Get someone to put parking tickets and a boot on their buses.

6/28/2011 10:20:31 PM

love the monopoly money and parking ticket/boot ideas. I'd also vote for some "dealer tags" signs or also thrown on the field.

And just to make the PED's conspiracy theorists over there really get an aneurysm, we could label all the gatorade cups with big letters: "PEDs"

6/28/2011 10:23:27 PM

#66, Taylor Griswold, Freshman

6'1" / 290 lbs., Offensive Lineman

Couldn't find any pictures...

[Edited on June 28, 2011 at 10:37 PM. Reason : .]

6/28/2011 10:36:58 PM

Griswold?

6/28/2011 10:40:07 PM

Quote :

"Get someone to put parking tickets and a boot on their buses."

I'm in the band, and we have to wait below the stadium beside team buses before we come out...

not saying I'll do it, but thats definitely a possibility

6/28/2011 11:22:07 PM

6/29/2011 9:30:15 AM

i spent last 2 hours looking at the football highlight videos from last few years....man i cant wait for football season!

6/29/2011 10:57:10 AM

Quote :

"So what are you going to do to make UNC's trip to Carter-Finley a personal hell for them?"

Have a plane fly overhead advertising web sites that sell term papers.

6/29/2011 11:43:50 AM

have a whole section of "NCAA Compliance Staff" t shirts

6/29/2011 12:56:57 PM

#65, A.J. Ferguson, Sophomore

6'3" / 279 lbs., Defensive End

In 2010: Saw action in three contests at defensive tackle, he was in for a season-high 25 snaps in the season opener with Western Carolina ... Enrolled at NC State in January and went through winter workouts with the team.

Prep: Originally signed with the Pack in 2009, but spent last season at Fork Union Military Academy ... Named to the USA Football Junior National squad that represented the United States in the first IFAF Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio, during the summer of 2009 ... A four-year starter at South Brunswick High School for Coach Gordon Walters, he recorded 90 tackles, including 20 for loss, and 10 sacks during his senior season... Scored three touchdowns on defense as a senior ... Also played tight end, pulling down 10 receptions and four touchdowns in 2008 ... Helped lead his team to the third round of the 2AA state playoffs ... Named all-conference in 2008 and 2007 ... Led South Brunswick in sacks for three seasons (2006-08) ... Named to the All-Atlantic Region Class of 2009 by Prep Star ... Also ran track in the 100 and 200-meter events ... Enrolled in the First Year College.




I'm doing a real bad at finding pictures.

6/29/2011 10:30:29 PM

Spanky: A.J. Fer-gis-onnnn

knew that name sounded familiar

6/30/2011 12:18:15 AM

No one picked up my slack...

#64, Andrew Wallace, Redshirt Junior

6'5" / 304 lbs., Offensive Tackle

In 2010: Started every game of the regular season at left guard before suffering a knee injury in practice for the Champs Sports Bowl .. Could miss a big part of the 2011 campaign ... In for 773 snaps for the season, one of the highest totals on the team.

In 2009: Saw action in every contest, he earned the starting nod at left tackle versus Gardner-Webb and Maryland ... In for a season-high 72 snaps in the win over the Terrapins.

In 2008: Redshirted the season, he was named the offensive scout team player of the week for the South Florida game.

Prep: Played right guard and was a team captain for coach Barry Shuford ... Earned Queen City all-conference honors after his junior and senior season ... Earned All-Mecklenburg honors after his senior season ... Named to the 3A all-state team by the Charlotte Observer ... High school teammate of Wolfpack wide receiver Steven Howard ... A science, technology and society major.





[Edited on July 5, 2011 at 12:14 PM. Reason : .]

7/5/2011 12:11:03 PM

#63, Bill Yoest, Offensive Guard

Retired Jersey

At NC State: A consensus All-American guard, Bill Yoest lettered for the Wolfpack from 1970-73 and was the recipient of the 1973 Jacobs Blocking Trophy. A Pittsburgh native, Yoest won All-America honors from the Associated Press, UPI, Football Writers, Football Coaches, NEA and Walter Camp that season. Yoest was selected for two postseason all-star games, the 74 Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game, in which he was elected co-captain of the East squad. His No. 63 was retired at halftime of the North Carolina game, Sept. 27, 2003.

