A Numbers Game
Injury Report
NC STATE
QUESTIONABLE
Darrell Blackman, TB - ankle sprain
DOUBTFUL
Jeremy Gray, CB - toe injury
GEORGIA TECH
PROBABLE
Eric Henderson, DE - ankle sprain
DT Joe Anoai, DT - shoulder and ankle sprain
Mike Matthews, TE - ankle sprain
NC State Game Notes
NC STATE VERSUS GEORGIA TECH
NC State and Georgia Tech have
only met 24 times on the gridiron, but
Georgia Tech has certainly gotten the
best of the Wolfpack in the series. The
Yellow Jackets post a 16-8 mark against
NC State, including a 10-2 record in
Atlanta. NC State has defeated Georgia
Tech just once since 1994, a 30-23
overtime win in 2000, Chuck Amato’s
first year as head coach.
In the five years prior to Amato's taking
over the Wolfpack program, NC
State had dropped five straight games
to Georgia Tech. The average margin
in those games was 16 points. In the
five meetings between the two schools
under Amato, the scoring margin has
been only 8.4 points.
WOLFPACK STRUGGLES IN
ATLANTA
NC State will look to gain its
first conference victory of the season at
the site where the Pack posts its worst
winning percentage among conference
foes.
The Wolfpack has played just 12
games against the Yellow Jackets in
Atlanta, but has gained just two victories
there. The last time NC State won a
game in Bobby Dodd Stadium was on
Oct. 1, 1988.
GETTING ON SCHEDULE
NC State's
schedule has been anything but ordinary
this season. In fact, the Wolfpack
will play back-to-back Saturday games
just once before the end of October and
plays just twice on Saturdays in its first
five contests.
Chuck Amato's squad opened the
season versus Virginia Tech on Sunday,
Sept. 4. The team was open the next
weekend, due to a last-minute schedule
change when Temple dropped the game
late last spring. The team was back in
action for back-to-back Saturdays on
Sept. 17 and 24, but then has had 12
days off before travelling to Georgia
Tech on October 6.
After the Tech game, State will have
another Thursday night game, playing
host to Clemson on Oct. 13, marking the
first time the Pack has ever played backto-
back Thursday night games. Nine
days later, the team will play at Wake
Forest.
THURSDAYS BACK-TO-BACK FOR
PACK
For the first time in school history,
NC State is facing back-to-back
Thursday night games. This marks
only the second time that the squad
has played two Thursday night games
in the same season, as the 1998 team
defeated Ohio and Syracuse at home
on Thursday nights.
The Georgia Tech contest will mark
only the fourth time that NC State has
played on a Thursday night away from
Carter-Finley. Chuck Amato's squad
won at Clemson in 2002, lost to Wake
Forest in 1997 and to UNC in Charlotte
in 1999.
The Wolfpack posts an 8-4 overall
records on Thursday nights (7-2 at
home, 1-1 away, 0-1 neutral). In ESPN
Thursday night games, the Pack posts a
5-4 record, including a 4-1 mark under
Amato.
TONEY BAKER, TOUCHDOWN
MAKER
True freshman Toney Baker
is the leading touchdown scorer in the
ACC, with five to his credit after playing
in just three collegiate contests. Baker
has scored all five to those TDs in the
last two games, with three against
Eastern Kentucky and a pair against
North Carolina.
Baker has played just 54 snaps for
the season. He scored 134 touchdowns
during his four-year high school career.
TACKLING TULLOCH
Junior linebacker
Stephen Tulloch is currently the
second-leading tackler in the ACC, averaging
13.3 points per game. That mark
ranks fifth nationally this week.
Tulloch has been the Pack's leading
tackler in all three games this season,
and has 13 more stops than any other
defender on the team. He ranks second
on the team in special teams tackles
with five.
Tulloch has seen more action than
any other Wolfpack player this season.
His 184 snaps from scrimmage lead
the defense and rank third on the team
(only center Leroy Harris and offensive
tackle James Newby have more with
192 and 195 respectiviely). But when
you add in Tulloch's special team's
snaps, he has been in on 235 total
plays.
