NC State (4-6) vs. North Carolina (7-3)
Saturday, November 21, 2008
12:00 pm (EST), Raycom
Chapel Hill, NC
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Kenan Stadium
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NC State Game Notes
NC STATE VERSUS NORTH CAROLINA
This will be the 98th meeting in I-40 series between the Wolfpack and the Tar
Heels that began in 1894. It is the Wolfpack's oldest rivalry among ACC teams
and the fourth-most played series in the ACC.
When the series began, the two teams played home-and-home for several
years (1894, 1899 and 1901). The series began on an annual basis in 1919
through 1943 and then after a three-year hiatus, the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels
have played every year since 1947 with one exception. In 1952, the game
between the two teams was canceled because of a polio outbreak on UNC’s
campus.
The Tar Heels hold a 63-28-6 overall mark over the Wolfpack, including a 34-16-
2 advantage in Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels’ lead in the series is just seven games - 30-23 - in ACC matchups
all-time.
RECENT HISTORY OF THE SERIES
NC State has lost 11 of the last 15 matchups to UNC, but the series is tied at
four wins each in the last decade. Five of the Pack’s last six losses to UNC have
been by margins of eight points or less, while NC State has won by double-digit
margins in three of the Pack’s last four wins. The margin was just four last season,
(31-27) but NC State won by 13 in 2003, 17 in 2002 and 18 in 2000.
WILSON EFFICIENT UNDER CENTER
Quarterback Russell Wilson has put up impressive numbers in his young career
despite missing two full games, and most of the season opener, with injuries.
Wilson is second overall and leads all freshman in the ACC in passing efficiency
at 127.0. That mark ranks fourth nationally among all freshman signal callers and
would rank 11th all-time in school history for a single season if the season ended
today.
Wilson has been even better over his last six starts, passing for all 12 of his
touchdowns and not throwing an interception in that span. His performance over
the last six games translates to an impressive 135.74 passer efficiency rating.
WILSON NAMED ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 152 yards and two touchdowns, with no
interceptions, in NC State’s upset win over Wake Forest. He completed 16 of 33
pass attempts and also carried the ball 14 times for 69 yards and a touchdown.
He was NC State’s leading rusher for the game and was responsible for all three
of the Wolfpack’s touchdowns and 221 yards of total offense.
It was his first Rookie of the Week honor, but the redshirt freshman won
ACC Offensive Back of the Week honors after the win against then-No. 15 East
Carolina.
WILSON HAS 175 ATTEMPT STREAK WITHOUT A PICK
Russell Wilson has an active streak of 175 straight passing attempts without
throwing an interception, the second-longest streak in school history for a single season. That streak spans Wilson’s last six games, as his last pass attempt at
Clemson was picked off. That is the longest such streak for a Wolfpack quarterback
without an interception since Jaime Barnette went 179 attempts in 1998.
Among active NCAA quarterbacks, that mark ranks fifth and is the longest active
streak in the NCAA.
On the season, Wilson has just one interception, the fewest in the nation among
qualifying quarterbacks who rank in the NCAA top-100 for passing, passing yards per-
game, total passing yards and/or passing efficiency.
WILSON HAS TOP-10 RUSHING DAY
Wilson has obviously performed well as a passer, but the versatile quarterback
can also move the ball with his legs. He ran for 69 yards on 14 attempts against
Wake, including a four-yard touchdown. The 69 yards rank 10th all-time at NC State
for rushing yards by quarterback in a single game (dating back to 1970).
O’BRIEN VERSUS DAVIS
Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien and Tar Heels head coach Butch Davis have
met five times in their careers as head coaches, with Davis holding a 4-1 advantage.
Davis won all four meetings between the Miami Hurricanes and Boston College
Eagles while the two coaches were at their former collegiate coaching posts.
O’Brien won the meeting last season in Raleigh, 31-27, between the two coaches at
their current schools.
