NC State
Wolfpack
Preview 2009 - Defense
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2009 CFN NC State
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2009 NC State Offense
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2009 NC State
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2009 NC State Depth Chart
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2008 NC State
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2006 NC State
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What you need to know:
The defense played its best football over
the second half
of 2008, a trend
it hopes to
carry into 2009.
Riddled by
injuries and
poor tackling
early on, the
Pack underwent a
transformation,
creating more
turnovers and
clamping down in
run defense.
Keeping the
momentum going
will depend on a
secondary that’s
young and still
very vulnerable
to even mediocre
quarterbacks.
The good news
for CB DeAndre
Morgan and his
teammates is
that they’ll be
getting plenty
of assistance
from a front
seven that’ll
surprise
a lot of people
this fall. DE
Willie Young, DT
Alan-Michael
Cash, and LB
Nate Irving are
All-ACC types,
with the
athleticism to
create constant
chaos. Plus,
they’re
surrounded by
solid veterans,
like DE Shea
McKeen, DT Leroy
Burgess, and LB
Ray Michel, who
will flourish in
secondary roles.
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Returning
Leaders
Tackles: Ray Michel, 102
Sacks: Willie
Young, 6.5
Interceptions: Nate Irving, 4
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Star of the defense:
Senior DE Willie Young
Player who has to step up and become a star:
Sophomore CB Dominique Ellis
Unsung star on the rise: Junior CB
DeAndre Morgan
Best pro prospect: Young
Top three all-star candidates: 1)
Young, 2) Junior LB Nate Irving, 30 Senior DT
Alan-Michael Cash
Strength of the defense: The Line,
Red-Zone Defense
Weakness of the defense: Secondary, Consistency
Defensive
Line
Projected Starters:
The Pack’s knack for producing NFL-caliber
defensive linemen is going to continue with this
group. The strength of the team, North Carolina
State will once again be fueled by the
inside-outside senior tandem of 6-1, 286-pound
tackle
Alan-Michael Cash and 6-4, 250-pound end
Willie
Young. Cash is your classic three-tech,
undersized lineman, who’s has the speed and
quickness to slice through the guard and tackle
to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. A
regular in opposing backfields the last two
seasons, he had 35 tackles, 8.5 tackles for
loss, 3.5 sacks, and 14 pressure, numbers that
were understated by an early-season knee injury.
Young has quietly developed into one of the
nation’s better rush ends and a candidate to be
selected very high by the NFL next April. A
fourth-year starter, he’s collected 102 tackles,
28.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and 50
pressures in the last two seasons alone. Playing
with the speed and suddenness of an outside
linebacker, he gets off the snap in an instant,
blowing by opposing linemen before they can get
set. With one more year to impress scouts, he’ll
be playing with a noticeable sense of urgency.
After wading his way through his first
season out of Georgia Military College, 6-1,
300-pound senior
Leroy
Burgess believes he’s ready to live up to
his lofty expectations. A squat run stuffer,
with a powerful base, he took about half a year
before things started to slow down for him.
Still, he was able to lay a foundation for 2009,
starting three games and finishing with 19
tackles and five quarterback pressures.
Young’s partner on the opposite end of the line
will be 6-5, 255-pound senior
Shea
McKeen. A gifted all-around athlete and
well-traveled individual, he made stops at South
Carolina and Nassau (NY) Community College
before settling down in Raleigh. In his first
season with the Pack, he started nine games
before breaking his ankle, registering 29
tackles, five tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Projected Top Reserves:
Sophomore
Jeff Rieskamp earned a spot in the rotation in his first year of
action, earning a pair of starts and making 21
tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pair of
sacks. Strictly a situational pass rusher until
he adds more weight, the 6-3, 235-pound plays
with the quickness of a linebacker and a
non-stop motor.
The other backup end will
be 6-2, 253-pound junior
Audi Augustin, a bigger option and a better fit on running downs. A
backup and special teamer for all but the bowl
game, he’s had limited opportunities in two
years, making six tackles and a sack a year ago.
State is taking auditions for reserves at
tackle. One possibility is 6-3, 290-pound junior
Natanu
Mageo, a transfer from New Mexico Military
College, who took part in spring drills. A
thick, prototypical run-stuffer, he’s hoping to
plug the gaps in a run defense that was
repeatedly pierced last fall.
Watch
Out For ... a big year from Burgess. He
was sort of quiet in 2008, but that could be
chalked up to a steep learning curve and the
difficult transition from junior-college. He’s
begun this season on a mission, at times
dominating in the spring. With Cash next to him,
he’ll never see double-teams, which could mean
plenty of stops for minus yards.
Strength: The starting lineup. While not
in same league as, say Clemson or North
Carolina, North Carolina State boasts a
rock-solid defensive line comprised of four
seniors, two all-stars, and at least that many
kids with an NFL shot. With constant penetration
coming from Young and Cash, Burgess and McKeen
will be free to make a lot of plays in their
final season.