BLACKMAN ON THE RETURN
Darrell
Blackman has proven his worth as a
kick returner early in his career. Last
season, he led the ACC and ranked
third nationally with a 17.8 yard average
on punt returns.
This season, he has struggled a little
on punt returns, fair catching a punt
at the one against Virginia Tech and
at the five against UNC. However, he
has begun to show prowess as a kick
returner.
Blackman had three returns for 138
yards in the loss to UNC, the eighthbest
single-game total in school history.
He currently leads the ACC in kickoff
returns with a 35.5 yard average, the
second-best mark nationally.
The sophomore also leads the ACC in
all-purpose yards with 156.3 per game.
He has rushed for 103 yards, has 17
yards on receptions, 36 on punt returns
and 213 on kickoff returns. He is the
only player in the league to go over 100
yards in three of the four all-purpose
categories (rushing, receiving, PR,
KOR).
TARGETING T.J.
Senior tight end T.J.
Williams heads into the Georgia Tech
game ranked as the fourth-leading
receiver in the ACC with 4.67 catches
per game and is tied for first against
conference competition. He is one of
just two tight ends ranked among the
league leaders and he has just two
fewer catches than team leader Tramain
Hall.
Last season, Williams became the
first tight end to lead NC State in receiving
in 20 years. He pulled down 31
catches for 382 yards, with 19 of thosereceptions converting for first downs.
With 76 career receptions, Williams leads all current ACC
tight ends in that category. His 1,054 yards are also best
among league tight ends.
Williams is on the preseason list for the Mackey Award,
given annually to the nation's top tight end.
PACK COMES OUT STRONG
The Wolfpack has come out
of the lockerroom strong in each of its first three contests,
this season, tallying more yards than the opponent in each
of the first three games. NC State has also outgained the
opposition in the second quarter of all three games.
The third quarter, however, has been a different story. In
both of its losses, the Wolfpack has been outgained in the
third quarter and outgained Eastern Kentucky by just three
yards (145-142) in that period.
SPECIAL (AND NOT SO SPECIAL) TEAMS
NC State has
lived and died by its special teams so far this season, with
good plays leading to good field positions and scores and
bad plays having the opposite result.
Probably the brightest spot on the Wolfpack special teams
in 2005 has been junior kicker/punter John Deraney.
Deraney is perfect on PATs (10-10) and field goals (6-6) this
season, while a dozen of his 17 kickoffs have resulted in
touchbacks. He is averaging 42.6 yards per punt.
The Wolfpack has blocked a punt this season (Mario
Williams vs. Eastern Kentucky), but also had one blocked for
a touchdown against North Carolina. DaJuan Morgan gained
44 yards on a fake punt attempt against eighth-ranked
Virginia Tech, but a roughing-the-kicker call on Marcus
Hudson at the end of that game was very costly. Against
Eastern Kentucky, the whole tone of the game was set when
linebacker Oliver Hoyte jarred the ball loose on the opening
kickoff.
Darrell Blackman has been on good and bad special-teams
plays this season. He fielded a punt at the one yardline
against Virginia Tech and another at the five against UNC.
However, he ranks 10th nationally and leads the ACC in
kickoff returns with a 35.5 yard average and his 138 yards on
three returns against UNC ranked as the eighth-best mark in
school history.
TURNOVERS CONTINUE TO PLAGUE PACK
NC State
has turned the ball over seven times in its first three games,
throwing three interceptions and losing four fumbles. In
terms of turnover margin, however, the Pack is down two, as
the opposition has tallied nine turnovers for the season.
The Wolfpack won the turnover-margin battle for the first
time since last year's season opener in the win over Eastern
Kentucky and tied UNC at 3-3 in turnovers.
Georgia Tech Game Notes
BACKGROUND
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Enrollment: 16,500
Nickname: Yellow Jackets
School Colors: Old Gold & White
Stadium: Bobby Dodd (55,000)
Conference: ACC
TEAM
Head Coach: Chan Gailey
Record at GT: 21-17 (3 years)
2004 Record: 7-5 (4-4)
2004 Bowl: Champs vs. Syracuse (W, 51-14)
Starters Returning: 14 (5 offense, 9 defense)
2005 AP Ranking: No. 24
2005 Current Record: 3-1 (1-1)
UPDATE ON REGGIE BALL
Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball missed the first game of his career
against Connecticut on Sept. 17 when he was hospitalized with viral meningitis.
Ball, a junior from Stone Mountain, Ga., first became ill Friday morning
and was treated at the Georgia Tech Student Health Center. While at the team
hotel Friday night, his condition did not improve and he was taken to Emory
Hospital Saturday morning.
 |
|
Reggie Ball
|
He remained at Emory until Monday, Sept. 19.
Ball saw very limited practice reps the following week but started and
played three quarters on Saturday, Sept. 24, at fourth-ranked Virginia Tech.
The illness snapped a string of 27 consecutive starts for Ball, the 5-11, 195-
pounder. Ball was replaced by redshirt freshman Taylor Bennett, who threw for
142 yards and one touchdown in his first collegiate action to help Tech (3-0, 1-
0 ACC) to a 28-13 victory over Connecticut.
PRINCE OF A RUNNER
Senior tailback P.J. Daniels looks like the Daniels of 2003, when he led the ACC with 1,447 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns and earned first-team all-conference honors. Last season, injuries forced him to miss four games and two other halves, and he managed 714 yards and eight touchdowns.
Daniels currently ranks fourth in the ACC, averaging 94.6 yards per game. He has topped 100-yards three times in 2005, most recently going for 114 yards against Connecticut, following 103 yards against North Carolina and 111 versus Auburn. He actually had four straight 100-yard games, including his 119-yard performance in the Champs Sports Bowl, giving him 13 for his career.
The Houston, Texas, native has moved into fourth place on Tech's career rushing list with 2,792 yards. A former walk-on who earned a scholarship after the 2002 season, Daniels has averaged 101.5 yards per game since the start of the 2003 season.
Daniels, a two-time Academic All-ACC selection, had two of the top three rushing games in Tech history in the 2003 season with 307 yards against Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl and 240 yards versus North Carolina.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
For the 13th year in a row, Georgia Tech is featured in ESPN's Thursday night, national television package as the Yellow Jackets host NC State. The Jackets have made 17 appearances since 1991, more than any other school in the nation.
Tech has an 8-9 record when playing in ESPN's Thursday night games, and all but five of the games have been in Atlanta. The Jackets are 7-5 in home Thursday night ESPN games.
Tech is facing NC State in a Thursday night game for just the second time. The last time was in 2000, when the Wolfpack won 30-23, in overtime.
Maryland has been the Jackets most frequent Thursday opponent with six matchups, followed by Virginia with three.
JOHNSON LEADS ACC
All-America candidate Calvin Johnson, one of the nation's most exciting players, leads the ACC in receiving yards per game.
 |
|
Calvin Johnson
|
The 6-4 sophomore has 18 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns, an average of 94.5 yards per game.
For his career, Johnson now has 66 catches for 1,215 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games.
That's career averages of 18.4 yards per catch, and 75.9 yards per game, a figure that ranks third among all active receivers in the nation.
Last season against NC State Johnson came up big for the Yellow Jackets. He set up the go-ahead score by making two spectacular third-down
catches and then drawing a pass interference penalty.
LAST MEETING WITH NC STATE
On Nov. 6, 2004 in Raleigh, N.C., freshman Rashaun Grant rushed for 122
yards and Reggie Ball’s one-yard scoring pass to Levon Thomas provided the
winning margin as Georgia Tech scored 17 fourth-quarter points in a 24-14
victory over NC State. Ball completed just 9-of-27 passes for 91 yards on the
day but found Thomas on fourth-and-goal to put Tech ahead 17-14 with seven
minutes left. Calvin Johnson set up the score by making two spectacular thirddown
catches and then drawing a pass interference penalty. Tech’s defense held
the Wolfpack to just 57 yards rushing and allowed only one offensive score.
The Jackets had six sacks and three interceptions, including one that Kenny
Scott returned 49 yards for a touchdown.
BEN BOOMS
Punter Ben Arndt has developed into a reliable weapon for the Yellow Jackets. The senior from Young Harris, Ga., is averaging 43.6 yards per kick with nine punts downed inside the 20 and no touchbacks. Arndt is third in the ACC and 19th nationally in punting average, while Tech's net of 39.37 per punt is second in the ACC and 10th in the nation.
JACKETS SECOND IN NATION IN INTERCEPTIONS
After collecting 10 interceptions in its first three games, Georgia Tech is
tied for second in the nation in interceptions (2.5 per game). Tech’s 10
interceptions are as many as the Yellow Jackets had all of last season.
 |
|
Dawan Landry
|
The Jackets grabbed three interceptions and recovered a fumble in the win
over Connecticut. Tech forced five turnovers in its season-opening win over
Auburn with four interceptions and a fumble recovery, all in the second half.
The Jackets added three interceptions against North Carolina, again all in the
second half.
The 10 interceptions have been by eight different players. Free safety
Dawan Landry and linebacker Philip Wheeler are the only players with more
than one.
Tech is 12th in the nation in turnover margin at +1.50.
Press Conference Quotables
Chan Gailey
Can you assess how having last week off might have helped you after the Virginia Tech game?
"You never know how it affects you until you get to play again, but hopefully, we were able to get healthier."
How much do you worry about the N.C. State game and the fact that all their talent might come together against you this week?
"You have to worry about yourself more than you do about the other team. You're trying to prepare your own team to play the best that we can play so you can't be worried about what other teams are doing, what they might be doing, or what they haven't done. You would drive yourself crazy thinking about all of those things."
Can you talk about how tough it is to maintain confidence after the Virginia Tech game?
"Again, you don't know that until you play. The attitude of our guys is always pretty good when we walk out there on the practice field. You have to get back in a certain mindset to go back out there and play well."
WillEric Henderson be able to play this week?
"No, I don't think he'll be able to."
Do you like Thursday night games?
"From a timing point of view, they're not ideal, but they're great for your program. You get national exposure and that's good because people from other parts of the country get a chance to see us play."
Do you sense a different atmosphere during Thursday games as compared to Saturday games?
"It really depends on the crowd and the type of game we're playing."
Is it a positive regardless of whether you play well or not?
"Well, I think you need to play well and win, which obviously helps. The thirty-second clips about our school that come on during the game give exposure to the program and that's always a positive."
Can you talk about Eric Henderson and how important it was for him coming into this season to be able to stay healthy? And how is he handling the injury this year?
"He's hurting, both physically and emotionally. I tell him that he can only worry about the things that he can control, and that he can't control how bad the injury is. What he can do right now is support this team emotionally. He along with three others (Gerris Wilkinson, Chris Reis, and P.J. Daniels) were just voted permanent team captains for this year by their teammates, and that's a big responsibility."
Can you talk about P.J. Daniels and his emotional leadership on and off the field?
"What you see is what you get from him. The enthusiasm and the way that he lights up a room when he walks in is what you get from him when he's in the huddle, locker room, and on the sidelines."
With P.J. being out for a few games last year, how can he provide that leadership while off the field?
"It's harder to do when you're not playing. You can always do it in the locker room or on the sidelines, but if you're not playing during the game, it's a little tougher to provide that leadership."
How hard is it not having Eric (Henderson) in the game in regards to your pass rush and how successful it's been in terms of interceptions this year?
"I have to give credit to the other guys that have stepped up and played because they must be doing something right. Any time that you lose an All-Conference performer and someone who led the conference in sacks during his sophomore year, you lose a very important part of your defense."
What has N.C. State done defensively in the past few years that sticks out in your mind?
