Football news – Depth chart released; Pack picked last; etc…

Not much time today for commentary, but here are several links to stories that came out of the ACC’s annual football kickoff in Greensboro, Ga. this past weekend. If you find other good stories out there, then please link them in your comments so they can be added later in this section.

NC State picked 6th in the Atlantic Division.

Depth Chart:

-Daniel Evans listed as the starter with Russell Wilson as his backup.

Why Evans as the starter? See here.

“I feel good. I’m 100 percent,” Evans said after a recent workout at the Murphy Center. “I’m doing all the lifting, all the throwing, doing everything,

“I feel better than I have in two years. I’m excited.”

With 17 career starts, Evans is the Pack’s most experienced quarterback. Entering his fifth season, the former Broughton star has thrown for 3,873 yards — seventh-best in school history — and 17 touchdowns, and is called the “incumbent” at his position by State coach Tom O’Brien.

Pack duo sets pace in football:

It was 5:22 a.m., with a full moon still aglow in the southern sky Friday when N.C. State tight end Anthony Hill wheeled his car into the Murphy Center parking lot.
It was time to meet tailback Jamelle Eugene. Time to lift weights, sweat, work, run.

Time to be leaders.

“They’re the first ones here every morning,” said Todd Rice, the Wolfpack’s director of strength and conditioning. “And when your best players are your hardest workers, everything else kind of falls into place.”

Elder Glennon Tutors Brother:

Sean Glennon, a quarterback who helped lead Virginia Tech to an ACC championship last season, said he supported highly recruited younger brother Mike’s decision to attend N.C. State.

“He has the chance to play right away,” Sean said Sunday at the ACC football media kickoff. “He’s in a good system for his strengths, and he’s in an up-and-coming program.”

Quotes/Video Audio from NC State player interviews from www.packpride.com :

Anthony Hill

Jeremy Gray

WRAL video/audio from Anthony Hill and Jeremy Gray

“I believe that we got to see the Wolfpack offense… now I just feel like with everybody healthy you’ll be able to see an improved Wolfpack offense.”

“Now that it’s two years into the program, the players know what they have to do and their assignm

Caulton Tudor on the Coastal Division vs. the Atlantic Division:

Wake, as much as anything else, has contributed to the divisional disconnect. When the league went to 11 teams in 2004 — adding Miami and Virginia Tech — the Deacons were still the same inviting scheduling slot they essentially had been since 1953. Jim Grobe’s team went 5-7 and 3-5 in 2003 and then 4-7 and 1-7 (losing to Miami, 52-7) in 2004.

The backstory thinking was easy to figure out. Put Duke in one division, Wake in the other, and there’ll never be a shortage of doormats or automatic wins.

That all changed in 2006, when the Deacons turned downright unruly and started beating almost everyone they played.

“I don’t think anyone really saw that coming,” Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford said. “That beating they gave us in 2006 [at Tallahassee, 30-0] is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

'08 Football General

51 Responses to Football news – Depth chart released; Pack picked last; etc…

  1. b 07/21/2008 at 7:01 PM #

    Henne’s best year was his true frosh year (2743, 25 TD, 12 Int), though he had a higher rating as a Jr and fewer INTs later on. I think the Dolphins may have stole him, he holds all passing records at the winningest football program in college football, and they have had a couple decent passers there before.

    It is fair to say a lot of QB’s would have similar success with Braylon Edwards, Avant, Breaston, Manningham and Arrigton (and some pretty fair TEs) catching their passes. And pros at every spot on the O Line and Hart in the backfield never hurt things either. It’s also fair to say he wasn’t stellar in a couple big games later in his career and had a poor senior year.

    He wasn’t the sole reason they struggled last year though, and he looked damn good, given against Fla’s weak secondary, in the Bowl game.

    And it wasn’t his fault the special teams couldn’t block for a winning FG against a tough IAA team either. He calmly threw a 40 yard strike to set up the FG in the last minute.

    Funny how a lowly IAA team caused so much upheaval at mighty Michigan. A year later and their fans will be cheering the same offense that App used to drop them, led by the very man who taught some of Jerry Moore’s coaches the system. Some may poo-poo it, but I think RR is gonna work at U of M. And with this relationship to Appie, the Monte Cristo scheduling just might happen after all…..

  2. Primewolf 07/21/2008 at 7:01 PM #

    Given that org chart with the many holes and lack of top-tier ACC caliber players, 6 wins would amount to an absolute fantastic season.

    To get to 6 wins our offense will need to score some points, because our D is still going to be questionable. 5 wins would be good.

    Given our situation at LB, Oline, QB, DL depth, I would take 6 wins right now if they consisted of UNC, Duke, Wake, ECU, W&M, and (BC or MD).

    If we produce more than 6 wins, our players are winning with heart and toughness and our coaches are pure genius.

  3. b 07/21/2008 at 7:32 PM #

    We’ve got holes no doubt, but the rest of the league ain’t exactly light years ahead. Holes abound at every team, though mostly in the blue division. I like a fair amount of our talent, my biggest ?’s (aside from the obvious at QB) are Sam, FS, C, and FB.

    I see some of these players listed as 2nd string in deference to older players. Only at RB is a younger player listed as a starter in front of an older player. I’m thinking it is for motivation this early on as well. Specifically (IMO), Simmons in the secondary, Vermiglio on the O-line, and the QB. Likely Baker not being listed, too. I agree with the opinion he is our best back if healthy. And I think Willis Jr. is 2nd so that no one thinks his pops is playing favorites.

  4. legacyman 07/21/2008 at 7:33 PM #

    At what point do folks start expecting to be picked higher than dead last in our division and to have a winning record…isn’t that why some wanted Chuck fired? I believe we are two years away from doing much but hope it is sooner.

  5. RabidWolf 07/21/2008 at 7:43 PM #

    At least it’s good to see the confidence and motivation from Evans. I just hope it’s contagious and these kids can stay hungry and never let up or take plays off this year. Personally, I don’t see these guys finishing last.

    Go Wolfpack!

  6. Noah 07/21/2008 at 8:25 PM #

    Henne was, IMO, the best QB in the draft last year. He played the second-half of the season with a dislocated shoulder. He was finally healthy in the bowl game and you saw what he did to the Florida defense.

    I also think Rodriguez will do fine at UM.

    The players that didn’t qualify were: William Beasley, LB, from Florida, Tobias Palmer, RB, from Pittsboro, and Marty Everett, DL from Florida.

    Palmer is going to spend the fall working on upping his SAT scores just a tad and enroll in January.

    Roy Mangram and Thomas Locust also didn’t make it. I doubt we ever hear from Locust again. Mangram is headed to a JUCO in Georgia.

    Hopefully, Beasley will prep and come in next year.

  7. RBCRowdy 07/21/2008 at 8:27 PM #

    Does anyone think TOB would ever turn the offense over to a QB like Wilson who isnt a drop back passer?

  8. Astral Rain 07/21/2008 at 8:55 PM #

    Let’s put it this way 3-5, 6-6, and a Toilet Bowl is a realistic goal for this year

  9. PhilipRiversWannabe 07/21/2008 at 10:38 PM #

    I hate that so many incoming recruits did not qualify. Does anyone know what happened to Ahmad Jaradat, the O-lineman from Canada? I saw a post on scout and rivals that he is no longer with the team.

    I agree with RabidWolf. We will not not finish dead last in our division. BC is going to be exposed this year under Jags, though i think that they will still be a decent team though. The boys are waiting take their revenge on Maryland. Florida State suspended several players for the first three games and also dismissed several games from the team. Clemson always chokes under Tommy. Wake is the team to watch. I see us finishing between 3rd and 5th, with 4th or 5th more likely. We will beat William and Mary and Duke for sure. I cannot see us losing to ECU or BC in Raleigh. We can beat UNC, but anything can happen in a rivalry (Biased officiating). South Carolina is primed to be upset. Always been a streaky team under Spurrier, they struggled in the last half of last season and they have no idea who their QB is (As we all know, that is usually not a formula for success.). We always play FSU tough and we have them in Raleigh on Thursday night. Miami is going to be talented, but young. Clemson may overlook us and choke like they always do at least once every year, but I don’t see us beating them. I don’t see us beating Wake either. South Florida will be a tough game. I believe the team has a good chance to enact its revenge on Maryland as well. I say 6-6 or if we are lucky 7-5. We end up in the Muffler Bowl.

  10. PhilipRiversWannabe 07/21/2008 at 10:50 PM #

    Also, I do not care which QB wins the job. I would like for us to have continuity at that position for several years, but as long as someone plays halfway decent, our offense will be vastly improved. Our o-line will be better this year with the former d-lineman bringing athleticism and another year of coaching. Curtis Crouch has lost weight and I believe TOB said he was in the best shape of his life. Good interior lineman translates into good run game. Someone will emerge at each tackle position. If vermiglio contained Chris Long as a freshman, imagine him now! Personally I am rooting for Daniel Evans. I know he is small, but he has had good games in his career against good teams and I thinks he finally figures everything out and leads us to a bowl game. He hope he is not remembered as a player who was not as his father.

  11. inhoc... 07/21/2008 at 11:24 PM #

    where the heck is geron james? as far as i heard he was back with the team. when he was a freshman he was making just as much noise as bowens. i hope he ends up being big for us this year…

  12. wolfpacker420 07/22/2008 at 12:35 AM #

    is toney baker going to leave now?

  13. Noah 07/22/2008 at 7:24 AM #

    I hate that so many incoming recruits did not qualify. Does anyone know what happened to Ahmad Jaradat, the O-lineman from Canada? I saw a post on scout and rivals that he is no longer with the team.

    Girlfriend.

    Don’t worry about Baker and James.

  14. inhoc... 07/22/2008 at 8:14 AM #

    why in the world would tony baker be leaving? that must be a BS rumor.
    and eventhough we have deapth at WR, james would still be important i think.
    anyone know?

  15. Noah 07/22/2008 at 8:24 AM #

    Baker’s not going anywhere. James should be here this fall unless something terrible happens.

    The depth chart, at this point, means squat.

  16. CLTres 07/22/2008 at 8:47 AM #

    From gopack

    “…linebacker William Beasley, defensive lineman Marty Everett and running back Tobias Palmer won’t qualify. They will have to go the prep or the junior college route, or whatever they need to get eligible.”

  17. graywolf 07/22/2008 at 12:19 PM #

    Last in football is OK….we will be better this year. I think we start slow but improve as the year goes along. OL improvements are the key to having what we need out of the backfield and throwing down field. OBrien has shown us that he can recruit quality people and athletes……his philosophy is much like Jim Grobe and we know what happened at Wake with this type of mindset.

    Go PACK

  18. Ismael 07/22/2008 at 2:00 PM #

    nice player by player look at how folks have changed…
    http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/2/771004.html

    I think its VERY interesting that Larsen and Bedics (the DL converts) won out starting positions. TOB and the OL Coach (drawing a blank) seem to know what they are doing, we’ll see.

    Geron James, according to the article, is doing great and has put on some weight. Everyone’s saying UNX has the best receiving corps but I think i would take ours. We’ve got alot of height and good hands. We just need someone to pass them the ball.

  19. partialqualifier 07/22/2008 at 2:04 PM #

    God I cant wait for football season!!!

    Pre-season rankings mean nothing….July depth charts mean even less!

    It’s so nice to go into a season with some comfort with a coach. It must have been since 1990…god has been that long…that I have felt like the guy in charge really had a frim grasp on what was going on.

  20. Wolf Dog 07/22/2008 at 2:21 PM #

    Agreed depth chart means little at this point. More for motivation and praise at this point. QB is up in the air, but would like to see as many freshmen as possible red shirt including QB. I suspect Evans will start at SC, hopefully rehab/age/the weight room has increased his arm strenght and his experience/maturity could make him a good QB this year.

    Terry Harvey is a wolfpack favorite. I don’t think Harvey got much spring time due to him playing baseball also.

    Duke single game tickets go on sale soon. Another home game for the pack if enough of us go!

  21. ChiefJoJo 07/22/2008 at 3:22 PM #

    The depth chart doesn’t mean much in terms of starters/reserves, but it does reveal the limitations of our roster. We need some guys to really step up this year at a number of spots to be successful.

    One thing’s for sure. The team is more much more prepared for success than last year. Given the schedule, I can live with another 5-win season if we don’t take any beatings/meltdowns.

  22. RabidWolf 07/22/2008 at 4:00 PM #

    Anybody heard of this JUCO kid from Valley Forge Military? Clem Johnson, QB, 5’11” 185. According to Pack Pride, he might be tagged to replace DaJuan Morgan in the secondary. The recruiting video on youtube is kinda grainy, and shows him playing both QB and in the secondary (CB?).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaVT0gufmo

  23. Noah 07/23/2008 at 8:01 AM #

    Clem Johnson is going to be a safety, not a quarterback. He’s a fantastic athlete and a great kick returner. That said, he needs to learn the position.

    Hopefully, JC Neal and Javon Walker can lock down the starting safety spots and Johnson can provide good special teams play and good reserve play. I think Neal is a senior, so Johnson could step in behind him.

  24. Astral Rain 07/23/2008 at 2:14 PM #

    The High Point Enterprise had a nice little tidbit at the bottom of the front Sports Page over how they were surprised State was picked last, and talked a bit about how that’s only happened like 5 times or so.

    Generally the HPE is less pro-UNC then the other papers in the state though, at least to me.

  25. ClassOf95 07/27/2008 at 10:15 AM #

    I’m not surprised we’re picked last due to our QB play in the past few years and the turmoil at that position last year. I expect us to be pretty good though and while I don’t want to be anti-anyone, I can’t say I’m looking forward to seeing Daniel Evans in the starting role unless they gave him a bionic arm during his surgery.

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