In the Professional Ranks: Played a short stint with the Orlando Blazers of the World Football League and then returned to Raleigh, where he started a a financial services business.

7/5/2011 12:14:10 PM

#62, Duran Christophe, Redshirt Sophmore

6'6" / 287 lbs., Offensive Guard

In 2010: Tabbed as the starter at left guard heading into fall camp ... MIssed much of preseason camp as he battled mono, then suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss three games during the middle of the season ... Started the bowl win over West Virginia for the injured Andrew Wallace, he was in for 82 snaps in that contest ... Played 63 snaps in the win at Georgia Tech ... Missed the Boston College, East Carolina and Florida State contests.

In 2009: Redshirted the season.

Prep: Played offensive line for Coach Mike O'Brien... A three-star recruit who competed as a defensive end in Georgia's North-South all-star game... Helped his team win seven games in a row before a one-point p layoff loss to eventual state champion Camden during his senior season ... Named first-team all-state ... Named to Georgia Top 150 ... Named to the All-Southeast Region class of 2009 by Prep Star ... Enrolled in the first-year college program ... Hails from New Orleans, his family relocated to Georgia following Hurricane Katrina ... Enrolled in the First Year College.





[Edited on July 5, 2011 at 12:21 PM. Reason : .]

7/5/2011 12:17:58 PM

#61, Seth Pivarnik, Junior

6'3" / 295, Offensive Guard

7/5/2011 12:20:37 PM

#60, Garrison Pollock, Sophmore

6'0" / 255 lbs., Offensive Lineman

Couldn't find any pictures.

7/5/2011 12:23:46 PM

Also, here's the Blue Ribbon Preview for State:
(I'll have to break it up into different posts.)

Quote :

"About As a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former Marine officer, Tom O'Brien knows a little something about commitment, sacrifice and being a leader. He also understands the concept that no one man, regardless of how valuable, is more important than the entire crew and that sometimes, the right decisions aren't always the most popular -- especially when they're made under duress. All those theories were put to the test this spring when the NC State football coach was publicly backed into a corner by, of all people, his star quarterback Russell Wilson. O'Brien was faced with two possible options when informed by Wilson that he is still undecided about whether to return to school for one final football season or concentrate strictly on his budding professional baseball career. And neither of them was very attractive. He could either spend the entire summer sitting around waiting for Wilson to figure out what he wants to do -- the way the Minnesota Vikings did with Brett Favre the last two years -- or he could coldly cut ties with his best player and begin the process of moving into the future. In the end, like any good officer, O'Brien chose the good of his entire crew over the needs of one key member by granting Wilson a release from his scholarship. It was a move that effectively turned the ACC's leading passer in 2010 into an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any other school not on State's schedule and begin playing right away. O'Brien said his difficult decision was made a lot easier by the presence of Wilson's highly regarded heir apparent Mike Glennon. But that didn't make the choice any less controversial. Or risky. Regardless of how much faith O'Brien has in Glennon, he's still an unknown quantity who has never started a college game. At least he'll be surrounded by plenty of veteran teammates returning from last year's nine-win season and Champs Sports Bowl victory against West Virginia. After three seasons of struggling through a seemingly endless string of injuries to key players and a sometimes debilitating lack of depth, O'Brien finally seems to have established a foundation for his program similar to the one he had during his successful run at Boston College. Although the Wolfpack will miss Wilson, along with several other senior leaders, including inspirational linebacker Nate Irving -- a third-round draft choice of the Denver Broncos -- there is more than enough talent still around to keep the momentum going. Of particularly strength are three areas that were considered weaknesses only two seasons ago -- a now experienced secondary and the offensive line and running back. Even at wide receiver, where the top three pass catchers from last season are gone, O'Brien believes he has enough reinforcements on hand to soften the blow and make a smooth transition. THE STAFF Head Coach: Tom O'Brien (U.S. Naval Academy '71) Record at School: 25-25 (4 years) Career Record: 100-70 (14 years) Assistants • Dana Bible (Cincinnati '76) Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers • Mike Archer (Miami '76) Defensive Coordinator • Jim Bridge (Whittenberg '90) Offensive Line • Don Horton (Whittenberg '82) Tight Ends • Jerry Petercuskie (Boston College '75) Special Teams/Recruiting Coordinator • Mike Reed (Boston College '94) Defensive Backs • Everett Sands (The Citadel '93) Running Backs • Jon Tenuta (Virginia '82) Linebackers • Keith Willis (Northeastern '88) Defensive Line"