"They play a little more zone, but we're only talking about five to eight percent more, and not thirty to forty percent. Coach Amato has a strong influence on that side of the ball and they're using a lot of things that he learned while at Florida State."
Are (Mario) Williams and (Manny) Lawson the two best combination of defensive ends that a team can face?
"They're two big, strong ends that can run and play at an angle and challenge you to stop them if you can. It's pretty impressive what they can do."
How has Darrell Robertson played and how much has he grown this year based on the number of increased snaps he's been getting?
"He's getting better every week. The problem is that he can't put on enough weight fast enough. He's playing defensive end at the same size that Gerris (Wilkinson) was when he played end a couple of seasons ago, and that's hard to do."
Can you talk about the fact that people tend to forget about how big of a recruit he was because of the hype around Calvin Johnson when he signed here?
"He was a highly recruited young man and we were excited about him when he decided to sign here. I think it's paid off for both of us and that he has a very bright future ahead of him."
What are your thoughts regarding your running game and your ability to get that going again?
"Well, we had a one bad game against a very good defense, and we face another one again this week. We'll just have to find ways to run the ball and hope that we can be successful at it. The challenge is to be able to do that against these big defensive ends and linebackers that have played in the system for a few years."
Are you content with the balance between your running and passing attack?
"If you want to get true statistics, you have to look at the plays that are called during the first half of every game. In the second half, you're going run the ball more if you're ahead and pass more if you're losing. We're the type of team that is going to take what the opposing defense is giving us. We'll always try to run the ball though, because that's what you need to be able to do to be successful."
How smooth has Brad Honeycutt's transition been from guard to tackle?
"He's done a fine job and handled it really well. He's had the chance to play at the tackle position before so it hasn't been that big of an adjustment for him. I think it's more of a natural position for him because he has such great athletic talent which helps him deal with the defensive end with more ease."
Why have you had so much success against N.C State's offense in the past couple of years?
"I think that we've really mixed up things well against their quarterbacks and have been able to keep them off-balance by bringing in guys from different spots on the field. This year, I feel like they're more of a ball-control passing team and they tend not to throw the ball down the field as much. That will make it tougher on us so we'll have to find different ways to try and create indecision by the quarterback."
Could you discuss (Jon) Tenuta's defensive philosophy?
"His philosophy is to bring pressure, and to find ways to create blocking scheme and protection problems. We try to get to the quarterback and we'll bring everybody on the defense in order to be able to do that. His main goal is to create confusion and he's been very successful at it."
Why is it that there have been so many close games in the recent past between the two teams and Tech has always managed to come out on top?
"Every game has been different but I think we've been fortunate to win each year. I can't put my finger on one specific thing that has won it for us each of those years. It seems to me that someone has always made big plays in those games that maybe had not been stepping up in previous games during the season."
----------------------------------------------------
Dawan Landry
Senior, Free Safety, Ama, La.
Do you have the playbook on NC State? You seem to have a lot of success against them.
"Not really. We've been able to scheme well against them. Coach Tenuta comes up with a good game plan."
When you have a lot of success against a team, does that breed confidence in the week leading up to it?
"It kind of does. We've executed well against them, and maybe we can come back this year and do some of the same things, see what works against them."
Have they changed much from what you've seen?
"A little bit. Their routes are a little different, but they still do a lot of shifting, things that cause a defense problems."
How do you like playing them on Thursday night?
"There's nothing like a Thursday night game. The whole United States gets to see that one. We're going against a good opponent. It's always a good feeling. Our crowd usually gets up for Thursday night games, and I don't think this week will be any different."
Is this a better team than their record indicates?
"They can easily be 3-0. They lost two games where they had some key turnovers that cost them. The yardage that they're putting up on offense can cause a lot of defenses problems."
How worried do you get when you face a team like them that might suddenly snap out of it against you?
"It causes problems. They have so many formations. They change personnel a lot. We have to be really talkative on defense and look out for their final formation because of their shifting."
Have you talked to your brother (LaRon, at LSU) since they've had to move around a good deal because of the hurricane?
