The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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WOLFPACK FOOTBALL GETTING TO KNOW ■ Camden Wentz Senior center Camden Wentz has been a mainstay of the NC State offensive line and is on pace to be a three-year starter for the Wolfpack. The 6-3, 301-pounder has managed to allow only one sack in 31 games (26 starts) played and 1,930 snaps — against Western Carolina in the 2010 season opener. Wentz has proven to be an iron man, missing only the majority of the Belk Bowl win against Louisville. Wentz made sure to stand on the sideline and help backup centers Wayne Crawford and Cameron Fordham in any way possible in the win over the Cardinals. The All-ACC nominee calls all the keys for the offensive line and is a coach on the field for the offense. The Marietta, Ga., native, who is ma- joring in sports management, recently took some time to talk with The Wolf- packer and answer some questions. Quick Questions want to see Garth Brooks live. My dad saw him when he was in college and said it was awesome. What is the go-to place to eat at back fan of "Tombstone" and have watched that quite a bit. We watched it here in camp. Who would like to see at a concert? I Last good movie you watched? I'm a big home? There is a breakfast place called Biscuits and More, which is where we'd go on Friday mornings before school would start. Really good biscuits and cheese grits, comfort food. Favorite class at NC State? One of my PRT Wentz, a senior center and All-ACC nominee, has allowed only one sack while playing 1,930 snaps over 31 games (26 starts). PHOTO BY ERIC LUSK classes, actually, sports leadership. We went on a ropes course and talked about team building. Any superstitions? Not really. I always give Smoke [Lamart Barrett] a secret handshake we have when I walk in, but that's about it. If you didn't go to NC State, where would What are your goals for this season? "As a team, our ultimate goal is to win an ACC championship and a national championship. We want a 1,000-yard rusher, and that's an offensive line goal. We want to give up as few sacks as possible. We want to be tops in the nation in sacks allowed. Those are our main goals. Playing in a BCS bowl in my last season would be a special thing, too." you have gone? Probably Louisville or Stanford. What athlete at NCSU do you like to watch play? I like watching Lorenzo Brown be- cause he's really smooth out there, and he's from my area. We played against him in high school, same with Richard Howell. I saw where they were in high school and where they are now. Any big pet peeves? I don't really have one. book, Catch-22. It's one of my favorites. Anything meaningful about being No. 53? I'm pretty laid back and just go with it. Favorite book you've read? I really like the I kind of made it my own. In high school, I wore No. 55. I was that number my entire life, from a little kid on up. I couldn't get that number [at NC State], so I've made No. 53 my own. People around here will ask me about the young kid on the hockey team who is real good [Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes] because that's his number. They'll say, "You share a number with Skinner." 50 ■ THE WOLFPACKER teammates R.J. Mattes and Andrew Wallace the last two years? "Our apartment is an interesting place. There is a lot What has it been like living with offensive line of sleeping [going on]. It's like hibernation sometimes. I was always close with those guys and ended up in their apartment. I said, 'I really like these guys, so why not live with them?' The last few years, that has been my situation." are you? "I enjoy NASCAR, but the big thing is that Andrew Mattes and Wallace are both into NASCAR, is a big Atlanta Braves fan, and I'm a diehard Atlanta Braves fan. That's most of the sports stuff that Andrew and I do. I do enjoy NASCAR, but I'm not a diehard. I like to watch the last few laps, but that's about it." How is the chemistry of the line this season? "The chemistry remains the same, but it's more about fine-tuning footwork and steps from when you move from one side of the ball to the other. Your stance changes, and your footwork kind of flip-flops. It's important at this time of the year to fine-tune all that, and the chemistry comes along with it. "R.J. moving in at guard [from left tackle], he has different footwork at left guard. Andrew moving from left guard to right tackle, he kind of has to flip-flop footwork." knowledge to the younger centers such as Joe Thuney and others? "It's definitely something that I'd like to do down the How are you doing in passing along your road, and that's coaching. I have a very good grasp of what we want to accomplish on the offensive line, and how the plays work with all the positions. "Whenever someone has a question, I'll sit down with the playbook and explain to them what we are trying to accomplish here. [NCSU offensive line] Coach [Jim] Bridge has done a great job of instilling what the objective is of the play, and not just what your assignment is." say their parents, but you model yourself off them. Everyone tells me that I'm a spitting image of my dad. If I can be like my dad when I'm all said and done, that would be a pretty good thing. He's a great guy." — Jacey Zembal Who inspires you? "Definitely my father, Jeff Wentz. Must people don't