Weakness: Run
defense. Is this problem ever going to go away?
Two years ago, the Pack was last in the ACC,
yielding 186 yards a game on the ground. Last
season, despite improvements, it was eighth in
the league. State got markedly better as the
season wound down, a trend that needs to be
maintained in the early parts of this year.
Outlook: Yeah, the run defense
needs to show up all year and tackle depth is a
worry, but there’s not a lot to dislike about
this front four. The Pack boast star power,
quality support on the inside and outside, and
outstanding depth at defensive end. With Young
eyeing a lucrative deal from the NFL, he could
deliver an All-America season that helps makes
all of his linemates more productive.
Rating: 8
Linebackers
Projected Starters:
Had he not missed a third of the season with an
ankle injury, 6-1, 235-pound junior
Nate
Irving would be entering this season with a
whole lot more national notoriety. Instead,
he’ll have to be a well-kept secret outside
Raleigh. Despite the lost time, he was able to
rack up 84 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four
interceptions, and a touchdown. From his
weakside position, he plays as if shot from a
cannon, using tremendous range and natural
instincts to sniff out plays all over the field.
Give him a dozen healthy games, and he’ll finish
2009 as a really big deal.
Joining Irving
as a returning starter is 6-0, 229-pound senior
Ray
Michel, the team’s steady middle linebacker.
In the most extensive action of his career, he
stepped forward with a team-high 102 tackles,
3.5 tackles for loss, and six quarterback
pressures. He’s shown a knack for being around
the ball, wrapping up on tackles, and delivering
the payload.
The newest member of the
starting lineup, 6-5, 234-pound sophomore
Audie
Cole, spent the offseason turning the heads
of the coaching staff. One of the clear-cut
stars of the spring, he quickly rose from a
weakside backup to a strongside starter. A
former high school quarterback, who had 14
tackles a year ago, he brings terrific size and
toughness to the perimeter of the defense.
Projected Top Reserves:
Sophomore
Dwayne Maddox got displaced by Cole and actually shifted to weakside,
where he’ll caddy for Irving. Wherever he winds
up, the versatile 6-2, 225-pounder is going to
command a role on this defense. The only true
freshman to start a game on defense in 2008, he
chipped in 32 tackles, showing uncommon poise
and instincts for such a young player.
Like Maddox, 6-2, 227-pound
sophomore
Sterling Lucas also got plenty of snaps in
his first year removed from high school. As a
backup in the middle and special teams
contributor, he played in 12 games and had 14
tackles. Still a little raw with his
fundamentals and reading of offenses, he’s got a
high ceiling once he gets more game reps.
Watch Out For ...
Irving to get plenty of first team All-ACC
votes. When he was on the field last fall, North
Carolina State was a noticeably different
program. He plays with a frenetic, contagious
style that wreaks havoc for opposing offenses.
The junior simply has a knack for the big play,
which will create quite a highlight reel for the
SID to distribute.
Strength:
Range. Up and down the two-deep, the Wolfpack is
dripping with athletes, who are capable of
making stops from sideline-to-sideline. Irving
may be the headliner, but he’s hardly alone. The
veterans and underclassmen alike have the speed
and instincts to make plays all over the field.
Weakness: Pass defense. North
Carolina State got burned a bunch of times in
pass defense last year, and could suffer similar
results again this fall. The athleticism isn’t a
concern, but with Michel and Irving barely above
6-0, both become vulnerable versus rangy tight
ends drifting down the middle of the field.
Outlook: The Pack has close to an
ideal situation at linebacker. The peak
performers, Irving and Michel, are veterans with
a number of years in the system. Lining up
behind them is a slew of talented underclassmen,
like Cole, Maddox, Lucas, and
Terrell
Manning, just itching at a chance to carve
out their own identities. Together, they’ll form
one of the league’s most underappreciated
linebacker corps.
Rating:
7.5
Secondary
Projected Starters:
By far, the biggest concern on defense involves
a defensive backfield that was among the most
feeble in the ACC a year ago. A couple of
starters return from that unit, led by 5-10,
170-pound junior
DeAndre
Morgan, an all-star candidate and the team’s
best pass defender. A ball-hawk, with
outstanding speed, he’s been a starter since
midway through his freshman season, producing 66
tackles, three tackles for loss, two picks, and
13 pass breakups a year ago. With continued
development, he’ll follow brother DaJuan into
the NFL.
The new starter at the other
corner spot will be 5-11, 190-pound sophomore
Dominique
Ellis, who padlocked the job with a
fantastic offseason. A year after making 13
tackles in 13 games, he appears to have turned
the corner in his maturation, playing more
aggressively and making nice breaks on passes.
