the nation, No. 10 in the ACC The G&W Recruiting Report — No. 44 in the nation, No. 9 in the ACC ESPN — No. 9 in the ACC CLASS RANKINGS with 1:44 to go and faced third-and-goal at the UNC 1. The play call was a run to the right side for Jamelle Eugene, and Armstrong, lined up alongside right tackle Jeraill McCuller, created the hole by delivering a crushing block that sealed off the entire left side of UNC's defensive line. O'Brien singled out that block in his press conference two days later. Final Analysis: Armstrong was anything but flashy in his one year at NC State, but his signing was a fortuitous one. Without him, State would have been dangerously thin at tight end. THOMAS BARNES Linebacker High School/Hometown: Dublin High/Dub- lin, Ga. Rivals.com Ranking: Three stars NC State Recruiter: Former linebackers class shortly before signing day and not long after Mc- Collum was hired. McCollum had a strong relation- ship with Dublin High head coach Roger Holmes, and through that knew about Barnes, who had flown under the radar because he was a late qualifier academically. Barnes proved to be a quick flash in the pan for the coach Andy McCollum Career Summary: Barnes was added to the Pack. He made his debut as a true freshman in the third game of the year against Wofford and had a career-high eight tackles. From that game on he became a valuable reserve, registering a sack at Florida State and assisting on another sack in an upset over Virginia. However, Barnes' freshman season would be his only ACC, semifinalist for Mackey Award given to nation's top tight end. 2009: First-team All-ACC. Audie Cole — 2011: Honorable mention All-ACC. Owen Spencer — 2010: Second-team All-ACC. J.R. Sweezy — 2010: Honorable mention All-ACC. Jake Vermiglio — 2010: Honorable mention All-ACC. 2007: Honorable mention Freshman All-American by Sporting News. Russell Wilson — 2010: Second-team All-ACC. 2009: Honorable mention All-ACC. 2008: First-team All-ACC and ACC Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Freshman by CollegeFootballNews.com. George Bryan — 2011: Second-team All-ACC. 2010: First-team All- HONORS George Bryan — Free agent in 2012 by Dallas Cowboys Audie Cole — Seventh round in 2012 by Minnesota Vikings Antoine Holmes — Free agent in 2009 by Minnesota Vikings Markus Kuhn — Seventh round in 2012 by New York Giants Owen Spencer — Free agent in 2011 by Tennessee Titans J.R. Sweezy — Seventh round in 2012 by Seattle Seahawks Jake Vermiglio — Free agent in 2011 by Arizona Cardinals Russell Wilson — Third round in 2012 by Seattle Seahawks NFL DRAFT 2007: 5-7 overall, 3-5 ACC 2008: 6-7 overall, 4-4 ACC, Papajohns.com Bowl vs. Rutgers (L, 29-23) 2009: 5-7 overall, 2-6 ACC 2010: 9-4 overall, 5-3 ACC, Champs Sports Bowl vs. West Virginia (W, 23-7) 2011: 8-5 overall, 4-4 ACC, Belk Bowl vs. Louisville (W, 31-24) YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD LAMARCUS BOND Wide Receiver High School/Hometown: Hertford County High/ Ahoskie, N.C. Rivals.com Ranking: Three stars NC State Recruiter: Former tight ends coach Curt Cignetti Career Summary: Bond actually signed with NC State and three touchdowns and ran four times for 21 yards for Fayetteville State in 2010, his only known year there. Highlight: Bond's second game for Fayetteville State Career Stats: Bond caught 21 passes for 295 yards was against Elizabeth City State, and Bond hauled in a 67-yard touchdown that would prove to be the team's longest play from scrimmage all year. Final Analysis: Bond had the potential to be a similar receiver to what Pack fans are currently seeing from fifth-year senior Tobais Palmer and redshirt sophomore Bryan Underwood. Off-the-field is- sues prevented that from ever happening. GEORGE BRYAN Tight End High School/Hometown: New Hanover High/Castle Hayne, N.C. Rivals.com Ranking: Three stars NC State Recruiter: Former tight ends coach NC State, there was some speculation that he could end up at offensive tackle since he was already pushing 260 pounds out of high school. By the end of his career, he had developed into the most decorated and prolific tight end in NC State history. Bryan was pressed into action as a redshirt Curt Cignetti Career Summary: When Bryan arrived at freshman in 2008 because of injuries to starting tight end Anthony Hill and top reserve Matt Kushner. He ended that year with seven starts and 18 catches for 201 yards and four scores. Over the next three seasons, Bryan emerged as one of the top tight ends in the ACC. He was named first-team all-conference as a sophomore and junior and second-team his senior season. The last three-time all-conference performer at NC State was Darrell Blackman, a return specialist, from 2005-07. Bryan caught 40 passes for 422 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore, and had 35 recep- tions for 369 yards and three more scores his junior season. With the Pack's significant losses in the re- and two scores. He finished the year with 33 receptions for 331 yards and four touchdowns. After his senior season, Bryan signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Career Stats: Bryan started 40 of the 51 career ceiver corps following the 2010 season, Bryan was expected to post big numbers in the passing game last year. Instead he admittedly struggled and was held to 14 receptions for 138 yards and two scores the first nine games of the year. Bryan played his best ball late, though, catching 19 passes in the final four games for 193 yards in 2007, logging 168 snaps. He had 15 tackles, 11 of them solo, including 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He added a fumble recovery and four quarterback hurries. one at NC State. He was dismissed from the team following the season. It's unknown what happened to Barnes after he left the Wolfpack program. Career Stats: Barnes played in 10 games as a reserve in 2006 but had to delay his enrollment a year due to academics. Although small at 5-10, 175 pounds, Bond had good speed and quickness, and his high school highlight film showed a dynamic playmaker in the open field. He was an exciting slot receiver prospect. Bond never got a chance to show that at NC State Fayetteville State, where former Wolfpack running backs coach Dick Portee is the offensive coordinator. however. After enrolling in the spring of 2007, Bond was dismissed by O'Brien from the team in October. After leaving NC State, he matriculated for a season at games he played in and totaled 126 catches for 1,323 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is tied for seventh on NC State's all-time receptions list and holds the top mark in the category for Wolfpack tight ends. He trails only T.J. Williams in receiving yards for a tight end and is 16th overall in the category at NCSU. Bryan's total of 17 touchdown catches is the most ever for a tight end at State and tied with Eddie Goines for fourth most in school history. Highlight: Bryan had quite a few memorable touch- down catches in his career. He caught the game-winner against Florida State in 2010 and nabbed a crucial touch- down late in the historic rally against Maryland last fall to put the Pack up 49-41. His most memorable score, JULY 2012 ■ 105