8/8/2020 football Edit

NC State football names 2020 Alpha Wolf award winners

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

The NC State Wolfpack football program has an annual tradition in its fall camp to award athletes that have displayed exemplary leadership in training and off of the field.

There are three individual awards and one position group award.

The Alpha Wolf award is a leadership award. The Iron Wolf award is an all-encompassing honor that takes both leadership and weight room performance into the equation. The Future Wolf award goes to the an outstanding young player in terms of work ethic and leadership. Lastly, the Alpha Elite Group is awarded to the position group that has displayed exemplary performance and leadership in training.

Here were the award winners for the 2020 NC State Wolfpack:

NC State football Isaiah Moore — NC State redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Moore has stepped up as a leader this offseason according to head coach Dave Doeren. (NC State Football)

Alpha Wolf Award Winners

Redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Moore

Moore started in all 11 games he played last season. The 6-foot-2, 242-pounder was the Wolfpack's third-leading tackler last season with 53 (26 solo, 27 assisted). He also started in 12 of 13 games in 2018 when he had a career-high 69 tackles as a redshirt freshman.

NC State head coach Dave Doeren mentioned Moore specifically as one of the guys in the program that has stepped up as a leader this offseason in his media availability following the Pack's first day of fall camp Tuesday. Moore has been among the most vocal in the Wolfpack program to create conversation about racial injustice this summer and represents the football team on the NC State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Redshirt junior center Grant Gibson

Gibson was the only player on offense in 2019 to start in all 12 of the Wolfpack's contests. In 834 snaps, the 6-foot-1, 300-pounder only allowed two sacks while rattling off 15 pancake blocks and four knockdowns.

He won the team's 2019 Mike Hardy Award for exhibiting a winning attitude and was named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2017 as a true freshman.

Iron Wolf Award Winners

Redshirt senior guard Joe Sculthorpe

A preseason third-team All-ACC pick by Athlon in its 2020 college football preview, Sculthorpe returns for his senior season after starting in all 11 games in which he played in 2019.

In 790 snaps, the 6-foot-3, 307-pounder allowed only 1.5 sacks while delivering 13 pancake blocks and 13 knockdowns.

Senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie

Following a one-year experiment wearing the No. 3 jersey in his first season as the Wolfpack's top target, Emezie has returned to his original No. 86 number for his senior campaign.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder led NC State in receptions and receiving yards in 2019, but saw his numbers dip from his career-high 616 receiving yards in 2018. Emezie winning the Iron Wolf award is a good sign that the pass-catcher is poised for another career year in his last go around.

Future Wolf Award Winner

Redshirt freshman defensive end Terrell Dawkins

Dawkins made headlines this week following the release of the NC State football roster with a noticeable new jersey number. The Concord (N.C.) native became the first Wolfpack player in program history to don a No. 0 jersey.

The Future Wolf Award is handed to a player that has spent less than two years with the program and has yet to find the field much. Dawkins meets that criteria, for now. Winning the Young Wolf award and earning a unique jersey number suggests the redshirt freshman is earning his way into this year's rotation on a defensive line searching for its identity.

Alpha Elite Group

Tight Ends

It makes sense for the tight end position group to win this award considering the seniority of redshirt senior Cary Angeline, redshirt graduate Dylan Autenrieth and redshirt graduate Dylan Parham.

Angeline led the Wolfpack in touchdown receptions in 2019. Both Autenreith and Parham were handed an additional year of eligibility, so they will both be eligible to return in 2021 if they chose. The tight end group will play a vital role in the success of the passing game this season by protecting redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary and providing him target opportunities.