"I've talked to him a couple of times. Football has been a way for them to get away from dealing with the hurricane. My parents are back home now. I'm from Ama, which is about an hour and a half from Baton Rouge. We had a lot of trees down, and power was out for a week or so. But we were fortunate not to have any big damage.
"They were pretty anxious to get back on the field and play at Tiger Stadium, but they didn't come out with a win."
Does this off-week come at a good time? Or would you have rather gone ahead and get the taste of the Virginia Tech game out of your mouths?
"The off-week gave us a little more time to watch film and get a jump on NC State. A lot of guys got their legs back. I think the off-week helped us, especially coming off of a loss."
Why do you think your defense has intercepted more passes this year?
"The team has jelled. Everybody knows their own assignments. We're coming up with good reads. The defensive line has brought a lot of pressure and forced some bad passes, too."
When you were coming out of high school, how many teams recruited you as a quarterback?
"All of them recruited me as a quarterback. But when I got here, I wasn't performing up to my capabilities, and when the opportunity came, I changed, and it worked out for the best."
What kind of a quarterback were you?
"We did it all in high school. We had option, five-wides, four-wides, things like that. We had a wide playbook."
Did it take a while to adjust to not being a quarterback?
"You need to get used to making a hit instead of being hit. You need to learn how to tackle, back-pedal, play backwards. You have to get used to (not having the ball in your hands). I just worked hard every day trying to get better. It was a mutual decision. I wanted to help the team."
What was the attitude among your teammates last week coming off the loss?
"We were kind of ticked off that we lost. But we stayed positive because we know it's a long season. We didn't play our best game, and it showed. Everybody is still upbeat."
This is your first conference game against a non-division opponent. Have you guys tried to compare divisions in terms of which is stronger?
"No. I don't really think we've done that. We just know we need to go out and play our game."
How different is it having Chris Reis back there with you this year?
"James (Butler) had played safety for two years, and we had some chemistry between us. But with Chris, it's not like we put a guys there who didn't know the defense. He still knows all the calls, we talk a lot. I'm in the post more this year than last year."
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brad Honeycutt
Senior, Offensive Tackle, Mesquite, Texas
How much of a mental advantage is it for you to have had a lot of success against NC State in the recent past?
"In a way, there might be some advantage. But it really doesn't matter with an upcoming game. They're a whole new team. We're a whole new team. You have to prepare the same way. You can't look at it as a given that you'll be successful the next time. That's the kind of stuff that'll get you beat."
Do you think that once other teams began to see what you (the offensive line) were doing on film, they might be a little better prepared for you?
"It's not like we re-invented our offense. We've run a lot of the same plays in the first few games that we ran last year. Some of them we've run with a little more frequency than we did last year. As you go through the season, nothing is a surprise anymore."
NC State has a pretty talented defensive line. Is this an opportunity to erase a little of what happened at Virginia Tech?
"It's a very good opportunity for us. They are a great defense with a very good defensive front. They're as talented on the line as any of the top teams we'll play."
The Thursday night games are unique. Do you like playing them?
"I like them a lot. First of all, the week flies by, and then you have a long weekend and a chance to rest a little more before you play another game. You're basically the main event across the nation. You're on ESPN, and it's fun to be in the spotlight."
This is the first time you've played a team from the other division of the ACC. Do you compare or contrast the divisions, or do you still need a card to tell you which teams are in which divisions?
"The main thing I look at is the big teams you play every year, Florida State and Miami. I think that by splitting those two up, it's relatively even in my eyes."
You're a fifth-year senior on a line with a lot of younger players. How do you approach that?
"The other guys might be young, but they're great work-ethic guys. They come to work when they practice. They know that it's going to be a process to develop as a line. So they're eager to take it on. Even though they haven't played as many games, they still know what it takes to prepare for a game. But it does take time to develop. I was a young guy on an older offensive line, so I knew if I just did my job, we we're going to be fine. Now I'm the older guy on a young line, so it's kind of interesting."
How have you handled the transition from guard to tackle?