While still a little raw on his reads, he has
the physical abilities to eventually develop
into a lockdown partner with Morgan.
While the corners will be fine, the safeties are
causing some sleepless nights for the staff. At
one opening, there’s hope that 6-0, 200-pound
senior
Clem Johnson can build on his debut out of
Valley Forge (Penn.) Military College. He
battled injuries all year, yet still managed to
start four games and make 46 tackles and two
picks. An all-conference quarterback in
junior college, he’s made a nice transition to
being a full-time defender.
The
front-runner at field safety is 6-0, 188-pound
sophomore
Justin Byers. After taking some lumps in his
first season of action, he’s added some
much-needed weight in the offseason and gotten a
firmer grip on the playbook. He wound up
starting eight games and playing in all 13,
making 50 tackles and intercepting a pair of
passes.
Projected Top Reserves: Senior
Koyal George spent his offseason solidifying a spot as the first
cornerback off the sidelines. A former walk-on
wide receiver, he began to make the transition
to defense last fall. By the end of spring, he
was flashing a level of confidence and comfort
that was not evident at this time last year.
Challenging Byers at field safety is 6-2,
200-pound sophomore
Jimmaul
Simmons, a real thumper and the better run
defender of the pair. He earned a letter in his
first season of eligibility, playing in 11 games
and making 16 stops and a pair of picks. A
physical tackler and terrific athlete, he’ll
earn more playing time as soon as he tightens up
in pass defense.
Watch Out For
... the health of 6-0, 197-pound
junior
Javon Walker. Before tearing his ACL toward
the end of the 2007 season, he was beginning to
look like the next big thing at safety for the
Wolfpack. However, he missed all of 2008 and
didn’t suit up in the spring. There’s hope he
can be back in August, which would provide a big
boost to the safeties.
Strength:
The corners. Yeah, they’ll still get
burned from time to time, but there’s an awful
lot to like about Morgan and Ellis, especially
looking out to the future. Morgan is on the
brink of becoming a star and Ellis isn’t that
far behind. If they continue to learn and grow,
NC State will be set at the position in 2009 and
2010.
Weakness:
Consistently defending the pass. At a base
level, the Pack has a long way to go in pass
defense after finishing last in the ACC in
completion percentage, yards allowed, and
touchdowns yielded. If the young guys don’t
prove worthy early in the season, opposing
quarterbacks are going to attack them on a
weekly basis.
Outlook: There’s
obvious talent, courtesy of a string of quality
recruiting classes, but it remains raw and
unproven. To allow as many big plays in a
passer-free conference, like the ACC, was an
indictment of this defensive backfield. If the
defense, as a whole, is going to make progress,
it’s incumbent upon this unit to knock down a
few more passes and become a lot feistier when
the ball is in the air.
Rating:
6.5
Special Teams
Projected Starters:
All things considered, the Wolfpack appears to
be in fine shape on special teams. The unit
found themselves a placekicker last year in
junior Josh Czajkowski,
one of the nation’s top prepsters of 2006. A
dead-on kicker, he nailed 16-of-19 field goal
attempts and missed just a single extra point.
At his best in the 40-yard range, he’s not
likely to drill one from long distance.
The new punter will likely be senior Jeff
Ruiz, who has patiently waited his turn and
will not be intimidated by his new
responsibility. A former junior-college
All-American, he has the leg strength, needing
only to exhibit more consistency in order to
maintain this spot.
One of last season’s
big surprises was the play of sophomore T.J.
Graham, the new school record-holder for
kick return yards in a season. He averaged more
than 25 yards a chance, good for No. 5 in the
ACC, and also led the team with an eight-yard
average on punt returns. He’ll handle both
duties once again this season.
Watch Out For ...
Czajkowski’s leg strength. While he had a long
conversion of just 42 yards a year ago, he was
nailing kicks from 50 yards out in April. Will
that translate into more pop this fall? The Pack
hopes so because a couple of those boomers could
be the difference between winning and losing for
a program that plays in a lot of tight contests.
Strength: The punt coverage team. For
the second consecutive season, NC State was
among the nation’s stingiest punt coverage
teams, allowing just six yards a return and
finishing 28th nationally. The team harbors a
ton of speedy athletes, who get downfield in a
hurry and leave little wiggle room for opposing
returners.
Weakness: Punter. It’s
not as if Bradley Pierson and his 38.8-yard
average are irreplaceable, but if Ruiz was
better, wouldn’t he have won the job in 2008?
Something has to be missing in his execution, or
else we’d have seen him occasionally in the last
two years.
Outlook: North
Carolina State invests a lot of energy in its
special teams, and it shows. The Pack covers
well, has an exciting return game, and is
consistent at placekicker with Czajkowski. If
Ruiz finally starts delivering like a former
JUCO All-American, State will challenge for the
ACC’s most complete special teams ensemble.
Rating: 7.5
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