The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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48 ■ THE WOLFPACKER C arson Wise put together a list of schools he thought would be interested in add- ing a graduate-transfer kicker, and NC State quickly rose to the top. The 5-10, 170-pound Wise got in contact with NC State in late December, officially visited in late January and was announced by the Wolfpack on March 30 after he was cleared to formally transfer. Wise has two years of eligibility remaining and will com- pete for the Pack's placekicker job. Junior Kyle Bambard is the incumbent, and he has gone 12 of 24 with a long of 48 yards at NC State. "I was looking for somewhere that had the graduate program [sports management] that I was looking for," said Wise, 21. "I contacted coach Doug Shearer, the special teams quality control coach, back in De- cember. That is where it began." Wise went 8 of 13 on field goals with a long of 49 yards, and made 32 of 33 extra points, for Division II Carson-Newman last year. He had 14 touchbacks and five that went out of bounds on 37 kickoffs. He also went 13 of 18 on field goals (two were blocked) with a long of 42 in 2015. "I was pleased with myself last year, and I did really well that first year," Wise said. "It took us a game or two to get our protection down pat [in 2015]. Once we went through that and made some changes, it was a great year for me. "This past season, we had a brand new operation, and it took us a few games to work the kinks out with some true fresh- men. Once we did, we definitely felt we could contribute as much as we could." Wise started his college career kick- ing for hometown Virginia Tech. He led Blacksburg (Va.) High to a state title in 2013, and went 32 of 40 on field goals with a long of 55 in high school. He redshirted in 2014, but did travel on the road to take in the environment of ACC football. He already has looked to see if NC State plays Virginia Tech the next two years, but it would have to happen in the ACC champi- onship game. "I was able to go up and be a part of beating Ohio State at their place. That gives me an idea of making sure I'm ready," Wise noted. Whether kicking in high school, at Vir- ginia Tech or at Carson-Newman, Wise knows that kicking is just that: kicking. "Some might give you different answers, but I think it's the same," Wise said. "Once you get that rhythm and that chemistry down with your snapper and holder, that's the most important part, then kicking is just kicking." Wise is excited to potentially kick in big games. He felt the heartbreak for NC State when Bambard missed a 33-yard field goal on the road that would have defeated even- tual national champion Clemson. "A lot of the guys on my team were big Clemson fans. We were on the bus for that, and you don't like to see that," Wise said. "That was a tough situation. Whether you are in the ACC championship game at the end or up by 40 points, you have to do the exact same thing." Wise is set to graduate from Carson-New- man with a degree in social entrepreneurship — a mixture of business and sociology — on May 5, and hopes to start summer school at NC State May 17. "I really enjoyed what I saw on the cam- pus and what I was able to get from the coaches and players that I met," Wise said of his NCSU official visit. "The past few months, we've been going through the pro- cess with the NCAA that I'd be immediately eligibility since I had transferred from Vir- ginia Tech once." Wise liked the concept that NCSU head coach Dave Doeren is involved in all three units — offense, defense and special teams. "I really appreciated that because every- one knows that special teams is a vital part of the game," Wise said. "Not every coach wants to spend the time on it because of- fense and defense are so important as well. I knew I would have a coach that is totally on board." Three Leave Football Team Highly touted running back signee Johnny Frasier's career at NC State is over. The Wolfpack announced his departure from the program on March 17, and Frasier posted on social media he intended to transfer. WOLFPACK FOOTBALL Graduate Transfer Kicker Carson Wise Enrolling At NC State 2017 NC State Football Schedule Date Opponent Sept. 2 vs. South Carolina* Sept. 9 Marshall Sept. 16 Furman Sept. 23 at Florida State Sept. 30 Syracuse Oct. 5 Louisville Oct. 14 at Pittsburgh Oct. 28 at Notre Dame Nov. 4 Clemson Nov. 11 at Boston College Nov. 18 at Wake Forest Nov. 25 North Carolina * at Charlotte In two years at Division II Carson-Newman, Wise went 21 of 31 on field goals and 97 of 101 on PATs. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO