The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/73006
2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW NEW BEGINNINGS C The Wolfpack Is Looking For A New Starter For The First Time In Three Years BY JACEY ZEMBAL hange is the buzzword when it comes to the tight end position and who will be coaching them. NC State tight ends coach Don Horton retired in May, and the Wolfpack will have their third coach at the position in the last three years. Current offensive line coach Jim Bridge coached the tight ends until this past season, before switching with Horton and becoming the offensive line coach. First-year assistant Des Kitchings is coaching the running backs and tight ends this year. |||||||||||| TIGHT ENDS NC State also has lost three-year starter George Bryan, who was an instrumental part of the offense before exhausting his eligibil- ity. Bryan earned first-team All-ACC recog- nition in 2009 and 2010, and second-team all-league honors last year. He amassed 126 catches for 1,323 yards and 17 touchdowns in 43 games during his Wolfpack career. In 2011, Bryan snagged 33 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns, saving his best play for down the stretch to nearly equal his junior year statistics. Bryan caught eight passes for 79 yards and a touchdown during the thrilling 56-41 victory over Maryland in the regular-season finale that made NC State bowl eligible. Bryan, who was voted by his teammates to be a co-captain last year, is trying to make the NFL as an undrafted free agent. Fifth-year senior Mario Carter, redshirt ju- nior Asa Watson and redshirt junior Anthony Talbert are competing for the vacated starting job. Carter played with Bryan in some two- tight-end sets a year ago, while Talbert settled in as the third-string performer. "We're going to have a good player or good players at this position," NC State of- fensive coordinator Dana Bible said. "What the roles are and who is in which role are to be determined. It's a very competitive posi- tion. We like the candidates. It still hasn't expressed itself as far as who fits where. "It'll be a competitive year for the tight end position. There's very much that is un- settled about it, and it's going to be a great opportunity for one of these tight ends." The 6-4, 262-pound Carter caught nine passes for 84 yards and a touchdown 54 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Fifth-year senior Mario Carter caught nine passes for 84 yards and a touchdown as a backup last season. ||||||| 2012 TIGHT ENDS No. Name 89 Benson Browne 87 Mario Carter 86 David Grinnage 45 Jake Lenox 83 Anthony Talbert 82 Asa Watson Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Last School) TE 6-5 246 R-Fr. TE 6-4 262 5th-Sr. Charlotte, N.C. (Independence) TE 6-5 230 Cincinnati (Walnut Hills) TE 6-3 220 So. TE 6-4 254 R-Jr. Fr. Newark, Del. (Newark) Raleigh (Wakefield) TE 6-4 235 R-Jr. Rock Hill, S.C. (Rock Hill) Cincinnati (Winton Woods) PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN