#1: 2002 (Ranking to OLines)

General NCS Football Rankings & Lists8

StateFansNation is proud to present the last installment in a special series focused on NC State offensive lines in the Chuck Amato era. One of our readers, “Mickey McCarthy” (gotta love that), has done some excellent work that we are going to share over the next few days. Thanks so much, Mickey!

#6: 2004
#5: 2005
#4: 2000
#3: 2001
#2: 2003

#1: 2002, 11-3 overall, 5-3 (4th) ACC
Gator Bowl Champions

RT…Chris Colmer…..6’5…318…R-Jr
RG…Sean Locklear…6’4…286…R-Jr
C….Jed Paulsen………6’1…290…So
LG…Shane Riggs……6’3…290…R-Sr
LT…Scott Kooistra…6’6…324…Sr

Average size:
6’3 ¾
302 pounds

Dubbed “the big nasties,� this line lived up to its billing. Featuring two converted defensive lineman (Riggs and Locklear) and honorary member Sean Berton, the offense was “money� inside the five yard line, rarely failing to execute the toss sweep for six points.

Entering the season, the backfield featured a true freshman, a redshirt freshman, and a converted cornerback combining for zero previous college carries. Nevertheless, the running game produced over 2,000 yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, and 4.0 yards per carry. They also provided Philip Rivers with ample time in the pocket.

Despite attempting more passes than any team in the league, this unit once again gave up the fewest number of sacks (11) in the conference. This group wasn’t the biggest or tallest, and did not feature the star-studded high school accolades of subsequent years.

What they did have was a smack you in the mouth attitude. What more could you ask for? This group set the standard by which all future lines will be judged.

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General NCS Football Rankings & Lists

8 Responses to #1: 2002 (Ranking to OLines)

  1. ADS95 08/23/2006 at 9:39 AM #

    This was the line that, trailing at the half in Chapel Hill, pleaded with the coaching staff to switch to a running attack. They KNEW they could knock Carolina’s D-Line on their tail and get TA into the end zone.

    And boy did they ever – I don’t recall how many straight running plays we ran to start the second half, but we didn’t put the ball back in the air until we had the lead.

    Also give special props to Sean Locklear for running down a Carolina safety after a botched extra point in that game. Amazing to watch an offensive lineman chase down a defensive back.

  2. noah 08/23/2006 at 9:54 AM #

    We threw one pass in the third quarter, I believe, against the Holes…and that was at the very end of the quarter.

    Something like 12 straight runs. Totally brutal and efficient.

    I had great seats for that game and I will never forget hearing some Tarhole frat boy crowing, “SEVENTEEN TO SEEEEVENNN!!!” as I headed back from the bathrooms. I had a miserable headache and State was losing.

    Personal thanks to the folks at First Aid who gave me some gatorade and a couple of Advil. Right around the time the headache started to go away, we started to move the ball. We scored and then had that stupid blocked XP.

    Remember Locklear being at the bottom of the pile and getting up and WALKING DOWN middle linebacker Dough Justice?

    Imagine being in a foot race with someone. Here are the rules: The person you’re running against is 50 pounds heavier than you. You’re a linebacker and he’s a freaking GUARD…and you get a headstart. Say…twenty yards in a 97-yard race. Oh, and not only do you get a headstart, he’s going to be lying down under people when the race begins. So when you’re running at full speed, he’s going to be face down with people lying on top of him.

    And then imagine LOSING the race. Not only losing the race, getting walked down in short order and not even making it to the State 40 yard line.

    And then imagine the screams of ecstatic ignorance celebrating your defeat as your own fans think for some reason that your team gets the ball at the spot where you got publicly humiliated.

    That’s what Dough Justice went through that day.

  3. Gopack80 08/23/2006 at 10:19 AM #

    One of the best lines I’ve ever seen at State…period. We were a couple blown plays away from being undefeated that year. No question about it.

    Football games are won and lost in the trenches. And that’s where we killed people that year. Teams couldn’t get to Rivers, and the running game was simply awesome. Had we had a more experienced running back and had TA been healthy all year, there’s simply no doubt in my mind we would have beaten Tech, Maryland & UVA. Instead, all 3 were heart breaking losses. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that those 3 that we lost, we couldn’t establish a decent running game (mainly due to injury).

    That line had the attitude, toughness, and nastiness to get it done. When we got inside the 5….you could forget about it. Put it on the board. Hopefully this years line can be just as good, if not better. We’ll be in for some great things if they can be.

    BTW, I’ve enjoyed this look back at the offensive lines of Amato’s tenure. I think the thing that stuck out in my mind is that OL is one area Amato has not greatly excelled at recruiting. If we could get this area to be a top priority year in and year out, I think it would do wonders for our W/L record.

  4. noah 08/23/2006 at 10:42 AM #

    O’Cain actually didn’t do too badly recruiting the OL. I don’t know if that was Caldwell or what…but he actually had a lot of success stories on the OL.

    He struggled landing quality DEFENSIVE linemen and his teams always lacked speed, but I’d kill for guys like Colmer, Todd Boyle, Keegan Weir, and Jarvis Borum on this year’s team.

  5. TNPackFan 08/23/2006 at 10:49 AM #

    Now the question is, SFN, where do you think THIS year’s OL is going to rank among these 6?

  6. VaWolf82 08/23/2006 at 11:18 AM #

    It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks….what matters is how they perform on the field. The great majority of the time spent making predictions is completely wasted….not to mention the time spent arguing about predictions.

    The early reports are that the OL depth is extremely thin this year. So injuries (or lack thereof) will likely have a significant impact on how this year’s OL fits in with those of the past.

  7. Micky McCarthy 08/23/2006 at 4:28 PM #

    33 rushing touchdowns. In a passing offense. 33.

  8. primacyone 08/25/2006 at 10:11 AM #

    They could have more than 33 rushing rouchdowns this year. In a “west coast offense”. More than 33.

    Have you seen the newly released depth chart. They appear to be planning on having Brown and Baker on the field at the same time for a majority of the plays. Talk about a Power I. We could have a “fullback” rush for a 1000 yards.

    Looking forward to your 2006 comparisions. Starting five look good, but as VaW mentioned injuries could have a significant impact on the entire season.

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