7/5/2011 12:28:11 PM

Quote :

"Offensive QUARTERBACKS Nobody really believed O'Brien when he insisted that junior Mike Glennon (6-6, 225) would be the Wolfpack's quarterback, regardless of whether three-year starter Russell Wilson was back. But he sure did sound convincing. He was so convincing that Wilson -- who spent the spring and summer playing second baseman for the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League -- asked out of his scholarship and began looking at other schools for someplace else to play, just in case he decides to return to the gridiron for his final year of college football eligibility. His departure, as controversial as it was, finally provided an opportunity for Glennon to fulfill his destiny and step into the starting role. It's a progression that has been in the plan since O'Brien brought the tall, slender redhead in as the cornerstone of his building effort three years ago. Glennon actually competed for the job as a true freshman and went right down to the end of fall practice before Wilson emerged from a logjam of candidates to win the job and establish himself as one of the best passers in ACC history. Glennon again appeared ready to take over in the spring of 2010 when he worked with the first-team offense throughout practice while Wilson played baseball for State and was eventually chosen in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft. But even after going 21-of -38 for 423 yards and three touchdowns in the 2010 spring game, he was again relegated to holding a clipboard on the sideline after Wilson came riding back into town at the last minute to triumphantly lead the team. Although things turned out all right, the uncertainty of not knowing who the quarterback was going to be until mid-July made it difficult to prepare. Determined to avoid a similar scenario this summer, O'Brien took the bold step of making Glennon his starter long before he knew what Wilson was going to do. It's a vote of confidence greatly appreciated by Glennon. "I was just grateful that he gave me the word, and I know he's going to stick with it because he preaches honesty," Glennon said of O'Brien. "It was very comforting and pretty much relieving that finally I knew it was going to be my time." The most outward sign that the torch has, in fact, been passed are the subtle changes in the playbook that have been made to better suit Glennon's style as a classic drop-back passer. "He has a tremendous arm. He can make every throw that has to be made on the football field," O'Brien said. "He has good leadership. He has great understanding of the game. He's a very mature individual. … "This is the third spring that he's been the quarterback, No. 1 guy in the spring. I think he's ready to take control of this offense. He's as talented as any quarterback that I've had." The pressure is going to be on Glennon to translate that talent to results -- and stay healthy -- because there's no one behind him close to being game-ready. The only other options are redshirt freshman Tyler Brosius (6-3, 233), a former Shrine Bowl player with questionable arm strength, and one-time walk-on Daniel Imhoff (6-0, 202), who has had decent performances in the last two spring games but has only taken a few snaps in actual game situations. RUNNING BACKS The running game was such a concern for O'Brien last year at this time that he shifted defensive back Dean Haynes (5-11, 199) over from safety to become the primary ball carrier. Haynes started eight games and did a solid job, but he was eventually surpassed and replaced by true freshman Mustafa Greene (6-0, 201). A physical runner who also showed flashes of breakaway ability and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, Greene ended up leading the Wolfpack in rushing with 597 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes for 272 yards and a pair of scores. Those numbers figure to go up significantly with the increased playing time he'll get as a sophomore, especially in an offense likely to be more reliant on the running game while Glennon settles in at quarterback. The only real question about Greene is his durability. Although he stayed healthy for most of the year until suffering a neck injury while running a pass route in the in the regular-season finale against Maryland, the injury bug bit him in spring practice when he was forced to undergo foot surgery. He is expected to be healthy and ready to return by the start of fall practice. Regardless of Greene's physical condition, junior James Washington (6-0, 180) will also see a lot of reps and be a major part of the State offense. A cutback runner who got off to a disappointing start, Washington gradually rose back up the depth chart to start four games and rush for 215 yards last season, He also caught 27 passes for 185 yards to provide the Wolfpack with a solid change of pace back and a third-down option because of his pass-catching ability. Because Greene and Washington will get the bulk of the carries, Haynes has been moved back to defense, providing opportunities for senior Curtis Underwood (5-11, 220), junior Brandon Barnes (6-1, 209) and redshirt freshman Anthony Creecy (6-0, 196). Barnes, once a highly-touted prospect, missed all last season because of a dislocated ankle and could turn out to be a player to watch because of his size and strength. Fullback is in good hands with senior Taylor Gentry (6-2, 250). A former walk-on, Gentry has established himself as a dependable lead blocker and receiver out of the backfield after catching 14 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns in 2010. RECEIVERS Between them, Owen Spencer, Jarvis Williams and Darrell Davis combined to catch 128 passes for nearly 2,000 yards and a dozen touchdowns last season. All three are gone, leaving the Wolfpack to virtually start over from scratch when it comes to its wide receiving corps. As bad as the situation seems, it could actually have been worse had All-ACC tight end George Bryan (6-5, 265) chosen to leave school early to enter the NFL draft. A Mackey Award finalist with soft hands, the size to run people over and enough speed to get downfield, Bryan has averaged 31 catches and four touchdowns in his first three seasons. Those numbers are likely to increase significantly as a senior this year given his team's inexperience at wide receiver. While Bryan will be a top target, others will have to emerge for State's passing attack to come even close to what it was when it led the ACC with an average of 281.2 yards per game last season. "I definitely feel like we have a lot of young guys capable of stepping up and filling those losses that we have," Bryan said, "We definitely have some high expectations, and I'm trying to be more of a leader for those guys to help them and the team get better." Despite the massive losses at wide receiver, there are still a few experienced hands on deck. The list starts with senior T.J. Graham (6-1, 180), whose sprinter's speed has made him a productive return man but whose penchant for running incorrect routes and dropping passes have limited his impact from scrimmage. Graham still caught a career-high 25 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns last season. If he can learn to hold onto the ball the way Spencer did late in his career, he could develop into a dangerous deep threat for Glennon and his strong arm. Fellow senior Jay Smith (6-2, 209) has seen the second-most action with 22 catches in 36 career games while a group of others spent the spring battling to make an impression and earn a spot in the fall rotation. Tobias Palmer (5-11, 175) is a junior college transfer who sat out last season as a redshirt and showed the most promise, along with senior Steve Howard (6-2, 200) and sophomore Quintin Payton (6-4, 203). Redshirt freshman Bryan Underwood (5-11, 170) and sophomore Everett Proctor (6-2, 219), who is playing his third position in three seasons, could also factor into the equation at some point this season. Junior Asa Watson (6-4, 225) is a capable, though small backup for Bryan at tight end. "

