Junior cornerback Mike Stevens is the older brother of freshman linebacker Matt Stevens, who enrolled in January. He’s keeping a close eye on his younger brother and helping him adjust to college — on and off the field.
“I get to see what he’s doing and compare it to how I came in,” he said. “I like having him here; it’s cool.”
Being a junior who started 10 games last year, he’s now one of the veterans on the NC State defense and trying to be like an older brother to the other less experienced players on the roster as well. There are plenty of those competing behind him and fellow projected starting cornerback Jack Tocho, a senior who has opened 23 games in his career.
Stevens and Tocho have combined for 60 appearances and 33 starts at corner. Fifth-year senior Niles Clark has played in 33 contests defensively and logged 573 snaps as a reserve — but the majority of that work has come at nickel, the position where he is currently listed.
The rest of the cornerbacks on the roster have combined for seven defensive snaps, counting sophomore Freddie Phillips’ four at nickel last year. Two of the corners — redshirt freshman Vernon Grier and senior Johnathan Alston — played wide receiver last year, but Stevens likes the potential of the group.
“I just tell them to be patient and let the game come to you,” he said. “I like all of them. Vern is really progressing; they’re taking it day by day. Freddie is aggressive; J.A. [Alston] flipped from receiver, but he’s making strides too; as well as Bryce Banks, the freshman. They’re all getting good work in.”
With heavy turnover among the offensive line and under center, Stevens admits the Wolfpack defense might have to carry the team this year. He also realizes that he and Tocho will need to step up at cornerback after three-year starter Juston Burris exhausted his eligibility.
“Jack and I have been through it all; we’ve been through making plays, and we’ve been through getting beat,” he explained. “I think we’re ready. I think we’re going to have a real good year.
“I’m confident, I’m ready to go. Juston told me, ‘Just be ready.’ I learned a lot from him when he was here, so I’m just ready for [a bigger role].”
Stevens played as a rookie, breaking into the lineup as the year progressed and logging 89 of his 137 snaps in the final four games of the 2014 campaign. In the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, he notched the first two passes broken up of his career while guarding eventual first-round draft pick Breshad Perriman of UCF, which he called a confidence builder.
“That’s really where I knew I could play this game and be real good at it,” he recalled.
He played at least 37 defensive snaps in nine different contests last season, totaling 484 plays on the year. His stats increased from seven tackles to 21 ( including an assisted stop behind the line of scrimmage), one interception and five passes broken up, which ranked second on the team to Burris’ seven.
The increased playing time has taught Stevens the importance of staying patient and focused. He admitted that he started last season well before beginning to wear down a little. The Davidson, N.C., native is hoping those learning experiences will help him continue to build on the positives while cutting down on the mistakes and staying strong throughout next fall.
“I felt like I could have had a better year,” he said. “[I need to] just stay focused during the whole season — taking every game and play the same.”
When he looks back at the 2015 film, Stevens sees himself in position to make plays even though he didn’t come through. Correcting that is his focus this offseason, and he notes there is a simple solution.
“Really just playing the ball,” he said. “I’ve been in position, it’s just going and getting it. That’s what I’m working on this spring.
“It’s challenging. That’s why I come to work every day, trying to work on every little part of defending the ball because you never know what’s going to be thrown at you in a game.”
Along with Tocho, it’s big to have so much returning experience at cornerback and the secondary as a whole. A pair of Stevens’ classmates — junior safeties Germaine Pratt and Shawn Boone — combine with senior nickel Dravious Wright, redshirt junior safety Josh Jones and Clark to fill out the secondary, which Stevens thinks could be a strength in 2016 with all of them being veterans on the club now.
“We definitely take that leadership role and make sure the young guys are in line,” he said. “Most importantly, we make sure we bring the energy out and make sure we make good decisions because we’re the leaders of the team.
“We make sure we have a working attitude and a working mindset.”
Read more about NC State’s practices in The Wolfpacker’s spring football headquarters
