The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/80446
the biggest sign that whatever the former Pack linebacker is doing has worked. When Edmond took the job, he talked about how a strength and conditioning coach needs to be the heartbeat of a team; he's certainly off to a great start in that aspect. To Step Up O'Brien announced at the Pack's media Inexperienced Wide Receivers Will Have day that redshirt sophomore Bryan Under- wood, the team's second-leading returner at wide receiver, would be out for an in- definite period of time due to a knee injury. It's actually probably a good sign that the coach didn't declare the pass catcher out for a certain amount of time, and it sounds like he'll be back sooner than later. In the meantime, though, State will have to rely on inexperienced options to step up opposite fifth-year senior Tobais Palmer, who started seven games last year and hauled in 37 receptions for 496 yards and five touchdowns. After Palmer and Underwood, the next most experienced pass catcher is redshirt junior Quintin Payton, a 6-4, 203-pound target with 11 career receptions. Round- ing out the crew is redshirt junior Rashard Smith (a converted defensive back who has one career catch), redshirt freshmen Hakeem Flowers and Maurice Morgan, and true freshman Charlie Hegedus. "Flowers and Morgan have talent, they're just young," O'Brien said. "They have to play, and they're big guys. Hegedus has re- ally done a great job as a freshman. He's one of the freshmen that I think projects right now to play for us." Redshirt freshman Tyrrell Burriss made the switch from cornerback to wideout in camp to help bolster the group, and with offensive coordinator Dana Bible liking to rotate as many as six or seven receivers, a few of those freshmen will have to emerge as threats on the outside. The good news for the group is fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Glennon is one of the best signal-callers in the country, and the Pack has a wide receiver coach for the first time in the O'Brien era, with former consensus All-American and eight-year NFL veteran Troy Walters joining the fold this summer. On Defense Defensive coordinator Mike Archer Dontae Johnson Will Play Everywhere said during his summer interview with The Wolfpacker that the coaches expected Johnson to play an expanded role on the defense, noting: "Dontae is one of our best players. We've got to get Dontae on the field more, other than in the nickel pack- age. … He's going to play corner, he's going to play nickel and he's going to play safety." The surprising thing was that, at the first practice, Johnson lined up at boundary cor- ner with the first-team defense, despite the presence of returning starter C.J. Wilson, a fifth-year senior. As camp was winding down, Archer noted that when the Pack goes to its nickel packages — which could be frequently with the team's schedule this year — he envisions Johnson sliding inside to play the nickel because of his blitzing ability, but also staying on the outside at times. Amerson On Returns When special teams coordinator Jerry Petercuskie and O'Brien were together at Virginia as assistants under head coach George Welsh, standout running back Tiki Barber returned punts and led the ACC with an average of 12.7 yards per return in 1996. Barber gave the team the best chance The Coaches Aren't Afraid To Use David to be successful on returns back then, and if the coaches deem Amerson, a junior, as their best option to run back punts or kickoffs, expect them to take a similar phi- losophy with the All-American cornerback. Everybody saw how dangerous Amerson Redshirt junior Quintin Payton, who has totaled 11 career receptions, is one of several Wolfpack wideouts ready to see increased playing time in 2012. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 46 ■ THE WOLFPACKER can be with the ball in his hands last year, when he totaled a Football Bowl Subdi- vision-best 205 yards and two scores on interceptions returns, and he has two career kickoff returns for 42 yards. ■