7/5/2011 12:31:00 PM

Quote :

"Offensive (cont.) OFFENSIVE LINE O'Brien's teams have traditionally been strong up front, setting a physical tone for the running game while allowing the quarterback plenty of time to find receivers downfield, but to this point, that hasn't been the case at State. Last year, for example, the Wolfpack gave up more sacks (39) than anyone in the ACC. That might finally be ready to change, though, with the return of four experienced linemen and some quality depth built up through a concerted recruiting effort over the last two- to three years. The anchor of the unit is senior R.J. Mattes (6-6, 303). A big, vocal leader who returned from a knee injury to start 10 games at guard last season, Mattes will be moved to left tackle so he can help fill the gap left by the graduation of the Jake Vermigilo, the Wolfpack's top blocker last season. On the other side, senior Mikel Overgaard (6-6, 289) returns after having won the starting job as a junior college transfer in 2010. But his spot is anything but guaranteed with the emergence of massive sophomore Robert Crisp (6-7, 312). One of the nation's top offensive line prospects last year, Crisp actually started the season opener against Western Carolina and could be ready to blossom if his technique has come close to matching his seemingly unlimited physical ability. At center, junior Camden Wentz (6-3, 296) stepped right in and picked right up where NFL draft pick Ted Larsen left off by giving State a smart, consistent presence in the middle of the line. The Wolfpack is equally set at guard, where junior Zach Allen (6-3, 322) is as solid as they come, having allowed just three sacks in more than 900 snaps last season. He'll be joined on the left side by promising sophomore Duran Christophe (6-6, 287), who overcame an ankle injury to be the team's top reserve. Christophe gave a preview of what to expect when he stepped in for injured starter Andrew Wallace (6-5, 304) and played well in State's Champs Sports Bowl victory against West Virginia. Wallace, a junior who started every regular season game, suffered a serious knee injury during bowl practice and will miss the start of the 2011 season. If he returns at some point, as Mattes did last year, the Wolfpack line will be even better and deeper than expected. Others in line to see playing time as backups include tackle Tyson Chandler (6-6, 340), and guards Torian Box (6-3, 295) and Andy Jomantas (6-7, 260) -- all redshirt freshmen."