Three of the previous five meetings have been decided by four points or less,
a 45-44, double overtime Miami win in 1997, a 31-28 Miami win in 1999 and NC
State’s four point win in 2007. Miami won 35-17 in 1998 and 52-6 in 1999 when the
Hurricanes were ranked No. 2 nationally.
O’BRIEN AGAINST IN-STATE OPPONENTS
Not quite two full years into his Wolfpack coaching career, head coach Tom
O’Brien has found success on the field and off with his team. One of the areas that
has been particularly strong has been the play against in-state rivals. O’Brien has
posted a 5-1 mark against teams from the state of North Carolina, including a perfect
3-0 mark at home.
That 5-1 mark is tied for the best record against in-state opponents to start a
Wolfpack coaching career over their first two seasons, tying Lou Holtz, Dick Sheridan
and Chuck Amato.
The Pack won at East Carolina, 34-20, in 2007, at home against UNC, 31-27, and
lost at Wake Forest, 38-18.
So far in 2008 the Wolfpack has defeated all three in-state rivals, taking down
then-No. 15 ECU in overtime, 30-24, winning at Duke, 27-17, and this past week
against Wake Forest, 21-17.
PACK TALENT HOME GROWN
From the day he took the job at NC State, Tom O’Brien and his staff made a commitment
to sign the top talent in the state of North Carolina. The 2008 Wolfpack
roster is made of up 60 players who call the state of North Carolina home, including
17 players our of the 44 listed on the two-deep. Thirteen of those 17 are on the
offensive side of the ball.
Eight of the top 30 recruits in the state (according to rivals.com) signed to don
the red and white in 2008 - three more than any other school (Virginia Tech signed
five of the state’s top 30 players). The Pack also landed three of the top six North
Carolina prospects.
NC State’s 2008 signing class ranked higher than any school in the state according
to both rivals.com and scout.com.
TWELVE INJURED STARTERS MISS TIME IN 2008
NC State’s injury troubles were well documented in 2007, with 13 starters missing
time in 44 total games, and six starters missing multiple games.
So far during 2008, NC State has had 12 starters - including projected starters
- miss playing time because of injury for a total of 60 games. All 12 of the players
have each missed multiple games because of injury.
Those fortunes have reversed course over the last two games - wins over Duke
and Wake Forest - as NC State has had most of the starters back in the lineup with
the exception of four guys - Toney Baker, Donald Bowens, Matt Kushner and Javon
Walker - who are all out for the season.
In fact, for the first two weeks all season, NC State has had zero players listed on
its Thursday injury report heading into that week’s game.
LACK OF VETERAN EXPERIENCE
Only three NC State football players on the current roster have earned three letters
heading into this season: Curtis Crouch, Andre Brown and J.C. Neal.
In addition to that, only nine players - including seven starters - have 1,000+
snaps in their career. To put that into perspective, over the last three seasons (2005-
07) NC State has averaged 702 offensive snaps a year and 835 defensive snaps a
year.
OFFENSE ROUNDING INTO SHAPE
Despite a recent four-game losing streak that was snapped with the win at Duke,
NC State’s offense has been consistently improving over the last few games. NC
State’s offense is averaging almost six more points and 42 more rush yards over
the last five games.
In addition, the three losses during that stretch were by a combined 19 points.
NC State had over 150 yards rushing as a team in three straight games, the first
time that has happened since 2002. The team rushed for 149 yards against Wake
Forest.
As noted earlier, Russell Wilson’s play at quarterback is a main component in the
recent improvement of the offense, as he has started the last five games. In the
first five games, he started and played in only three games - the win over #15 East
Carolina, the loss at Clemson and the loss at South Carolina when he played just
over one quarter before being knocked out of the game with a concussion.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Senior running back Andre Brown has been a solid all-purpose back for NC State
in his career. He became just the 10th player in school history to amass 2,000+ career
rushing yards after running for 73 yards in the win over No. 15 ECU, including
the last 26 yards in overtime and the game-winning 10-yard scamper.
