Wolfpack Pro Day

From: gopack.com

Today is North Carolina State University’s Pro Day where NFL scouts and coaches will come to Raleigh, NC to watch Wolfpack seniors and other draft prospects workout. Players such as J.R. Sweezy, Markus Kuhn, Audie Cole, Terrell Manning, T.J. Graham,Curtis Underwood, Steven Howard, Jay Smith, Taylor Gentry, and Dwayne Maddox will run the 40 yd dash and go through drills in hopes of solidifying or improving their spot in the NFL Draft. This pro day is probably most important to senior tight end George Bryan. NFLDraftScout.com has Bryan currently the 9^th ranked tight end in the draft and projected as a 5^th round draft choice.

Coming into the season senior tight end George Bryan was the most highly regarded Pack player as a pro prospect, but in a surprising decision Bryan was not invited to the NFL combine. The 6’5” 265 lbs tight end finished his career at North Carolina State University with 126 reception, 1323 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. The 126 receptions rank him 1^st all-time for tight ends and 7^th overall all-time; the 17 touchdown receptions rank him 1^st for tight ends and 4^th all-time in NC State history. Even though Bryan had a subpar year by his standards he was stilled named 2nd All-ACC selection and was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game. Since then Bryan has been training at Athletes Performance, a training facility that helps athletes with nutrition and performance training. Toady Bryan will look to improve his NFL draft stock himself as a draft prospect.

2012 Football Schedule

The 2012 NC State men’s football schedule has been released. The Wolfpack will open the 2012 season against the University of Tennessee in Atlanta, GA at the Georgia Dome on August 31in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game. State will play 6 home games at Carter Finley Stadium, 1 neutral site game, and 5 away games including a trip to Storrs, Connecticut. This will be the first time the Wolfpack has started the season off with a neutral site game since the 1992 football season.

Date Opponent Location Aug. 31 (Fri.) vs. Tennessee Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 8 @ Connecticut Storrs, CT Sept. 15 SOUTH ALABAMA Raleigh, N.C. Sept. 22 THE CITADEL Raleigh, N.C. Sept. 29 @ Miami Miami, Fla. Oct. 6 FLORIDA STATE Raleigh, N.C. Oct. 20 @ Maryland College Park, Md. Oct. 27 @ North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. Nov. 3 VIRGINIA Raleigh, N.C. Nov. 10 WAKE FOREST Raleigh, N.C. Nov. 17 @ Clemson Clemson, S.C. Nov. 24 BOSTON COLLEGE Raleigh, N.C.

Also announced that spring football drills will start March 23, 2012 and the Kay Yow Spring Football Game will take place April 21, 2012 at 1pm. For the first the spring football game will be shown on ESPN3.

March Madness

Gerry Broome - AP

The last time the North Carolina State Wolfpack was in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament was in 2006 defeating the University of California in the first round then losing to the University of Texas in the next round. The long drought is finally over with the 2011 team making the NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed in the Midwest region and will face No. 6 seed San Diego State University (26-7) on Friday at 12:40 in Columbus Ohio. The Wolfpack finished the season with a 22-12 record in coach Mark Gottfried’s first season as head coach, who was also last in the tournament in 2006 as head coach at the University of Alabama. The Pack was rewarded with a tournament berth for playing a tough schedule and for winning two games in the ACC tournament. The San Diego State Aztecs are lead by head coach Steve Fisher who was named Mountain West Coach of the Year, and sophomore guard/forward Jamaal Franklin was named Mountain West Player of the Year. Coach Fisher won a National Title in 1989 at The University of Michigan and he coached the famed Fab Five at Michigan during the 90’s.

Rivers To Speak at Graduation

By Rob Carr, Getty Images

North Carolina State University has announced that alumnus and current San Diego Chargers quarterback, Philip Rivers, will be the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremonies on May 12. Rivers who played quarterback for NC State from 2000-2003 for head coach Chuck Amato and broke many Wolfpack records. Rivers started every game in his college career and finished the second leading passer in NCAA history. His junior season led the Wolfpack to a 10-1 record with a win over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl and was named bowl MVP. As a senior Rivers led the nation in completion percentage (72.0), passer efficiency rating (170.49), was named conference player of the year, and had his jersey retired prior to his final home game. Philip graduated with a degree in business management in December of 2003. After his college playing career Rivers was the 4^th overall draft pick in the first round by the New York Giants in the 2004 NFL draft, but was then traded to the San Diego Chargers for Eli Manning.  Rivers has enjoyed a successful NFL career with the Chargers as he is already the all time leader is passer rating (95.5) and completion percentage (63.5). Rivers has also been named a four time pro bowler. Off the field Rivers and his wife, Tiffany,  has started the Rivers of Hope Foundation in 2010 to help unwanted, abandoned and orphaned children find permanent loving homes.

Desmond Kitchings at Air Force Academy

NC State head coach Tom O’Brien has hired ex Air Force Academy running backs coach Desmond Kitchings as the new running backs coach replacing Everette Sands who left for the University of South Carolina. Kitchings played college football at Furman University as a wide receiver and kick returner helping Furman win the Southern Conference his senior year. He was a consensus All-Southern Conference selection as well as an All-American as a returner his senior year. Kitchings was the youngest person ever elected to the Furman Athletic Hall of Fame also earning a B.S. degree in health and exercise. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000 NFL Draft and spent several seasons on the practice squad of numerous teams.