7/5/2011 12:31:59 PM

Quote :

"Defense DEFENSIVE LINE State figured to in solid shape at end with the return of senior Jeff Rieskamp (6-3, 245) and experience sophomore backup Darryl Cato-Bishop (6-4, 281) sliding into the spot vacated by the graduation of David Akinniyi. But that plan got derailed, at least temporarily, when Cato-Bishop missed most of spring practice because of injury. Cato-Bishop will be ready to go come fall, but his absence from the field could end up costing him his starting position -- especially with the way junior college transfer McKay Frandsen (6-3, 255) has come along. Frandsen was a JUCO All-America at Snow College in Utah as a sophomore last season, and he seemed to make a smooth transition to his new surroundings after enrolling at State in January. He capped off a solid spring with three tackles, including two for loss, and a sack in the Wolfpack's abbreviated spring game. The other ends in the running for playing time in line coach Keith Willis' favored four-man rotation are redshirt freshmen Theo Rich (6-3, 225) and Art Norman (6-1, 225). "Cato-Bishop missed most of the spring hurt, but the positive side to that is that it gave McKay Frandsen an opportunity to get reps," defensive coordinator David Archer said. "It gave Theo Rich and Art Norman a chance to get reps, and they've done a good job. "When somebody's hurt, somebody else has got to step up and those guys have. Now we'll see what Cato can do [in the fall]." The situation at tackle is much more settled with the return of senior J.R. Sweezy (6-6, 293), whose season started with a one-game suspension for some off-the-field troubles and ended with a team-leading six sacks and recognition as an honorable mention All-ACC performer. Sweezy is a power rusher who plays with great energy on every play, something that rubbed off on his fellow linemen last season. He'll be paired at tackle with junior Brian Slay (6-3, 290) with another well-seasoned letterman, senior Markus Kuhn (6-4, 303) getting his share of playing time as well. Thomas Teal (6-2, 315) is a promising redshirt freshman who is listed on the summer depth chart as the fourth tackle. Another redshirt freshman, A.J. Ferguson (6-3, 279) could also be in the mix if he comes back healthy after being sidelined for most of spring practice with a knee problem. LINEBACKERS The linebacker position was the key to the Wolfpack's dramatic defensive turnaround in 2010 and the return of Nate Irving from a season off because of injury was a major part of that success. Though it's reasonable to assume there will be some drop-off now that Irving is a member of the Denver Broncos, the success his cohorts Terrell Manning (6-3, 224) and Audie Cole (6-5, 239) had in the aggressive, blitzing scheme of linebackers coach Jon Tenuta suggests this unit will again be the heart and soul of the State defense. Cole, as Irving did last year, is being asked to make the switch from outside linebacker to the middle in an effort to get him involved in more plays. It's a switch that came with an adjustment period early in spring practice. But by the time camp was over, the vocal senior was already showing signs of gaining confidence in his new position. That includes a tipped pass and an interception to lead his team to a victory against the No. 1 offense in the annual Kay Yow Memorial spring game. "That's what the spring is about, moving people around and seeing what they can do," Archer said. One player who isn't going anywhere is Manning on the weak side. The athletic, ball-hawking junior came into his own last season by recording 75 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He showed he is equally adept at dropping into pass coverage by picking off a pass and returning it for a touchdown in the spring game and figures to make another major jumpperhaps to All-ACC status -- this season. The biggest question going into the fall is how long it will take for converted safety D.J. Green (6-4, 214) to get comfortable at his new strong side linebacker position. Neither O'Brien nor Archer think it will take long because of Green's physical nature and the experience he got as a valuable special teams player a year ago. Seniors Sterling Lucas (6-2, 238) and Dwayne Maddox (6-2, 234) provide experienced depth on the inside and outside, respectively, while sophomore Hans Rice (6-2, 217) made some major strides in the spring. "Audie Cole to middle linebacker, looks like that is going to be a good move for us," O'Brien said. "D.J. Green looks like he's going to be able to handle moving from safety to the field linebacker spot. Other than that a lot of those young kids that have gotten their brains beaten in the last couple of years are starting to mature and are becoming much better and much more confident in the position they're in right now." DEFENSIVE BACKS In the course of just one season, State's secondary went from being the team's weak link to a surprising strength. Even then, it still has room for improvement after yielding 21 touchdown passes and amassing just nine interceptions to rank 10th in the league. The good news is that all four starters are back, along with the return of two former starters that missed all last season because of injury. The safety positions are especially formidable. On the strong side, the appropriately named Earl Wolff (6-0, 201) is looking to build on an outstanding sophomore season in which he recorded 91 tackles and caused four fumbles. Fellow junior Brandan Bishop (6-2, 210) is back for his third season as the starting free safety, coming off a year in which he made 64 tackles and picked off four passes. Haynes, the team's second-leading rusher last season, has been moved back to safety, where he will back up Wolf. Another sophomore, Dontae Johnson (6-3, 184), is listed behind Bishop on the depth chart. The roles at cornerback aren't nearly defined because of the number of experienced players coming back. Sophomore David Amerson (6-3, 185) and junior C.J. Wilson (5-11, 179) are the returning starters, and both showed flashes of brilliance last season. But they'll be pushed hard by Justin Byers (6-0, 183) -- a senior and a former starter -- and junior nickel back Gary Grant (6-0, 186). Complicating matters, in a good way from a depth standpoint, are sophomores Jarvis Byrd (5-11, 180) and Rashard Smith (5-11, 176). Byrd started the spring game and showed no lingering after affects from the ACL he tore three games into his freshman season. Smith, also returning from a knee injury, also made it through spring practice without incident. "Two years ago all those guys were freshmen and they were just pups," Archer said. "Now those pups have grown up. They've played a lot of football. With Jarvis and Rashard coming back, it gives us some depth and some position competition, which helps us.""

7/5/2011 12:33:07 PM

Quote :

"Special Teams SPECIAL TEAMS The Wolfpack boasts one of the best return games in the ACC thanks to Graham. A sprinter on his school's track team, the senior wide receiver showed his game-breaking potential last season with a back-breaking 87-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave State its first lead of the game in a come-from-behind victory at UNC. He also set a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown during his freshman season. Although the kicking game will be a question with newcomers holding down the placekicking, punting and long snapping chores, State should be as solid as they come on its coverage team, spearheaded by starting fullback Gentry, his younger brother Zach Gentry (6-0, 204) and newly converted linebacker D.J. Green getting downfield and making hits. KICKERS O'Brien and special teams coach Jerry Petercuskie got a taste of things to come late last season when kicker Josh Czajkowski suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to miss a game against Wake Forest. Junior J. Ellis Flint (5-10, 173), a transfer from Hofstra, and freshman walk-on Chris Hawthorne filled in that week. But now, with the consistent Czajkowski gone for good, the Wolfpack is in a position of having to find a permanent replacement. While Flint remains in the mix, Hawthorne transferred to Minnesota after State signed highly regarded freshman Niklas Sade (6-3, 190). A native of Raleigh, Sade originally committed to Nebraska before changing his mind and deciding to stay close to home. His range and leg strength make him a candidate to come in and win the job right out of high school. "It's not the best situation that you want to be in and certainly there is some concern about it," O'Brien said. "But it is a situation that we're in and we'll make the best of it." PUNTERS He also has a pretty good pedigree going for him. Baumann graduated from the same high school in Wilmington, N.C. that produced Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth and his young brother Casey, who currently does the kicking for archrival North Carolina. The other thing Baumann has going for him is that the bar at State isn't set very high. The now departed duo of Jeff Ruiz and Andy Leffler were inconsistent at best and downright bad at their worst."

7/5/2011 12:34:10 PM

Quote :

"Newcomers NEWCOMERS Typical of O'Brien, State's group of incoming freshmen wasn't rated highly by any of the major recruiting analysts, but as the veteran coach likes to say, the number of stars they have when they arrive isn't as important as the number of stars they have when they leave. Unlike the first four seasons of O'Brien's tenure in Raleigh, most of this year's recruits probably won't get thrown into action before they're fully adjusted to the college game and ready to contribute. In fact, other than JUCO transfer Frandsen at defensive end, the most likely newcomers to see immediate playing time are kicker Sade, punter Baumann and long snapper Scott Thompson (6-0, 220). As for the rest of the class, the player with the best chance of playing this fall because of the wide receiver situation is 11th hour commitment Hakeem Flowers, who originally agreed to attend Michigan before changing his mind and signing with State. "

7/5/2011 12:34:49 PM

Quote :

"BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS After two frustrating seasons in which injuries forced him to field a makeshift lineup filled with too many freshmen and walk-ons, all O'Brien asked for going into last year was a normal season in which things finally went according to plan. He got his wish, and the result was a nine-win season that fell just one game short of the Atlantic Division championship and a trip to the first ACC championship game in school history. Though last year's success helped remove O'Brien off the coaching hot seat, it could have been even better if not for late collapses against Virginia Tech, Clemson and East Carolina. Even with those losses, at least State finally seems to be headed in the right direction. The question is can it keep the momentum going and take the next step toward the top of the league standings without trusted leaders Russell Wilson and Nate Irving there to show the way? A lot will depend on the development of Glennon, the emergence of an untested wide receiving corps, the time it takes for Cole to adjust to his new position and the consistency of a completely revamped kicking game. If everything breaks right, the sky is the limit for the Wolfpack. If the breaks don't come, it will probably feel as though the sky is falling for a fan base desperate for a winner. "One thing about NC State, you don't have to create expectations," a realistic O'Brien said. "You have to figure a way to get it done.""

7/5/2011 12:35:17 PM

Quote :

"defensive coordinator David Archer said."

7/5/2011 3:14:06 PM

Quote :

"Sophomore Eric Dobbins wrote"

7/5/2011 3:43:20 PM

I never had a myspace account, but if I did, the only person listed under my "Who I want to meet" section would be Sophomore Eric Dobbins

7/5/2011 3:47:52 PM

#59, Shane Rudd, Senior

6'3" / 220 lbs., Long Snapper

7/7/2011 8:09:18 AM

#58, Jacob Kahut, Junior

6'4" / 245 lbs., Defensive Tackle

7/7/2011 8:11:31 AM

Asa Watson redshirting this year via Pack football twitter

7/7/2011 9:56:19 AM

^interesting, injury? he was a 4* TE coming out of hs in '09, saw minutes in all games last year.

I don't think I've heard of #s 61-58.

7/7/2011 10:18:40 AM

we are loaded at TE...guess he wants to preserve his status...he's the TE of the future?

7/7/2011 10:41:33 AM

Yep, lots of tight ends in 2011:


RS Sr George Bryan
Jr Asa Watson & RS Jr Mario Carter
RS Soph Anthony Talbert
Incoming Freshman Benson Brown
2012 Commit David Grinnage

7/7/2011 10:56:02 AM

Mario Carter looked good in that one Spring game a year or two ago. Maybe he'll be a solid #2.

7/7/2011 10:58:37 AM

What ever happend to Octavius Darby?

Dude always progressed into a beast in the NCAA video games

7/7/2011 11:02:27 AM

i don't know who wrote the blue ribbon preview, but this tidbit makes me think they know exactly what they are talking about.

Quote :

"PUNTERS He also has a pretty good pedigree going for him. Baumann graduated from the same high school in Wilmington, N.C. that produced Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth and his young brother Casey, who currently does the kicking for archrival North Carolina. The other thing Baumann has going for him is that the bar at State isn't set very high. The now departed duo of Jeff Ruiz and Andy Leffler were inconsistent at best and downright bad at their worst.""

