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| Sunday, August 11 Updated: August 13, 10:17 AM ET QB Rivers leads potent NC State offense By Gregg Doyel Special to ESPN.com |
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Outlook: NC State has won a lot of games the past two seasons, especially last year, with young talent. With those players experienced now, a Wolfpack run into the national elite could be in the offing with All-ACC-candidate quarterback Philip Rivers back for a third season. Rivers has most of his receiving corps back, with the notable exception of release-valve tight end Willie Wright, but there is a question mark at tailback. Cotra Jackson's eligibility is uncertain, and even if he does play, the man to replace four-year starter Ray Robinson could be record-setting recruit T.A. McLendon. McLendon ran for a national-best 178 touchdowns in high school.
Defensive leader Levar Fisher is gone to the NFL, but Amato has done his best recruiting work on defense, bringing in South Florida speed at linebacker and defensive back to go with junior college maturity on the line. Key game: The Wolfpack could -- and really, should -- be 4-0 entering their road date with Texas Tech on Sept. 21. Win that game, and the following (easy) one against Division I-AA Massachusetts, and NC State is 6-0 and on the way to something special. Keep an eye on: Linebacker Dantonio Burnette played three seasons in the shadow of Clayton White and Levar Fisher, but now All-ACC accolades could come his way. He could finish his career with more than 500 tackles. It's a good year if. . .: The Wolfpack wins 10 games. With a 13-game schedule featuring two Division I-AA teams, at least two other weak non-conference foes and what could be a down season in the ACC, this is a prime chance for NC State to break into the double-figure victory ledger. Gregg Doyel covers the ACC for the Charlotte Observer.
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