Kitchings started his coaching career at his alma mater, Furman, coaching the tight ends and special teams from 2004–2007. Then he went on to Vanderbilt University where he served as running backs coach from 2008-2010. During the 2010 season he also served as the Commodores offensive coordinator. In 2011 Kitchings was the running backs coach at the Air Force Academy where he led them to be ranked 3rd nationally in rushing.  Kitchings a native of Wagener, South Carolina will not only be an asset in coaching but will also be a huge help in recruiting with his ties to the south.

Former Wolfpack Receiver To Coach At CSU

Alvis Whitted with the Oakland Raiders

Former NC State Alvis Whitted will be the new wide receivers coach at Colorado State University for the upcoming 2012 football season. Whitted was born September 4, 1974 in Durham, North Carolina and played wide receiver and ran track and field at Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. His senior year he was the state champion in the 100 and 200 meters. Whitted then played college football and ran track and field at North Carolina State University from 1994-1997. Whitted who played for head coach Mike O’Cain ranks 3^rd all-time in NC State history in kickoff return yards and help lead the Wolfpack to a 1994 Peach Bowl win over the University of Mississippi. In track and field he was a four time All-American and still holds the school record for the 100, 200, and 400 meters. In 1996 Whitted participated in the Olympic trials finishing sixth running against Olympic greats Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis. His senior year at NC State University he was awarded H.C. Kennett Award, the most prestigious honor given to an NC State athlete.  Whitted earned a B.S. degree in business management and finance from North Carolina State University.

In 1998 he was drafted into the NFL by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whitted enjoyed nine year NFL career playing for the Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Oakland Raiders. As an NFL player he participated in two AFC Championship games and helped the Raiders reach Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002. After his playing career was over he started his coaching career in 2008 at his alma mater Orange High School as an assistant coach. Then in 2010 he became wide receivers coach at division III Millsap College in Jackson Mississippi. From there in 2011 Whitted was hired as an offensive quality control assistant coach at UCLA under head coach Rick Nueheisel.  While at UCLA he worked with the wide receivers, special teams, and headed the scout team defense. In January Whitted was named wide receivers coach at Appalachian State University before being offered and accepting the same position at Colorado State University for head coach Jim McElwain.

NC State Players NFL Combine Recap

With the NFL draft quickly approaching the NFL held its annual scouting combine were every team gets to evaluate this year’s crop of colligate players. With the combine wrapped up here is a look at the NC State players who participated in the combine.


Audie Cole from NFL.com

                Audie Cole – LB - Measured at a height of 6’4”, weighed 246lbs, arm length 32 ¾”, and 10” hands. In the drills Cole ran a 4.81 sec. 40yd dash, 15 reps of 225lbs in the bench press, a 35 in. vertical jump, 114 in. broad jump, a 4.29 sec. 20yd shuttle, and 6.96 sec. 3 cone drill. Cole was a top performer in the 3 cone drill, vertical jump, and 20yd shuttle for linebackers. Cole is predicted to be a sixth round draft pick as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme defense.

                T.J. Graham – WR - Measured at a height of 5’11”, weighed 188lbs, arm length of 32 ¾”, and 9” hands. In the drills Graham ran a 4.41 sec. 40 yd dash, 8 reps of 225lbs in the bench press, 33.5 in. vertical jump, 120 in. broad jump, 4.18 sec. 20yd shuttle, and a 6.77 sec. 3 cone drill. Graham was a top performer in the 40yd dash, 20yd shuttle, and 3 cone drill. Graham, because of his importance as a kick returner is predicted to go as high as the third round.

                Terrell Manning – LB -Measured at a height of 6’2”, arm length of 32 ¼”, weighed 237lbs, and 91/4” hands. In the drills Manning ran a 4.79 sec. 40yd dash, 22 reps of 225lbs in the bench press, 32.5 in. vertical jump, 114 in. broad jump, 7.18 sec. 3 cone drill, and 4.43 sec. 20yd shuttle. Terrell is a projected fourth round draft choice as a WILL linebacker in a 4-3 scheme but could add weight later and transition into a 3-4 edge rusher.

                Markus Kuhn – DT ­- Measured at a height of 6’5”, arm length of 32 ½”, weighed 299lbs, and 10 ½” hands.  In the drills Kuhn ran a 4.89 sec. 40yd dash, 20 reps of 225lbs in the bench press, 34.5 in. vertical jump, 112 in. broad jump, 7.43 sec. 3 cone drill, and a 4.41 sec. 20yd shuttle. Kuhn is predicted to be an undrafted rookie free agent as a 4-3 defensive tackle.

                J.R. Sweezy – DT – Measured at a height of 6’5”, weighed 298lbs, arm length of 34”, and 9 5/8” hands. In drills Sweezy ran a 5.01 sec. 40yd dash, 21 reps of 225lbs on the bench press, 36 in.  vertical jump, 113 in. broad jump, 7.4 sec. 3 cone drill, and a 4.41 sec. 20yd short shuttle. Sweezy was a top performer in the vertical jump for defensive tackles. J.R. Sweezy is predicted to be a late round draft choice or be an undrafted free agent. Sweezy is thought to have more value as a 3-4 defensive end than a 4-3 defensive tackle.

* All measurements, times, and draft info courtesy of nfl.com