Quote :

" 6 YARD PUNT "

7/7/2011 11:20:11 AM

So I am looking at the new poster and I see all of these designations for the games, such as th "All-American Day" for Sept 3rd and "Bowl Day" for Oct 8th.

Anyone have the low-down?

I am guessing we are honoring our past All-Americans and not honoring the city of Fayetteville? I have also heard that we are doing something for Lorenzo on Sept. 3rd too.

Also, what is the "Red & White Day" vs UNC?

7/7/2011 12:53:33 PM

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"I am guessing we are honoring our past All-Americans and not honoring the city of Fayetteville?"

If we're designating a game in honor of Fayetteville, I'm going to have to make sure to be out of town that weekend

7/7/2011 12:55:44 PM

am i missing something here? isn't this "new" poster that everyone is talking about the same one that has been out since the spring game?

7/7/2011 3:53:02 PM

Yes, it's just resurfaced because of an article about how Debbie Yow is shaking up the Athletic Department.

7/7/2011 4:09:03 PM

So it looks like we will be getting a brand new field in a few weeks.

7/7/2011 8:35:49 PM

All-American Day will honor State athletes who were All-Americans and I think they will have something special for Lorenzo.

Bowl Day will somehow honor all the bowls we have been to or the bowl teams.

Red and White Day for the UNC game will be turning the stadium into a Red/White beach ball effect. The student section will all wear red. Here's a pic from Iowa doing it last season:

7/7/2011 8:54:44 PM

^^ We got a new field a year or two ago, and then in that same season U2 came in and paid for another new field to be put in. How many damn fields are we going to go through?

7/7/2011 11:02:23 PM

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"Red and White Day for the UNC game will be turning the stadium into a Red/White beach ball effect. The student section will all wear red."

Good. At the FSU game last season (rain aside...), no one paid any attention to where the shirts were. They just grabbed whatever they wanted, started to trade, etc.. Too much confusion when trying to split a section that isn't physically divided.

7/7/2011 11:56:11 PM

I'd rather see red and black, I think it would be much more intimidating. And it is late enough in the season that the heat shouldn't be a major issue for people wearing black shirts.

7/8/2011 12:54:17 AM

Red/Black would look stupid unless it's red/white with black in the student section...which would make sense since the student sections aren't uniform with the rest of the sections and would screw up the look if they just went all red.

7/8/2011 1:00:00 AM

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"O'Brien was faced with two possible options when informed by Wilson that he is still undecided about whether to return to school for one final football season or concentrate strictly on his budding professional baseball career. And neither of them was very attractive. He could either spend the entire summer sitting around waiting for Wilson to figure out what he wants to do -- the way the Minnesota Vikings did with Brett Favre the last two years -- or he could coldly cut ties with his best player and begin the process of moving into the future. In the end, like any good officer, O'Brien chose the good of his entire crew over the needs of one key member by granting Wilson a release from his scholarship."

I read that all the time and I hate the wording of it.
TOB didn't just up and decide to kick Russell off the team. TOB decided to name Glennon the starter. Following that, Russell decided on his own to transfer, and TOB obliged by granting the release.
But the way it's worded above clearly states that TOB decided to kick Russell off the team, which was not exactly the case.

7/8/2011 1:20:02 AM

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"which was not exactly the case."

Not exactly, but it pretty much was the case. Wilson wasn't coming back to sit the bench, and TOB knew the repercussions.

(Right move by TOB of course)

7/8/2011 1:45:55 AM

What would it take for you guys to feel like it was the wrong move?

7/8/2011 2:32:45 AM

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"^^ We got a new field a year or two ago, and then in that same season U2 came in and paid for another new field to be put in. How many damn fields are we going to go through?"

We are actually getting two fields technically, but one of those is going in and coming up within the next 3+ weeks. Just like with U2, neither are being paid for by State, so thats a plus. Im just curious how they are gonna fit a soccer field in there, the Carter doesnt have the most space field space.

7/8/2011 3:39:36 AM

A pitch has some flexibility in terms of size, whereas a football field does not.

A FIFA-regulation soccer pitch is definitely possible within Carter-Finley.

7/8/2011 6:50:53 AM