"I enjoy it. I feel like a tackle now. I don't feel as much like a guard trying to play tackle, if that makes any sense. That's a good thing. It's a challenge, but I'm starting to enjoy it. It's a more athletic position than guard. You have to contend with some of the more athletic players on the other team's defense. It's almost more of a skill position in a way. You're moving your feet, like you're a big basketball player out there. It's different."
NC State has two really good defensive ends. What kind of challenge will that be for you?
"They're whole defensive line is very good. I'd rather play a good defensive front than one that's considered bad. It's always better to respect who you're going against and look forward to the challenge."
At what point did you begin to feel comfortable at tackle?
"I felt pretty comfortable the first game. Towards the end of camp, when we began to scrimmage, it started coming back to me."
You've gone up against Eric Henderson (in practice) and know what he can do. When he's not in there, how much does it change things?
"It does change things. You've got a guy with that a lot of talent who is a great leader. Luckily we do have guys behind him who have played. They see this as an opportunity while he's out. They'll do just fine."
NC State Two-Deep Depth Chart
| 2005 NC State Depth Chart |
|
|
Notes
* - Indicates redshirted one season
Georgia Tech Two-Deep Depth Chart
Georgia Tech vs. NC State, Oct. 6, 2005
Pos No DEFENSE
...................................... Ht. Wt. Cl.
DE 56 Eric
Henderson OR ........................ 6-3 265 Sr.-R
90 Darrell
Robertson ........................... 6-5 220 So.
DT 97 Mansfield
Wrotto ............................ 6-3 310 Jr.
99 Omar Billy
....................................... 6-2 280 Sr.-R
DT 96 Joe Anoai
....................................... 6-3 275 Jr.
94 Elris
Anyaibe .................................. 6-3 265 Fr.-R
DE 42 Adamm
Oliver ................................ 6-4 260 So.-R
93 Michael
Johnson ............................ 6-7 225 Fr.
LB 35 KaMichael
Hall ............................... 6-0 225 Jr.
58 Gary Guyton
................................... 6-2 230 So.
LB 49 Gerris
Wilkinson ............................. 6-4 230 Sr.-R
52 Travis
Chambers ............................ 5-11 220 So.
LB 41 Philip
Wheeler ................................ 6-2 225 So.-R
35 KaMichael
Hall ............................... 6-0 225 Jr.
CB 25 Dennis
Davis .................................. 6-0 185 Sr.-R
34 Avery
Roberson ............................. 6-2 190 So.-R
CB 2 Kenny
Scott .................................... 6-2 185 Jr.
4 Jamal Lewis
................................... 6-0 185 So.
SS 18 Chris
Reis....................................... 6-1 215 Sr.
37 Joe Gaston
..................................... 5-11 195 Jr.
FS 20 Dawan
Landry ................................ 6-2 215 Sr.-R
23 Djay Jones
..................................... 6-1 190 So.
Pos No
SPECIALISTS ................................ Ht. Wt.
Cl.
P 14 Ben Arndt
....................................... 6-0 180 Sr.-R
9 Mohamed
Yahiaoui ........................ 5-11 200 Fr.
PK 87 Travis
Bell ...................................... 6-0 210 So.-R
9 Mohamed
Yahiaoui ........................ 5-11 200 Fr.
KO 9 Mohamed
Yahiaoui ........................ 5-11 200 Fr.
SN 84 Gavin
Tarquinio .............................. 6-3 250 Sr.-R
50 Bret White
...................................... 5-11 215 Fr.-R
HO 11 Kyle
Manley .................................... 6-2 205
Fr.-R
Pos No OFFENSE
...................................... Ht. Wt. Cl.
WR 8 Damarius
Bilbo ............................... 6-3 218 Sr.-R
6 Pat Clark
........................................ 5-11 180 So.
88 Chris Dunlap
.................................. 5-11 200 Jr.
