The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/759726
JANUARY 2017 ■ 73 WOLFPACK FOOTBALL NC State head coach Dave Doeren hopes Dayes' work ethic — he is one of the first to arrive for practice and the last to leave — rubs off on the younger players in the program. "He is a great young man," Doeren said. "He's a hard worker. He's a great team- mate. He's tremendous in the community with our families and kids. "He will always represent NC State the right way." NC State fifth-year senior center Joe Scelfo was excited to see Dayes reach 1,000 yards, and so were other players on both sides of the ball on the team. "I think Matt is a phenomenal football player," Scelfo said. "It goes hand in hand, the O-line and the running back. He told us that we needed to keep doing what we are doing. We told him to keep doing what he is doing. "He's phenomenal at what he does. We feed off him, and he feeds off us." The pressure now turns to the NC State wide receivers, which haven't had a 1,000- yard wideout since Jerricho Cotchery in 2003. Perhaps sophomores Nyheim Hines or Stephen Louis or freshman Kelvin Har- mon will take aim at that mark moving forward. NCSU future running backs now know the standard set by Dayes. ■ Dayes became NC State's first 1,000-yard rusher since T.A. McLendon in 2002, carry- ing the ball 240 times for 1,119 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Gardner Marsh Gas Equipment Company, Inc. 8209 Brownleigh Drive 2119 Jody Road Raleigh, NC 27617 Florence, SC 29501 Ph: 919 787 8214 Ph: 843 669 3136 Ph: 800 334 9245 Ph: 800 868 8988 Fax: 800 400 2596 Fax: 843 661 5236 Web: www.gardnermarsh.com