He now has 2,326 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns, both good for ninth
in school history. Brown needs 154 yards to move into eighth all-time at NC State in
rushing yards.
Brown also ranks 12th in school history with 3,229 all-purpose yards, 148 yards
short of 11th place.
He is just the fifth NC State player to have 2,000+ rushing yards and 500+ receiving
yards in a career, joining standouts Ted Brown, Willie Burden, Ray Robinson
and T.A. McClendon.
The senior from Greenville, N.C. ranks second in the ACC among active players in
career yards and is tied for third in career rushing touchdowns.
GRAHAM ALREADY BREAKING RETURN RECORDS
Freshman wideout T.J. Graham has instantly added speed to the Wolfpack.
Graham is returning punts and kicks for NC State and his 852 yards is a NC State
school record for a single season and already ranks eighth for a career.
He ranks third in kick returns and fifth in punt returns in the ACC.
Against BC, Graham returned his first kickoff for a touchdown, a school-record
100-yard sprint.
Graham also ranks third in the ACC in all-purpose yards at 113.9 yards-per-game,
the top mark for all freshmen in the ACC and the ninth-best freshman mark nationally.
He has had over 100 yards in kickoff return yardage in five games, including 163
kickoff return yards against USF, the third most in school history for a single game
and the second highest total for a freshman. Only Greg Golden’s school record effort
of 175 yards against Pittsburgh in 2001 bested Graham’s total.
Graham won the North Carolina 4-A title in the 100 and 200 meters with times
of 10.44 and 20.82, respectively. He also posted the nation’s fastest time in the 200
meters at one point during the season. In 2007 while at Wakefield HS in Raleigh,
Graham finished third nationally in the 100 meters at the Nike Nationals.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Four of the first five teams NC State played this season were ranked at some
point this season, and the Wolfpack has played the nation’s No. 9 toughest schedule
according to the USA Today/Sagarin Rankings this week.
NC State was the only ACC team to face four teams in the first five weeks of the
season that had been ranked at some point in 2008. In fact, a NC State team had
never played even three ranked opponents in the first five games of the season in
school history until now.
IRVING RETURNS, PART DEUX
Nate Irving, arguably NC State’s and perhaps the ACC’s top defensive player
through the first four games of 2008, missed the South Florida and Boston College
games before returning to play 16 snaps against Florida State. He recorded two
tackles in limited action before injuring an ankle and missing the remainder of the
contest and the Maryland game.
Irving returned AGAIN, this time in a start against Duke. He made an immediate
impact in the game, notching 10 tackles, a pass broken up and a forced fumble.
He had a game-high 11 tackles against Wake Forest, including two for loss and a
sack.
Irving is fifth on the team in tackles with 57, despite missing three games, and his
eight tackles-for-loss are tied for first on the team. He has four games this season of
double-digit tackles in his seven games played.
Irving also has a team-best three interceptions, getting a pick in each of the first
three games this season. The three picks are tied for the most ever for a linebacker
at NC State.
HILL SCORING MORE
Entering this season, redshirt senior tight end Anthony Hill led the team and
ranked in the top-15 among active players in the ACC in career catches, grabbing 61
balls. Despite the high number of catches, Hill had just one touchdown catch, coming
in 2005 as a true sophomore.
That has changed this year, as Hill has hauled in three touchdowns on just 13
catches while being limited to just six games because of injury. His last touchdown
was an eight yard grab for the game winning score against Wake Forest.
Hill now has 74 career catches for 761 yards and four touchdowns.
DEFENSE FORCING TURNOVERS
Defensive coordinator Mike Archer has used his defensive schemes this season
to force 10 interceptions and 17 total turnovers through 10 games. Last season, the
defense had 10 interceptions and 16 total turnovers.
Seven of the 10 interceptions have come from players who had zero career picks
coming into the season. DeAndre Morgan, Jimmaul Simmons (on his first career
play), Nate Irving and Justin Byers had their first career interceptions against USC.
Jeremy Gray had his fourth career interception against William & Mary and Irving
has had a pick in each of the first three games this season. Byers added his second
against ECU. Safety Clem Johnson has his first career INT against BC in just his
second career game after missing the first four with a broken jaw. Gray added his
second of the season against Wake Forest.
North Carolina Game Notes And Depth Chart
Record (7-3)
UNC National Statistical Rankings
Rushing offense...85
Passing offense...74
Total offense...93
Rushing defense...66
Passing defense...61
Total defense...57
UNC’s last game from CollegeFootballNews.com:
Maryland 17 … North Carolina 15
Chris Turner led the Terps on a 19-play drive late in the fourth quarter finishing with a 26-yard
Obi Egekeze field goal for the winning points with 1:42 to play. North Carolina’s offense couldn’t
manage much in the rain getting 59 of its 285 yards on a Cooter Arnold touchdown catch. The
Tar Heels took an early 5-0 lead off a bad punt snap and the first of two Casey Barth field goals,
but a Da’Rel Scott three-yard touchdown run and a one-yard Davin Meggett gave the Terps the
lead before Barth took it back with a 28 yarder. There weren’t any points in the second half until
the late field goal. Maryland held the ball for 40:29.
Player of the game: Maryland RB Da’Rel Scott ran 29 times for 129 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: Maryland - Passing: Chris Turner, 16-31, 141 yds
Rushing: Da’Rel Scott, 29-129, 1 TD. Receiving: Darrius Heyward-Bey, 5-43
North Carolina - Passing: Cameron Sexton, 10-24, 166 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Shaun Draughn, 13-46. Receiving: Hakeem Nicks, 3-57
What does it all mean? ... For all the athleticism and all the strong young talent UNC has amassed,
it can’t come up with the consistent drives when needed because the running game has been so
poor. With just 75 yards against Maryland, there wasn’t any big drive to get any momentum,
while going 1-of-11 on third downs didn’t help. The ACC title could still be there for the taking
by winning out and getting a little help. This night not be the last time the Tar Heels and Terps
meet.
Series notes vs. NC State
•North Carolina leads the series with NC State, 63-28-6.
• The Carolina-NC State series is the fourth-most played in ACC history. Carolina is part of four
of the five most played series in ACC history. Carolina and Virginia have met 111 times, followed
by UNC vs. Wake Forest (103), NC State vs. Wake Forest (99), Carolina vs. NC State (96) and
Carolina vs. Duke (92).
• The team that has held the rushing advantage has won 15 of the last 16 meetings. The lone
exception was in 2004 when Carolina won 30-24, but was outgained on the ground, 304-164.
• Butch Davis is 1-1 against NC State. He led Miami to a 46-23 victory over NC State in the 1998
Micron PC Bowl and lost last year, 31-27.
• Butch Davis and NC State head coach Tom O’Brien are meeting for the second time as head
coaches at North Carolina and NC State, respectively. Davis and O’Brien met four times from
1997 to 2000 while coaches in the Big East Conference. Davis’s Miami Hurricanes won all four
games against O’Brien’s Boston College Eagles. Their first meeting was a 45-44 double-overtime
thriller in Chestnut Hill in 1997.
QUICK HITS
The only three-year player in ACC history with more receiving yards than UNC’s Hakeem Nicks
is former Georgia Tech first-team All-America Calvin Johnson.
North Carolina has seven wins for just the third time since 1998. The Tar Heels were 7-5 in 1998
and 8-5 in 2001.
Carolina is +16 in turnover margin in its seven wins and -6 in its two losses.
The only two games Carolina did not pick off a pass came in losses at Virginia and at Maryland.
Carolina leads the ACC with six non-offensive touchdowns. The Tar Heels have scored on four
interception returns, one punt return and one blocked punt recovery in the end zone.
The Tar Heels have lost three games this season by a total of eight points.
North Carolina is bowl eligible for the first time since 2005.
PASS EFFICIENCY BATTLE
Saturday’s game vs. NC State shapes up as a battle of two of the most efficient quarterbacks in
the league. Because he doesn’t qualify for the league minimum of playing in 75 percent of his
team’s games, North Carolina quarterback Cameron Sexton’s league-best 132.7 pass efficiency
rating does not show up in the weekly rankings. Sexton has completed 90 of 162 attempts for
1,230 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. His streak of 80 consecutive pass attempts
without an interception come to an end last week at Maryland when he was picked off on UNC’s
final offensive possession. NC State’s Russell Wilson has not thrown an interception in his last
175 pass attempts and has a pass efficiency rating of 127.0.
North Carolina offensive coordinator John Shoop considers pass efficiency a quarterback’s most
important statistic. Tar Heel quarterback’s T.J. Yates (164.4) and Sexton (132.7) rank as the
league’s most efficient passers. Combined, Yates and Sexton have a pass efficiency of 142.2,
more than 13 points ahead of the league leader. As a team, North Carolina leads the league with a
136.8 pass efficiency rating.
NICKS A CANDIDATE FOR ACC PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
ACC Player of the Year candidate Hakeem Nicks is one of the top receivers in the country. The
6-2, 210-pound junior ranks first in the ACC in receiving yards (91.1/game), third in receptions
(5.30/game) and fifth in all-purpose yards (108.4). This season, he has 53 receptions for 911 yards
and eight touchdowns. He also had four rushes for 39 yards and one touchdown.
The Charlotte, N.C., native has at least one catch in 23 straight games. He also has recorded a
catch in 32 of his 33 career contests. The only game he played and did not catch a pass was vs.
NC State in 2006. He has had at least two receptions in 30 of 33 games. This season he has
caught at least three passes in every game.
Nicks is Carolina’s all-time leading receiver with 2,529 career yards.
After being held without a catch in the first half vs. Georgia Tech, Nicks had three catches for 72
yards and a touchdown in the second half of a 28-7 victory. His final catch gave him the UNC
career receiving yardage record with 2,472 yards, surpassing the 2,447 yards compiled by Corey
Holliday from 1989-93. Nicks’ touchdown catch was the 17th of his career (third all-time at
UNC) and his eighth this season, which is tied for second on the Tar Heel single-season list behind
Marcus Wall (9 in 1994).
In Carolina’s 45-24 victory over No. 23 Boston College, Nicks became the first Tar Heel to score
four touchdowns in a game since 2006. He had three touchdown receptions (26, 40 and 43 yards)
in the second quarter and scored on a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter. Nicks finished with eight
catches for 139 yards receiving and three carries for 31 yards. It was the first time he had three
receiving touchdowns in a game.
Nicks has four 100-yard receiving games in 2008 and a school-record nine in his career. He set
the record with nine catches for 141 yards in a 29-24 win over Notre Dame. Two of Nicks’ eight
100-yardgames have come against the Fighting Irish. He posted a career-best 171 yards on six
catches at Notre Dame in 2006 and has 312 yards on 15 catches in two games against the Irish.
Nicks also had 100-yard games this year against Miami (5 for 133 yards and a touchdown),
McNeese State (6 for 110 yards) and Boston College (8 for 139yards and three touchdowns). He
has four career catches of 70 or more yards, including a 71-yarder against McNeese and a 74-yard
touchdown catch at Miami.
In the UNC career record book, Nicks ranks first in receiving yards with 2,529 and is second in
receptions with 166. He is 12 receptions shy of breaking the UNC career record held by Jarwarski
Pollock (177 from 2002-05). He also needs 80 receiving yards to break the single-season yardage
record held by Sam Aiken (990 in 2003).
Nicks earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2007 after setting a single-season school record
with 74 receptions for 958 yards and five touchdowns. He is on pace to become the first Tar Heel
to post a 1,000-yard receiving season.
CAROLINA COMEBACKS
North Carolina has trailed in six of its seven wins this season. The only time the Tar Heels have
not trailed was in a 28-7 win over No. 22 Georgia Tech. Three times this year the Tar Heels have
rallied from deficits of at least 10 points. Carolina trailed 24-14 at Miami before scoring twice in
the fourth quarter for a 28-24 win. UNC fell behind, 17-6, vs. Notre Dame, but rallied for a 29-24
victory. Boston College jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but Carolina reeled off 24
second-quarter points and went on to a 45-24 victory. Interestingly, Carolina led most of the way
in both of its losses to Virginia Tech and Virginia. The Tar Heels led the Hokies, 17-3, in the third
quarter, but surrendered 17 points in the final 16:09 to fall 20-17. Against Virginia, Carolina led
the entire game before falling in overtime 16-13.
Three wins over RANKED TEAMS
North Carolina has won three games over ranked teams this season, including No. 22 Georgia
Tech, No. 24 Connecticut and No. 23 Boston College.
All three wins came at home, marking the first season in school history that Carolina has earned
three victories over ranked teams. Carolina also posted three victories against ranked teams in
1992, but only two came at home.
North Carolina’s average margin of victory against ranked teams this season is 22.6 points
(UConn by 26, BC by 21, Georgia Tech by 21).
Tar Heels lead the nation in interceptions
North Carolina’s defense ranks second in the nation with 18 interceptions (tied with Boise State).
The Tar Heels have intercepted at least one pass in eight of 10 games this season and have had
multiple interceptions in six games, including a season-high four at Rutgers. The only two games
Carolina did not pick off a pass were at Virginia and at Maryland. Safety Trimane Goddard has
six interceptions this season and 11 in his career. He is one of seven players tied for most
interceptions in the country. Goddard’s six interceptions are the most by a Tar Heel since Dre’
Bly set the school record with 11 in 1996. He is now tied for fourth on the single-season list, and
his 11 career interceptions are tied for fifth in UNC history. Eight different players have at least
one interception this year for the Tar Heels, including Goddard, LB Mark Paschal, CB Kendric
Burney, S Deunta Williams, CB Charles Brown, LB Quan Sturdivant, LB Bruce Carter and DT
Marvin Austin.
Carolina has established a single-season school record with four interception returns for
touchdowns (Carter at Rutgers, Austin vs. Connecticut, Sturdivant vs. Notre Dame and Goddard
vs. Boston College). The previous record of three was set in 1994. UNC also has set a school
record with 430 interception return yards. The previous record was 341 in 1972 (21 INTs).
Eighth in country in turnover margin
North Carolina is second in the ACC and eighth in the country in turnover margin at +1.20. In its
seven wins, Carolina is +16 in turnover margin. In their three losses, the Tar Heels are -6 (-2 in a
20-17 loss to Virginia Tech, -3 in 16-13 loss at Virginia and -1 in a 17-15 loss at Maryland).
Carolina has forced 25 turnovers, including 18 interceptions, and has given up 13 (6 fumbles, 7
INTs).
Carolina had three interceptions in a 45-24 win over No. 23 Boston College, including a 51-yard
INT return for a touchdown by safety Trimane Goddard. It was the Tar Heels’ sixth non-offensive
touchdown. Carolina forced five turnovers and committed none in the 29-24 win over Notre
Dame. LB Quan Sturdivant picked off a pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown and
Deunta Williams added another interception later in the half. UNC also recovered a season-high
three fumbles against the Irish (Aleric Mullins, LeCount Fantroy and Goddard). The five
turnovers were the most turnovers forced by the Tar Heels since Utah had five in 2005.
Against Connecticut, Carolina picked off three passes for the second time this year (4 vs. Rutgers)
and gave up just one turnover.
In the win at Rutgers, Carolina recorded interceptions from cornerback Charles Brown,
cornerback Kendric Burney, linebacker Quan Sturdivant and linebacker Bruce Carter. It was the
first time Carolina had picked off four passes in a game since the Miami win in 2007. Carolina
finished with 158 interception return yards, including a 66-yard touchdown return by Carter and a
57-yard return by Sturdivant. Against the Hokies, three of Carolina’s four turnovers came inside
the Tar Heels’ 35-yard line (fumble at the 38, fumble at the 32, interception at the 30). It was the
first time UNC lost four turnovers in a game since it had four at South Florida last season.
Carolina has not finished in positive numbers in turnover margin since 1999. Carolina was 96th in
the country in 2007 and 112th in 2006.
Four interceptions for touchdowns
North Carolina is making the most of its interceptions this season. The Tar Heels have returned a
single-season school record four interceptions for touchdowns.
Safety Trimane Goddard set the record with a 51-yard return for a score against Boston College.
Others with INTs for touchdowns include are linebacker Bruce Carter vs. Rutgers (66 yards),
defensive tackle Marvin Austin vs. Connecticut (23 yards) and linebacker Quan Sturdivant vs.
Notre Dame (32 yards). The previous record of three was set in 1994.
Tar Heels lead league in non-ofensive touchdowns
North Carolina leads the league and ranks fifth in the country with six non-offensive touchdowns.
The Tar Heels have scored four times on interception returns, once on blocked punt recovery in
the end zone and once on a punt return. That is the most non-offensive touchdowns in school
history.
National Leaders in Non-Offensive Touchdowns
8 - Alabama (3 PR, 4 INT, 1 FR)
Kansas State (5 PR, 2 FR, 1 INT, 1 KR)
7 - California (3PR, 3INT, 1 FR)
Florida (2 PR, 4 KR, 1 INT)
6 - North Carolina (4 INT, 2PR)
Louisville (1 PR, 1KR, 4FR)
Boston College (3 INT, 2 PR, 1 FR)
Auburn (1PR, 1 INT, 2 KR, 2 FR)
Louisiana Tech (2 PR, 3 INT, 1 FR)
5 - Texas
Missouri
Rice
Second half scoring
North Carolina has outscored its opponents by 76 points in the second half this season, including
a 50-point advantage in the third quarter. The Tar Heels have outscored their opponents in the
first half by 36 points, but have a three-point disadvantage in the first quarter.
Carter throws block party
Sophomore linebacker Bruce Carter has a knack for blocking kicks. The sophomore linebacker
leads the nation with five blocked kicks, including four punt blocks and one field goal block.
Carter set an ACC single-game record by blocking three punts – all in the second quarter - in the
win over No. 24 Connecticut. Carter also tied a school record for blocked punts in a season with
four to match Bracey Walker’s 1993 total.
Carter may have done something no other player in NCAA history has accomplished - blocking
four consecutive punts, including the last one at Miami and UConn’s first three. He got a piece of
the final punt in the win at Miami to help set up the game-winning score. The NCAA does not
keep records on consecutive punt blocks.
Carter blocked a field goal in Carolina’s game at Virginia to raise his season blocked kicks total to
five.
DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
Left Tackle
72 - Kyle Jolly (6-6, 300, Jr.)
71 - Carl Gaskins (6-5, 295, Fr.*)
Left Guard
70 - Alan Pelc (6-6, 325, So.)
76 - Bryon Bishop (6-4, 310, Sr.)
Center
69 - Lowell Dyer (6-4, 290, Jr.)
73 - Aaron Stahl (6-3, 290, Jr.)
Right Guard
79 - Calvin Darity (6-3, 310, Sr.)
73 - Aaron Stahl (6-3, 290, Jr.)
Right Tackle
75 - Garrett Reynolds (6-7, 310, Sr.)
66 - Mike Ingersoll (6-5, 300, So.)
Tight End
89 - Richard Quinn (6-4, 260, Sr.)
33 - Christian Wilson (6-3, 235, Fr.)
Quarterback
11 - Cameron Sexton (6-1, 190, Jr.)
13 - T.J. Yates (6-3, 215, So.)
7 - Mike Paulus (6-5, 215, Fr.*)
Fullback
4 - Bobby Rome (5-11, 245, Jr.)
37 - Curtis Byrd (6-1, 230, So.) - WO
Tailback
20 - Shaun Draughn (6-0, 205, So.)
32 - Ryan Houston (6-2, 250, So.)
Wide Receiver
88 - Hakeem Nicks (6-1, 210, Jr.)
8 - Greg Little (6-3, 220, So.)
3 - Kenton Thornton (6-5, 230, Jr.)
Wide Receiver
1 - Brooks Foster (6-3, 205, Sr.)
2 - Cooter Arnold (5-10, 190, Sr.)
DEFENSE
Left Defensive End
92 - E.J. Wilson (6-2, 280, Jr.)
90 - Quinton Coples (6-6, 245, Fr.)
Left Defensive Tackle
9 - Marvin Austin (6-3, 300, So.)
91 - Tydreke Powell (6-3, 300, Fr.*)
Right Defensive Tackle
93 - Cam Thomas (6-4, 330, Jr.)
97 - Aleric Mullins (6-3, 300, Jr.)
98 - Darrius Massenburg (6-4, 300, So.)
Right Defensive End
42 - Robert Quinn (6-5, 260, Fr.)
94 - Michael McAdoo (6-7, 245, Fr.)
95 - Greg Elleby (6-5, 290, So.)
Will Linebacker
52 - Quan Sturdivant (6-2, 235, So.)
47 - Zach Brown (6-2, 220, Fr.)
Mike Linebacker
41 - Mark Paschal (6-0, 230, Sr.)
58 - Ebele Okakpu (6-2, 220, Fr.)
Sam Linebacker
54 - Bruce Carter (6-3, 230, So.)
44 - Chase Rice (6-3, 220, Sr.)
Cornerback
23 - Jordan Hemby (5-10, 185, Jr.)
12 - Charles Brown (5-10, 200, So.)
Strong Safety
31 - Trimane Goddard (5-11, 200, Sr.)
21 - Da’Norris Searcy (6-0, 200, So.)
25 - Matt Merletti (5-11, 200, So.)
Free Safety
27 - Deunta Williams (6-2, 205, So.)
10 - Melvin Williams (6-0, 195, Jr.)
28 - Jonathan Smith (6-2, 200, So.)
Cornerback
16 - Kendric Burney (5-9, 185, So.)
26 - Richie Rich (5-9, 190, Jr.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place-kicker
11 - Casey Barth (5-11, 170, Fr.) - WO
18 - Jay Wooten (6-3, 185, Fr.*)
Punter
19 - Terrence Brown (6-3, 190, Sr.)
39 - Grant Schallock (6-7, 225, So.) - WO
Deep Snapper
69 - Lowell Dyer (6-4, 290, Jr.)
51 - Trevor Stuart (6-3, 250, So.)
61 - Mark House (6-1, 215, So.) - WO
Holder
30 - Trase Jones (6-0, 185, So.) - WO
Kickoff Return
34 - Johnny White (5-10, 205, So.)
8 - Greg Little (6-3, 220, So.)
88 - Hakeem Nicks (6-1, 210, Jr.)
Punt Return
30 - Trase Jones (6-0, 185, So.)
16 - Kendric Burney (5-9, 185, So.)
WO - denotes walk-on
NC State Two-Deep Depth Chart
| 2008 NC State Depth Chart |
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Thanks to NC State and North Carolina Athletics for much of the information in this preview.