The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/846301
128 ■ THE WOLFPACKER THE LOST CLASS Tight end David J. Grinnage hauled in 67 passes for 798 yards and nine touchdowns during his NCSU career, but left after his redshirt junior campaign and went undrafted. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN BY MATT CARTER T he 2012 football recruiting class had only mild, at best, expectations after being ranked No. 57 nation- ally by Rivals.com. In hindsight, meeting those modest ex- pectations would have been a welcomed development. By the time the group's tenure was done, only six of the 22 signees finished their en- tire eligibility at NCSU. Two of those were junior college transfers that played two years. Of the other four, the only one that could claim a consistent role was reserve nickel Niles Clark. Just one year before, a much-maligned 2011 class proved to be a pleasantly strong collection that defied low expectations. The final lesson from the 2012 class is the one fans should have learned from 2011: all signing days are great unknowns. The 2012 class did have at least a story- book ending. Clark had a pick-six to cap a 41-17 win over Vanderbilt in the Camping World Independence Bowl last December on the final snap ever played by a member of that class. TOP FIVE WINS FOR 2012 CLASS 1. 17-16 vs. Florida State, 2012 Third-ranked FSU was stunned by the Pack, who overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit in front of a frenzied crowd at Carter-Finley Stadium and a national audience in a prime-time televised game. Most of the 2012 class watched on the sideline. Running back Shadrach Thornton did play a large role in the win. He ran for 29 yards, but more importantly caught four passes for 48 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown that cut FSU's lead to 16-10 in the fourth quarter. 2. 35-7 at North Carolina, 2014 Thornton came up big in the annual rivalry showdown, helping to lead a physical whooping of the Tar Heels by rushing 28 times for 161 yards and a touchdown. NCSU so dominated it only threw 11 times, and tight end David J. Grinnage caught three of the nine completions for 22 yards and the lone passing score. 3. 28-21 at North Carolina, 2016 With a bowl game on the line, NC State made it two in a row in Chapel Hill by jumping out to a 21-0 first-half lead and holding on for the victory. Nickel Niles Clark had a key tackle for loss in the win, and safety Josh Sessoms added a hit on special teams. 4. 10-3 vs. Notre Dame, 2016 The 2016 version of the Fighting Irish was not what many had anticipated for Notre Dame in the preseason, but this game will have long-lasting memories for several reasons. Chiefly, it was played in the torrential downpours and gusty winds of Hurricane Matthew, which was coming ashore on the southeastern coast of the state. The conditions led to an almost comedic display of football. It was also the 50-year anniversary game for Carter-Finley Stadium. Clark had a pass breakup in the victory. 5. 41-17 vs. Vanderbilt, Camping World Independence Bowl, 2016 Clark's pick-six on the final play of the game capped a dominating win over the Commodores for NCSU's first victory over an SEC team since beating South Carolina in 1999. The game represented Clark's one and only start at NCSU, and he also broke up another pass. Sessoms added a special teams tackle. THE FINAL GRADE: F A failing grade is harsh, but in this case also war- ranted. The bottom line is the class proved to be a hole on the roster that head coach Dave Doeren was forced to overcome in his first four years at the helm. The 2012 class was one that may have had limited potential to begin with — no one in the group was drafted or has stuck (yet) on an NFL roster. Add in the unusually high attrition level and the class was doomed. Few In NC State's 2012 Football Recruiting Class Stuck Around