The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/846301
56 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 OFFENSE Q&A to make sure they are good at something. J-Sam has really worked hard on his pe- rimeter blocking. I think he has done an outstanding job with that. "Nyheim has done a really good job of being a tailback and picking up protections. Matt was so good at protections." Have the responsibilities for junior Reg- gie Gallaspy changed this season to where he's counted on more? "I think he has done a really good job of getting healthy. He is getting his weight where he wants it be, so he can feel good and run the way he needs to run. I think there is a sense of urgency for that position, whether it is Nyheim, Reggie or [fifth-year senior] Dakwa [Nichols] to be that guy who provides that durability. And consistency, where we hand the ball off to you and you will move the football down the field. "You have to compete every single day and nothing is handed to you. Going into Coach [Dave] Doeren's fifth season, that is exactly how you want it. We are talk- ing about great players and this and that on our football team, but there are a lot of guys who can really help us. They might not have done it in the past, but they are itching for their opportunity to. That is the beautiful thing about college football. While some people have their roles and they are defined, there is always that next guy who is ready to step up this year. I'm excited to see who that is going to be on our football team. "I think Ryan [Finley] has a tremendous grasp of what we need to do from the quar- terback position. I'm very excited to see what he is going to do and the season he has in front of him. He also knows that he has got to perform at a high level because there is somebody right behind him [Mc- Clendon] that wants the same thing. "It is the same thing in the running back room. Whoever it is knows they have to perform at a high level and carry the foot- ball and pick up protections. They have to do all those things because if they don't, there is somebody else right behind him." The younger receivers made good strides last year and are all back. How have you seen that unit improve? "I think it goes back to [wide receiv- ers] Coach [George] McDonald, who is an unbelievable football coach and does a great job with that room. He has them playing at a high level, and it's guys he has recruited and coached. He has put his per- sonality into those guys. They have been a real strength for us. "Last year, going into fall camp, there were so many questions with people chang- ing positions and we were still trying to put the pieces together. Now, we are very confident about who are the people in the room. This is the second year in the offense and the sixth time they've heard the instal- lation. They are very comfortable working on their own and working with each other. They are pushing each other. "The wide receiver room is very deep. There are guys that can really extend the field vertically. There are guys that can make contact catches. There are guys that can beat man-to-man coverage. There are people coming back like [fifth-year senior] JuMichael Ramos, who we are excited to see. There are people we haven't been seen yet like [redshirt freshman] C.J. Riley. There is a year of growth in Jakobi Meyers. You got true freshmen who when they walk through the building, they look the part like Emeka Emezie and Max Fisher. Then you got an All-ACC freshman in Kelvin Harmon. "You have all kinds of pieces. You have [senior] Gavin [Locklear], who is working hard and does all the right things. You have Mr. Reliable in Stephen Louis. It is who can be consistent and make that play and who can compete every single day." How valuable is senior tight end Cole Cook? "I don't think you can say enough for what Cole Cook does for us offensively. Not only is he one of our better players on offense, he's a tremendous leader and gets people in the right places. He understands the game. He understands the nuances of every play. He has played a ton of football. "He is physical, big and long. He can make catches and score touchdowns. He is a really good player for us and I'm excited to see what he can do senior year." Some tight ends from last year's roster were lost, but how did that help the younger ones get increased reps last spring? "[NCSU fullback/tight ends] Coach [Ed- die] Faulkner has done an outstanding job of getting these guys as many reps as he can possibly get them. We wanted to see individual skill development. We wanted to see each player grow." With four starters back and a fifth player with experience, will the offensive line come together quickly? "They've been good, but it has been unique and a challenge too. When you lose your center, you have some growing pains there. I think [offensive line] Coach [Dwayne] Ledford does an outstanding job coaching these guys and teaching." What do you ask of redshirt junior center Garrett Bradbury during the pre-snap at the line of scrimmage? "He does a great job of ID'ing fronts. We talk all the time, the center has to get everybody on the same page, from an of- fensive line standpoint. He does a great job of communicating. He has played a full year at guard and is now sliding to center. He has played a lot of football on both sides of the ball, including as a tight end or defensive lineman. "He has great feet and great athleticism. He is a really good leader and a positive guy. He is tough. You combine those things together and he has the potential to be a re- ally good center for us." ■ Drinkwitz said that redshirt junior Garrett Bradbury, who is moving from guard to center, has "the potential to be a really good center for us." PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN "We want to establish and execute the DNA of our offense and have better executions of scoring touchdowns in the red zone and our overall offensive unity. Those are our three stated goals and what we've been working for every day." ■ Drinkwitz