The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/73006
2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Redshirt junior wide receiver Quintin Payton has hauled in 11 receptions for 145 yards in limited action the past two years, but he brings good size (6-4, 203 pounds) to the position and lined up with the starters in the Kay Yow Spring Game. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN He was a safety who played exclusively on special teams as a true freshman last fall, but the former four-star recruit moved to linebacker in the spring. By the Kay Yow Spring Game, he was playing with the first string. He had two tackles and two pass breakups in the scrimmage. 19. RB Tony Creecy As a redshirt freshman, Creecy ran 103 times for 382 yards and a touchdown and caught 25 passes for 157 yards and three more scores. His background as a receiver in high school makes him an asset out of the back- field catching passes, so expect his role to increase in the fall. 20. DB Dontae Johnson The fact that Johnson, a junior, is listed as a backup speaks to the depth of NC State's secondary. Johnson, though, may be hard to keep off the field in 2012. Toward the end of last season he was playing a starter- amount of snaps and actually started the Clemson and Maryland games. Johnson has enough versatility to play safety, corner and even a hybrid safety/line- backer role against increasingly popular spread offenses. Johnson had three sacks 96 ■ THE WOLFPACKER in the final four games last season, while blitzing off the edge. 21. OL Andrew Wallace Wallace, one of NC State's most athleti- cally gifted offensive linemen, started all 12 games during the regular season in 2010 at left guard before tearing an ACL during a Champs Sports Bowl practice. That ef- fectively cost him the 2011 season — he played just two games as a reserve. Now that Wallace is healthy, the hope is that he can slide back into his starting role. 22. K Niklas Sade As a true freshman, Sade handled the pressures of the kicking duties fairly well. He converted 11 of 16 field goal attempts, with a long of 45 yards, and 46 of 47 extra points. He also had five touchbacks on his 70 kickoffs. Sade closed the season strong, making his last seven field goal attempts. He fin- ished the year 9 of 10 on field goals inside of 40 yards. 23. WR Bryan Underwood Palmer is not the only speedy play- maker in NC State's offense. The confi- dent Underwood, a redshirt sophomore, caught 16 passes for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He is most remembered for his perfor- mance in Charlottesville, Va., against UVa. He caught three passes for 125 yards and two scores, including a 79-yard footrace down the sideline. 24. WR Quintin Payton Both Palmer and Underwood give State playmaking potential because of their speed, but Payton brings a dimension to the offense that State needs: size. He checks in at 6-4, 210 pounds, and the redshirt ju- nior looks to be a good complement to the speedy duo on the other side of the field. Payton was among the starters along with Palmer in the Kay Yow Spring Game. 25. TE Asa Watson Watson redshirted his junior season last year after undergoing heart surgery, but the athletic tight end has the potential to bring a new dimension to State's offense. He showed his speed and quickness in a nifty 74-yard catch and run in the spring game. If he can develop into a reliable receiv- ing option at 6-4, 235 pounds, Watson has the potential to be a matchup nightmare for defenses. ■