Aug. 3, 2004

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2004 NC State Football Preview

The Wolfpack won five of their last seven games in 2003 to finish 8-5 overall and tied with Virginia and Georgia Tech for fourth place in the ACC with a 4-4 league mark. NC State made its fourth-straight bowl appearance, fifth in six years, and 22nd overall defeating Kansas 56-26 in the Tangerine Bowl. The Wolfpack lost four games by eight points or less, including two on the road in overtime to Ohio State and Florida State.

Junior TB T.A. McLendon already ranks 11th among Wolfpack career rushers with 1,709 yards and fifth in touchdowns with 29. He rushed for 1,101 yards and 18 touchdowns and earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2002.

Defensive end Mario Williams, defensive tackle John McCargo and guard Leroy Harris started all 13 games as freshmen a year ago. Williams and Harris earned freshman All-America recognition while McCargo was an honorable mention All-ACC performer. Williams and McCargo combined for 108 tackles, including 24 tackles for losses and 7.5 quarterback sacks.

Gone from the league's top offensive unit a year ago are three players who earned first-team All-ACC honors -- QB Philip Rivers, WR Jerricho Cotchery and T Sean Locklear. The 2003 ACC Player of the Year, Rivers made an NCAA record 51 straight career starts and finished first on the ACC's all-time leader chart -- and second on the NCAA's -- in total offense (13,582) and passing yardage (13,484). Cotchery led the ACC in receptions (86) and receiving yards (1,369) and became only the fourth player in league history to eclipse the 3,000-yard mark in career receiving yardage (3,119).

WR Tramain Hall was the team's second-leading receiver a year ago with 69 catches for 799 yards and seven touchdowns. Hall returned two punts for touchdowns and finished ninth in the ACC in all-purpose yardage (100.2).

NC State is the only team in the ACC to return three players -- Andre Maddox (145), Pat Thomas (130) and Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay (103) -- who had 100 or more tackles in 2003.

Head coach Chuck Amato boasts a career record of 34-17 in four years at his alma mater and is tied with former Maryland head coach Bobby Ross for second place for wins by ACC coaches in their fourth season.

ACC Football Preview Schedule | More NC State Info From ACC Media Guide

QUOTES FROM 2004 ACC FOOTBALL KICKOFF

Chuck Amato, Head Coach, entering 5th season
"Jay Davis has been around for three years and Marcus Stone a year, and that's a plus for both of them Jay is very smart, and Marcus Stone was very highly recruited. They've both been fortunate to see Philip (Rivers) operate, Jay for three years and Marcus for a year. And to be able to watch cut-ups in films this coming year of Philip yet. But we're going to let that thing go. We've got 29 practice opportunities between now and our first game to make that decision."

"Whoever gets ahead will be capable. They've both got enough talent and potential ... The biggest plus they have over Philip for four years was the fact that whoever wins it, the supporting cast is going to be much better than what the supporting cast was when Philip was a freshman."

"When (T.A. McLendon) is healthy, he's as good as there is in the country. He's got a bad rap, but he's tough ... If we can keep him healthy, he'll help that quarterback situation because of the play-action and everything else."

"We'll never be great until we play great defense. That's where Florida State and Miami really distance themselves ... Once we get to where we play defense like we did two years ago -- two years ago we led the league in defense in about four categories ... Why were we good one defense? We had five senior defensive linemen."

2004 NC State Football Schedule
Sept. 4	Richmond
Sept. 18	Ohio State
Sept. 25	at Virginia Tech
Oct. 2	Wake Forest
Oct. 9	at North Carolina
Oct. 16	at Maryland
Oct. 23	Miami
Oct. 30	at Clemson
Nov. 6	Georgia Tech
Nov. 11	Florida State
Nov. 27	East Carolina (in Charlotte)

Tramain Hall, Wide Receiver, Junior
On what it will take to overcome the loss of Philip Rivers: "Leadership and taking advantage of being on the field, being in those games, those Ohio State games when the pressure got heavy and we were able to go out there and have somebody step up and keep our minds focused. That's where (we need to step in) and come together and support those quarterbacks, whoever gets the start."

"The offense doesn't change. We still do the same thing. We'll spread it out, and let's make plays. There'll just be a different quarterback back there."

Lamont Reid, Cornerback, Senior
"We have the talent, we have the speed, we have everything it takes. As far as us getting there, it's just a matter of us coming together to do it."

"We're going to miss Philip, but at the same time, we've got a team on defense full of seniors. We've been there with Philip, we've seen what it takes to win the game, but at the same time, (this defense) is going to be able to push the team along."

OFFENSE - Returning Starters
TB T.A. McLendon, Jr.
HB Tramain Hall, Jr.
WR Brian Clark, Jr.
TE T.J. Williams, Jr.
T Chris Colmer**, Sr.
T John McKeon, Jr.
G Leroy Harris, So.
G Rickey Fowler, Sr.
C Jed Paulsen, Sr.
** did not play in 2003

OFFENSE - Starters Lost
QB Philip Rivers (2003 ACC Player of the Year)
WR Jerricho Cotchery (1st-team All-ACC)
T Sean Locklear (1st-team All-ACC)

DEFENSE - Returning Starters
DE Mario Williams, So.
DT John McCargo, So.
DT Renaldo Moses, Jr.
LB Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, Sr.
LB Oliver Hoyte, Jr.
LB Patrick Thomas, Sr.
ROV Andre Maddox, Sr.
CB Lamont Reid, Sr.
CB Marcus Hudson**, Jr.
FS Troy Graham, Sr.
** did not play in 2003

DEFENSE - Starters Lost
DE Alan Halloway (nine starts in 2003)
CB Greg Golden (two-year starter, 2 INTs)