The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/846301
86 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 1957 While everyone appropriately remembers the exploits of All-American run- ning back Dick Christy, lost in most memories is that the Wolfpack charged its way to the first ACC title in school history on the strength of its defense, which pitched a school-record five shutouts en route to a 7-1-2 overall record and a 5-0-1 ACC mark. In a two-way platoon system — where players were used on both sides of the ball — John Collar and Bob Pepe excelled at the ends, while Dick DeAngelis, Dar - rell Dess, Bob Crain and Francis Palandrani were tough at the tackles. Dess, an All-ACC selection, was the most accomplished defensive player on the team, a 225-pound tackle who later spent 12 years in the NFL, primarily for the New York Giants, for whom he was a two-time Pro Bowl pick. He was particularly effective in the Wolfpack ties at Miami and at home against Duke, preserving the latter with a sack of Blue Devil quarterback Bob Broadhead on the final play of the 14-14 tie. It was one of many brilliant defensive stands during the championship season. 1967 Dennis Byrd, coming off his All- America junior year in 1966, was absolutely one of the most feared defensive players in the country his senior season. The ACC's first three-time first-team all-conference selection, he was still a consensus All-America pick as a senior even though he missed most of the final four games of the season after suffering an after-the-whistle knee injury against Duke in the seventh game of the season. The injury hampered the first-round pick of the AFL's Boston Patriots throughout his professional career, which lasted just two seasons. Byrd was surrounded by serious talent, with nose guard Terry Brookshire, senior tackle Trent Holland and sophomore reserve Ron Carpenter, a two-time All-ACC pick and 1968 All-American who was later a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals and a seven-year NFL veteran. Though the team did not record a shutout, the defense led the ACC by allowing just 8.7 points and 253.3 yards per game. 1979 The stats are deceiving about this defensive front, which allowed more than 200 rushing yards per game. That's because many of those 2,276 yards were given up in a 44-34 loss at Auburn, where five defensive starters were lost to injury on one play in the fifth game of the season. The defense was anchored — quite literally — by All-ACC tackles Simon Gupton and Bubba Green, with plenty of assistance from veteran Brian O'Doherty and nose guard John Stanton. Outside linebackers Joe Hannah, David Horning and James Butler cleaned up behind them. "I feel like if we hadn't had all those guys get hurt in the Auburn game, we would have gone 11-0 that season," said All-ACC defensive back Woodrow Wil - son, whose man-to-man coverage certainly benefitted from his up-front rush. The defense did its job with a famous goal-line stand against Clemson with four minutes to play and a strong rush that forced an interception in the final minute. It held Penn State to just nine points in the heartbreaking 9-7 home loss and clamped down Duke to help secure the Wolfpack's last ACC title. 1988 Junior tackle Ray Agnew, who was named the ACC Freshman of the Year in 1986, put together another All-ACC season as a junior with 72 tackles and five sacks for a unit that led the ACC in scoring defense (12.9 points allowed per game), rushing defense (103.6 yards surrendered per contest) and total defense (264.3 yards given up per game). Agnew, who was a teammate of NC State wide receiver Torry Holt on the 1999 Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, was joined up front by junior nose guard John Adleta and All-ACC rush end Scott Auer. Their play up front was a big reason freshman safety Jesse Campbell became an all- star. Campbell led the team in tackles (86), tackles for loss (12), forced fumbles (six), interceptions (five) and passes broken up (11). Head coach Dick Sheridan's team finished with an 8-3-1 overall record and beat Iowa 28-23 in the Peach Bowl. 2004 The collection of talent that head coach Chuck Amato, a defensive master throughout his career, amassed these two years will likely never be matched again. With defensive ends Mario Williams and Manny Lawson — both first-round picks in the NFL Draft — and tackles John McCargo and Tank Tyler up front, the Wolfpack defense was practically impenetrable. Williams, the school's all-time leader in tackles for loss (55.5) who was the first ACC player to ever be picked No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, had 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2004 while Lawson added 12. Reserve DeMa - rio Pressley, who won a Super Bowl title with the New Orleans Saints, also contributed as a true freshman. The 2004 unit became just the third team in ACC history to lead the nation in total defense, allowing just 221.4 yards per game. Alas, a year after the departure of the ACC's all-time leading passer Philip Rivers and record-breaking wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, the offense was not as productive and the Wolfpack finished the season with a 5-6 overall record. Essentially intact in 2005, the defensive front was a key factor in the Wolfpack's 7-5 overall record and a 14-0 victory over South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. — Tim Peeler NC State's Best Defensive Lines End Mario Williams (2003‑05) finished his career as NC State's all‑time leader in tackles for loss (55.5) and sacks (25.5). PHOTO BY MIKE PITTMAN