The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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114 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER TO WATCH Carson Wise, R-Jr., PK DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER TO WATCH Johnathan Alston, R-Sr., CB The depth chart on offense shows few openings for an instant-impact performer. At quarterback, the redshirt junior duo of Ryan Finley and Jalan McClendon should handle the duties, enabling early enrollee freshman Matthew McKay to redshirt. Red- shirt freshman Dylan Par- ham has already moved to tight end. On the offensive line, four of the five starters are back, and the top reserve from the unit in 2016 — redshirt junior Terronne Prescod — started three games a year ago and likely slides into the lineup. Seven wideouts caught a pass a season ago, and six of them are back. Fifth-year senior JuMichael Ramos also returns after missing 2016 with a knee injury. Seniors Jaylen Samuels and Cole Cook will handle the tight end position. While running back Erin Collins has been touted by head coach Dave Doeren as a true freshman that will likely play, he will have to battle juniors Nyheim Hines and Reggie Gallaspy and fifth-year senior Dakwa Nichols for carries. However, if placekickers are included on the offensive side of the ball, then there is a clear open- ing for graduate transfer Carson Wise to make an immediate impact. Wise made 21 of 31 field goals in two seasons at Carson-Newman with a long of 49 yards. He comes in to compete with junior Kyle Bambard, who has connected on field goals at a 50.0 percent clip (12 of 24) in two seasons in Raleigh. Yet given head coach Dave Doeren's statement in the press release in March announcing Wise's addition to the team, it appears the newcomer will have a clear leg up on the competition going into preseason camp. "I'm excited to have Carson join the family," Doeren said. "He is a talented player who should be a great addition to our special teams. We look for him to handle our field goal and kickoff duties this fall." Wise started his career at Virginia Tech, redshirt- ing his freshman year before leaving for Carson- Newman, a Division II program in Jefferson City, Tenn. He graduated there with a degree in social entrepreneurship. He is a former product of Blacksburg (Va.) High, where he made 32 of 40 career field goal attempts and had a long of 55 yards. Wise helped Blacksburg win a state title in 2013. Due to the struggles in the kicking game, grad transfer Carson Wise was brought in during the spring from Divi- sion II Carson-Newman. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS If it will be tough for a newcomer to break through on the offensive depth chart, it may be even more challenging to do so on a defense where it is conceiv- able that eight of the 11 starters will be seniors, all of them returning starters from a season ago. The most natural spot for a rookie to emerge would be in the secondary. There is an open competition at the nickel spot vacated by the duo of Dravious Wright and Niles Clark, but the top two contenders are junior Freddie Phillips Jr. and sophomore Trae Meadows. Redshirt junior Dexter Wright and redshirt sopho- more Jarius Morehead, who both picked up quality playing experience a season ago, are likely to battle for the free safety spot left open by the early departure of Josh Jones to the NFL. The corner position previously held by Jack Tocho is an intriguing competition, involving a newcomer to the defense in fifth-year senior Johnathan Alston. For- merly a receiver who caught 39 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns his first three years at NC State, Alston may have found his true calling at cornerback. He made the switch during the spring of 2016 and redshirted this past year. He missed some time due to health issues last fall, but was still named the Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Year. "It feels good to be back — sitting out a whole year is tough," Alston said. "I changed my positions. Last year, I redshirted and got my feet wet. "I'm not going to complain about anything. I'll get better at the position and then things will work out for me." The spring gave him a chance to see where he stacks up and talk a little junk with his old buddies that remain at receiver. Jones, who tested as one of the most ath- letic safeties at this year's NFL Combine with a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at 6-1, 220 pounds, is among the many who have said Alston's abilities fit best on the defensive side of the ball. "That's a guy that's super athletic," Jones said. "As far as athleticism, I would compare him to myself; that speaks a lot. "Once he puts everything together, he'll be one of those guys that you can look at and say, 'He played one year of ball [on defense], got his shot and made the most of it.' He's a hard worker and talented athlete." Alston is expected to compete with sopho- more Nick McCloud for the spot opposite senior Mike Stevens. Cornerbacks coach George Barlow has been preaching to him the importance of having a short memory about mistakes at his new position. "I'm ready to play with the big dogs now," Alston said. "Being out here with your brothers and compet- ing is fun." Fifth-year senior Johnathan Alston caught 39 passes in three seasons at receiver, but will compete for playing time at corner this fall. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN