Cary Angeline focused on being ready for NC State

The first impressions gleaned by an interviewer of NC State redshirt sophomore tight end Cary Angeline can be that he’s soft spoken and low key. Thus it’s probably unsurprising that Angeline took the NCAA’s decision to force him to sit out three games to start the season in stride.

“Going into it, I kind of had to have the mindset I was definitely going to sit out three games,” Angeline noted. “Was definitely hoping for the best, but it kind of is what it is. Nothing we can really do now.”

Angeline played in two games as a redshirt freshman last season for Southern Cal and dressed for a third but did not play. He then left USC, matriculated to a junior college in Delaware that didn't play football and enrolled at NC State this summer.

Head coach Dave Doeren said over the summer that NC State was hoping to at least have his sit-out period reduced a game. Angeline’s ultimate hope was to play the opener Sept. 1.

Now, he has to take a supportive role for NC State’s home games against James Madison, Georgia State and West Virginia, which is ranked No. 20 in the preseason coaches’ poll. Angeline's first game will be when NCSU travels to Marshall on Sept. 22.

“I’ve never really had to sit out games for injury or anything like that, but I am going to try to help out my team as best I can,” he said.

The 6-foot-7, 254-pounder feels that when eligible he will offer NC State both a vertical threat in the passing game and a strong blocker at the line of scrimmage. He feels the acclimation period has gone well.

“I’m still learning the playbook, still getting a lot of reps to get as used to it as I can,” he said. “It’s going well. I’m very excited.”

One thing helping Angeline is that although he is new to NCSU, he has the background of going through a pair of preseason camps at USC.

“Camp is camp,” Angeline noted. “It’s always going to be hard. It’s a little more humid down here in North Carolina. That definitely has been the biggest adjustment, but other than that, camp is always going to be a challenge. It’s going well.”

Well enough to confirm to Angeline he is in the correct place.

“It was definitely the right decision for me,” he said. “It's a great opportunity here at NC State.”