NC State head coach Dave Doeren half-joked that he hopes Wolfpack fans will heckle freshman kicker Christopher Dunn during Saturday’s Kay Yow Spring Game at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The spring game, which starts at 1 p.m., will give Wolfpack fans their long awaited chance to watch the ballyhood kicker. Dunn made 30 of 48 field goals and 175 of 184 extra points during his prep career at Lexington (N.C.) North Davidson High. He made a long of 57 yards which set a state record and had 89 touchbacks his senior year.
Doeren knows that kicking in front of people in a stadium will be a different experience, hence his quip that he wouldn’t mind seeing his prized kicker get some road-like screaming from Wolfpack fans.
“The field goals won’t be live rushed,” Doeren said. “They’ll be 11 guys out there with their hands up and hopefully some people yelling at him from the stands.”
NC State has practiced three times at Carter-Finley Stadium this spring.
“It’s going to be a process for him, but he’s been outstanding this spring,” Doeren said. “The best thing about Chris is that he is the same guy every day. He is just a routine guy.”
Doeren said the Red team will be the offense and the White team will be the defense. The opening kickoff will be live to give his kick return unit some game-day conditions, even if it’s just one time. The first punts will feature live tackling but not a rush, and then the punt returns will fair catch. The first half will feature a normal play clock.
The Wolfpack also have had some positions affected by injuries this spring, notably at running back and defensive tackle. Doeren said senior Reggie Gallaspy and freshman Ricky Person Jr. won’t be playing in the spring game. Both could be the top two backs next fall in trying to fill the void of Nyheim Hines’ early departure to the NFL.
“He [Gallaspy] is doing OK, but he’s limited so he can’t do all the running, which hurts you,” Doeren said. “They do everything they can with him. He’ll be good by the summer time and have 2-3 months to get him where he needs to be.”
NCSU redshirt freshmen running backs Erin Collins and Nakia Robinson will get to play on the big stage due to their absence.
“Right now today, we are blowing whistles and they think they got them tackles and the guy thinks he has broken the tackle,” Doeren said. “Then you have that argument. We’ll see the finish.
“From the running back position it’s about finishing runs and ball security, and pass protection and picking up guys on the move.”
NC State also won’t be playing senior defensive tackle Eurndraus Bryant and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Shug Frazier, which has caused others on the depth chart to get more experience this spring.
“We got four incredible guys that have left the program,” Doeren said. “We’ve got guys that have been playing a lot of football behind them. They’ve been waiting for this opportunity.
“Are we going to be exactly the same? No, we aren’t. We lost the defensive player of the year in college football [in defensive end Bradley Chubb]. He’s pretty good.”
Redshirt junior Larrell Murchison and redshirt freshmen Grant Gibson and Ibrahim Kante got increased opportunities on the inside. Kante will likely return to defensive end in the fall.
“You can see the progress with the younger defensive lineman,” Doeren said. “Kante, we had to play inside a lot this spring because of the depth [issues]. It’s been good for him toughness-wise. It’s hard at [266] pounds with our O-Line if he gets double-teamed. He’s a good fundamental guy and has to get stronger.
“[Xavier] Lyas has made some athletic plays but is still undersized [at 6-4 and 236 pounds]. He needs to gain some weight. Joe Babros, the junior college end, he’s gotten a lot better. He was thinking so much in the beginning. you are starting to see his athleticism. He is really strong for a guy his size [243 pounds]. He’ll be able to help us.”
The linebacking core has been relatively healthy, though both redshirt sophomore Brock Miller and freshman Payton Wilson will aim to battle for playing time in August. Doeren expects the group led by fifth-year senior Germaine Pratt to pick up some of the slack left by the departures on the defensive line.
“They’ve made a lot of plays this spring and are twitchy guys,” Doeren said. “They are good blitzers. We might have to come up with different ways to get to the quarterback if we can’t use a true four-man rush.”
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