The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW given the Wolfpack players a boost in con- fidence. "I definitely thinks it gives us good mo- mentum," Amerson said. "The guys I came in with, we've experienced the success that we've had with 17 wins. We are definitely looking to improve." NC State's group of fifth-year seniors was O'Brien's first full recruiting class. Ri- vals.com ranked the signees No. 31 in the country in 2008, but some such as Manning and wide receiver T.J. Graham have already moved on to the NFL. Nine of the 10 re- maining members of the group are projected to start this season. "What we came here to do is to win it all," "Eight wins, nine wins is good, but we want to be a program that's elite and at the elite level," Glennon said. "Going to a bowl game is great, but we want to do more than go to a bowl game. We want to win cham- pionships." Amerson openly has talked about com- peting for an ACC championship this sea- son. Florida State will likely be the consen- sus preseason league favorite. "This year, we are striving for an ACC championship," Amerson said. "I feel like we can get there if everybody is on the same page. Hopefully, it plays out that way." Both Glennon and Amerson are fortified with talented players around them. NCSU "Going to a bowl game is great, but we want to do more than go to a bowl game. We want to win championships." ■ Fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Glennon said Glennon, who was the centerpiece of the 2008 class. "We want to ultimately win a national championship, an ACC champion- ship. That's the vision we all had when we first came here. We were his first full class. "They were right there at Boston College. They were about to take over. We feel like we can be that class to finally get NC State there. That's the plan that we had when we first came here." Amerson could sense the Wolfpack were on the upswing during his recruiting pro- cess. The former Rivals.com four-star pros- pect picked NC State over Clemson, Vir- ginia Tech, Notre Dame and North Carolina, among others. His timing has been ideal, and he'll have a chance to be a three-year starter or possibly a rare four-year starter if he returns in 2013. "I got here close to the top end of the Head coach Tom O'Brien has guided the Wolf- pack to 17 total wins, including a pair of bowl victories, the past two seasons, and his team has its sights set higher in 2012. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Amerson said the players are looking forward to playing Tennessee on the na- tional stage. "I definitely think it will be a big moti- vational thing," Amerson said. "The SEC is considered one of the strongest conferences in college football. I definitely think it has the guys more focused as they go to work. The guys will be paying attention more. "If we go in there and don't bring our 'A' game, then we'll most likely not come out with the win. We are trying not to get embarrassed by any means necessary. We want to pull out the victory." Posting records of 9-4 and 8-5 with two bowl victories over the last two years has program when we started winning nine and then eight games," Amerson said. "Coach O'Brien is definitely pushing to win the ACC, and is going the right way about it. If it's making changes or pushing us harder, he's doing the little things that have a team focused." The excitement about the upcoming sea- son has been building throughout the off- season. "I think with all the experience we have coming back, when you have four offensive linemen, all the running backs, your quar- terback, an All-American cornerback, who is the best cornerback in college football, there's going to be excitement," Glennon said. "Fans should be excited because our players are very excited. I think we'll be ready to go come Aug. 31." Glennon and Amerson are on the same page with their goals for the NC State pro- gram. returns five offensive linemen with past starting experience, three key running backs and one tight end and one wide receiver with frontline experience. Amerson leads a secondary that features three other seniors — safeties Earl Wolff and Brandan Bishop and cornerback C.J. Wilson — plus junior defensive back Don- tae Johnson played extensively down the stretch when the Wolfpack used a 4-2-5 defensive alignment. NC State welcomes back several players from injury, and have added Colorado de- fensive end transfer Forrest West and junior college linebacker Robert Caldwell. Fifth-year senior middle linebacker Ster- ling Lucas, redshirt junior cornerback Jarvis Byrd, fifth-year senior left guard Andrew Wallace, redshirt junior tight end Asa Wat- son and redshirt sophomore running Mus- tafa Greene are all return healthy from past injuries. All but Wallace from that group redshirted last year. Redshirt junior Rashard Smith also is making the move from cornerback to wide receiver, though he played both spots in the Kay Yow Spring Game April 21. Smith, Watson, Greene and Wallace all will play crucial roles on offense, while Lu- cas will be a vocal leader on defense. Amerson enjoys watching Glennon and the offense operate on the field and appreci- ates their success. "It's a beautiful thing when the more and more we score, the easier it makes it for the defense with less pressure," Amerson said. "Not that we don't like pressure, but I like to see the offense do well. "We go against them all the time in the spring and summer camp, and they beat up on us and we beat up on them. It's good to see them beat up on somebody else." ■ JULY 2012 ■ 27