The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/846301
JULY 2017 ■ 105 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 SPECIAL TEAMS Special Teams Roster STARTERS No. Name Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 90 A.J. Cole III P Jr. 6-4 230 College Park, Ga. Averaged 41.3 yards on 51 punts last year with a long of 72. Had five touchbacks, 20 fair caught and he landed 16 inside the 20-yard line. Boasts the fourth-best punting average in school history at 41.5. 57 Tyler Griffiths LS Jr. 6-2 230 Indian Trail, N.C. Has snapped the ball 120 times on punts, and 128 on field goals and extra points. 38 Carson Wise K R-Jr. 5-10 170 Blacksburg, Va. Converted 8 of 13 field goals with a long of 49 yards and made 32 of 33 extra points last year at Carson-Newman. Also had 14 touchbacks and five that went out of bounds on 37 kickoffs. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 91 Asa Alexander P R-Fr. 5-10 214 Greenville, N.C. Walk-on from Rose High is from the same program as senior defensive end Ken - tavius Street. 92 Kyle Bambard K Jr. 5-8 190 Wixom, Mich. Has gone 12 of 24 on field goals with a long of 48 and made 78 of 83 extra points the last two years. Also had 10 touchbacks on 46 kickoffs last year. 99 Trenton Gill P Fr. 6-4 187 Hillsborough, N.C. Walk-on who made 8 of 12 field goals and 41 of 44 extra points his senior year at Cedar Ridge High. 97 Jackson Maples K R-Jr. 5-10 195 West End, N.C. Walk-on emerged as a kickoff specialist in 2015, and handled it on a part-time basis last year. Had 22 kickoffs for an average of 61 yards in 2016, with six touchbacks and three that went out of bounds in seven games. For his career, he has 45 career touchbacks on 95 kickoffs in 20 contests. 50 Jackson Quiggle LS R-Fr. 5-10 207 Sanford, N.C. Walk-on from Southern Lee redshirted last year. Junior Kyle Bambard has made just 12 of 24 field goal attempts so far in his career, but he did convert six three-pointers during the Kay Yow Spring Game April 1. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN ■ Preseason Analysis **** Among country's best; *** Among ACC's best; ** Solid or has potential; * Too unproven Starters *** NC State could have one of the best units in the ACC if the kicking game comes through. All eyes will be on the competition between junior kicker Kyle Bambard and graduate transfer Carson Wise, who has two years of eligibility left. Junior kick returner Nyheim Hines is always a threat to go the distance, and he could take over the punt return duties as well. Junior punter A.J. Cole III and junior long snap- per Tyler Griffiths are both proven commodities. Wise, Bambard and perhaps redshirt junior Jackson Maples could be in contention for the kickoff duties. Experience *** NC State has experience across the board. Hines hasn't had to return punts in college, but has extensive experience doing so at local high school Garner High. Bambard, Wise, Cole and Griffiths have been through the fire the last two years, whether at NC State or another college in the case of Wise. Depth * Developing depth in the return game will likely occur, and the Wolfpack probably have an assortment of choices behind Hines. Fifth-year senior running back Dakwa Nichols and redshirt junior wide receiver Maurice Trowell could be other potential options. Overall grade *** The psyche for NC State will be altered the first time a kicker makes a game-winning field goal, and establishes themselves as dependable inside the 40-yard line and on extra points. NCSU should have potential All-ACC candidates in Hines and Cole. resume the kickoff duties, where he had 10 touchbacks on 46 kick- offs with two that went out of bounds. If the kicking game falls in place, the remaining parts of the special teams could be top of the line. Hines could be turned loose on both kickoff and punt returns. He has always been special with the ball in his hands and especially in the return game, dating back to his days at Garner (N.C.) High. Hines has a pair of 100-yard kick returns to his credit at NC State. He averaged 24.4 yards on 32 kick returns last year, and formed a dynamic one-two punch with departed punt returner Bra'Lon Cherry. Faulkner pointed out that a few strong returns could boost mo- mentum across all the special teams units. "If Nyheim Hines takes one to the house, or last year if Bra'Lon Cherry took a punt return, you think, 'Whew, the special teams are playing great,'" Faulkner said. "It might be one good return all year, but a lot of times perception is reality with what is going on." NCSU was stout on kickoff returns (20.4 yards allowed per re- turn) but will try to improve in punt coverage (14.9 yards allowed per return), although the Wolfpack did manage to defeat Notre Dame 10-3 in a rain-soaked contest thanks to a blocked punt. More big plays like that could be on the horizon in 2017. ■ "Competition is good for everybody. I think it is going to be key that group and position has success early in the year." ■ Tight ends/fullbacks coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Faulkner on the kickers