LT 64 Andrew
Gardner ............................. 6-6 285 Fr.-R
53 A.J. Smith
....................................... 6-7 280 Fr.-R
LG 61 Matt
Rhodes ................................... 6-3 285 So.-R
78 LeShawn
Newberry ........................ 6-0 320 So.-R
C 60 Kevin
Tuminello .............................. 6-4 285 So.-R
79 Eddy Parker
................................... 6-4 285 So.-R
RG 73 Nate
McManus ............................... 6-3 290 So.
62 Jacob
Lonowski .............................. 6-5 285 Fr.-R
RT 72 Brad
Honeycutt .............................. 6-4 315 Sr.-R
76 Salih
Besirevic ................................ 6-7 295 Sr.-R
TE 48 Michael
Matthews .......................... 6-4 270 Jr.-R
80 George
Cooper .............................. 6-5 260 Jr.-R
82 Colin Peek
...................................... 6-6 280 Fr.
QB 1 Reggie
Ball ..................................... 5-11 195 Jr.
13 Taylor
Bennett ................................ 6-3 213 Fr.-R
11 Kyle Manley
.................................... 6-2 205 Fr.-R
FB 40 Mike Cox
........................................ 6-1 245 So.
28 Ajenavi
Eziemefe ........................... 6-1 240 Sr.
TB 45 P.J.
Daniels .................................... 5-10 210 Sr.-R
22 Tashard
Choice .............................. 6-1 205 So.-R
24 Chris Woods
................................... 5-11 190 Sr.
3 Rashaun Grant
............................... 5-10 192 So.-R
WR 21 Calvin
Johnson ............................... 6-4 230 So.
89 James
Johnson .............................. 6-0 190 Fr.-R
81 Xavier
McGuire .............................. 6-4 215 Jr.-R
Pos No
SPECIALISTS ................................ Ht. Wt.
Cl.
PR 6 Pat Clark
........................................ 5-11 180 So.
89 James
Johnson .............................. 6-0 190 Fr.-R
KOR 24 Chris
Woods ................................... 5-11 190 Sr.
22 Tashard
Choice .............................. 6-1 205 So.-R
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Joe Anoai
..................................... an-uh-WHY-ee
...........................................
(rhymes with Hawaii)
Elris Anyaibe
........................ ERR-iss on-YA-bee
Salih Besirevic
........ SA-lee buh-SHEER-uh-vich
Damarius Bilbo
........................ duh-MARR-ee-us
Matt Braman
...................................... BRAY-mun
Tashard Choice
................................ tuh-SHARD
Ajenavi Eziemfe
......................... ah-juh-NAH-vee
.....................................................
eh-ZEM-uh-fay
Brian Fleuridor
........................... FLOOR-uh-door
Loyall Gause
.............................................. loy-AL
Rashaun Grant
................................ ruh-SHAWN
Justin Guadagni
............................. guh-DAH-nee
KaMichael Hall
................................ KAY-mike-ull
Dawan Landry
..................................... duh-WON
Jacob Lonowski
.............................. luh-NOW-ski
Xavier McGuire
.............................. EXX-a-vee-ur
Chris Reis
................................................ REESE
Avery Roberson
............................. ROW-ber-sun
Gavin Tarquinio
............................ tar-KWIN-ee-o
Taalib Tucker
........................................... tuh-LIB
Kevin Tuminello
............................ too-min-ELL-o
Gerris
Wilkinson ................................... JERR-iss
Jahi
Word-Daniels .................................. jah-HEE
Mansfield
Wrotto ..................................... ROTT-o
Mohamed
Yahiaoui ...................... ya-hee-OW-ee
Assistant
Coaches
Joe
D’Alessandris ...................... dal-uh-SAN-dris
Buddy Geis
................................................. GICE
Brian Jean-Mary
............................ jon muh-REE
Jon Tenuta
..................................... tuh-NOOT-uh
Hit up the Premium Chat: Not attending the game? Chat Live in the PackPride.com Premium Chat Room via the "Join Live Chat" Link. This service is available for premium subscribers and follow the game play-by-play with other Wolfpack fans!
Thanks to NC State and Georgia Tech Athletics for much of the information in this preview.