Wolfpack has plenty of talent to get back to bowl

Posted 5:02PM on Saturday 20th August 2005 ( 19 years ago )

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Every day, Derek Morris gets a closer look than most at North Carolina State's talent. As an offensive tackle, he often goes against Manny Lawson or Mario Williams during drills, hoping to find a way to block two of the top defensive ends in the country. He may get beat, but he feels good knowing they're on his side come Saturdays. The good feeling gets even better when Morris returns to his huddle. There he might find one of the team's top six receivers from last season, including tight end T.J. Williams and H-back Tramain Hall. Running back T.A. McLendon is gone, but the Wolfpack has a host of talented youngsters at the position, including a Parade high school All-American, the top rusher in North Carolina high school history and a former prep player of the year in the state. Oh, and quarterback Jay Davis returns after throwing for 2,104 yards in his first season as the starter, the second-highest total in the Atlantic Coast Conference. ``I look at our offense as very explosive,'' Morris said. ``All we've got to do is block for them.'' If that happens, N.C. State should have no problem getting back to the postseason. A 5-6 record in 2004 left the Wolfpack out of a postseason bowl for the first time in coach Chuck Amato's five seasons. Four of the losses came by a total of 27 points, and the Wolfpack gained more yards than their opponents in every game. Early in the season, they won at Virginia Tech, handing the Hokies what proved to be their only loss in the ACC. ``It just kind of shows you how a couple of seconds or a couple of plays can change the whole season,'' Davis said. ``We didn't necessarily pull together last year when we needed to.'' To change that, he and the other seniors have taken a tough approach with their teammates during workouts. The resulting effort on the field has impressed even Amato. ``The effort has been unparalleled up to 10 practices than what I can remember over the last five years,'' Amato said. ``That's truly a compliment, because the effort has always been there. It's not like I'm goofing on the other teams, because I'm not.'' Last season, N.C. State led Division I-A in total defense, a season worth of domination highlighted by several impressive outings. Ohio State gained only 137 yards, Maryland got just 91 and Florida State barely exceeded that total. The Seminoles, once the undisputed power of the ACC, finished with 121 yards, including 73 from quarterback Wyatt Sexton on 5 for 18 passing. They went deep into the second quarter before their yardage total exceeded their number of plays. Yet just as telling as the yardage numbers was the final score Florida State 17, N.C. State 10. The defense didn't always get enough help from the other side of the ball. In April, Mario Williams brought up the defense's good-natured slogan in a session with reporters just before the spring game. ``Defense, we're all we got,'' he said. Apparently, Amato didn't see the humor in the comment. Since then, all the defensive linemen have been off-limits to the media, a banishment that will continue until at least the opener against Virginia Tech. It might be the coach's way of keeping the attention off Williams and his supremely talented cohorts. Lawson and defensive tackles John McCargo and Tank Tyler are the returning starters, with eight of 10 letterwinners on the line also back. Both of Amato's coordinators left after last season for other jobs. The defense has no doubt they'll remain as good or better under new defensive coordinator Steve Dunlap. ``All we can do is use the same methods we used last year,'' cornerback A.J. Davis said. ``The proof will come out in the end, if we are as good as we were last year. But for now, we can't be worried about last year.'' The job of helping the offense catch up to the defense falls on new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman. He came to N.C. State after spending the past 17 years in the NFL, working in various positions with eight different teams. His stint with the Oakland Raiders included a trip to the Super Bowl in 2003. Earlier in his career, while serving as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Miami for two seasons, he tutored Bernie Kosar and Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde. ``If you have the ability to make plays in Trestman's offense, you're going to get your chance,'' T.J. Williams said. ``We feel like we've got the ability to do what we need to do this year.'' (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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