There might not be an active player in college football that has flipped between offense and defense more than the 5-foot-9, 177-pound Rashard Smith. The fifth-year senior began in Raleigh as a true freshman cornerback who started four games and played in six before a knee injury ended his rookie campaign.

He redshirted in 2010 due to the injury and moved to wide receiver before the 2011 season began. He opened the season on offense before playing both ways in two games - the first NCSU player to do so since 2005 - and then switched back to a full-time cornerback in October. He would go on to start a trio of games on defense.

Last year was the first time Smith had ever spent one full season at wide receiver and that should pay dividends in 2013. Doing something for the first time in college is nothing new to Smith, but he thinks the consistency will help him improve on last year's total of 19 receptions for 315 yards and five scores.

"I was a high school quarterback," he noted. "The first time I played corner was when I got to NC State and the first time I really played receiver was last year. I liked them about equal, but I grew up as a quarterback and point guard, so I always had the ball in my hands. Having the opportunity to make plays with the ball in my hands is exciting."

Smith admitted that it took a while until he started to feel comfortable out wide, but focusing all of his efforts on one position has led to, "dramatic" improvements.

"It's about getting comfortable and staying at receiver the whole time, trying to be the best at one position," he said. "At first when I played receiver, in the middle of practice I had to go play defense. I think that was the biggest adjustment, just being able to stay at receiver for the whole game or practice."

The more time that Smith spends at receiver, the better. It's a very similar outcome to the transition the entire offense went through under the new coaching staff.

"It's come a long way since the spring," Smith noted. "We've had a lot of practices with the new coaching staff, everybody has adjusted to the staff and the pace we're playing at. There's competition out here every day and everybody is getting better.

"It's just like a snowball effect. When the new coaches got here in January, all we did was see the offense as paper. As we learned it on paper and tried to bring it to the field, it was real slow and people weren't in shape to run the offense. After spring practice, the summer and fall camp, we're ready for the first game on Saturday. You can just see the snowball getting bigger and everybody is rolling."

The receivers, led by Smith and fellow fifth-year senior Quintin Payton, have been putting in the time with extra work in the months leading up to the season opener and worked out on their own with the quarterbacks anywhere from five to seven days per week during the summer. The time has resulted with some impressive passer-receiver chemistry despite the fact that returning receivers have never worked with quarterbacks Brandon Mitchell or Pete Thomas outside of practices or scrimmages.

"We've been coming out here nearly seven days a week, even on weekends, just to get our timing down with the quarterbacks," he said. "We throw with both of them because just like y'all, we don't know who is going to win the job, either. We got adjusted to both of them and they're both great guys. We can't wait until Saturday to see who will be out there first."

When the first official depth chart was released on Monday for the season opener against Louisiana Tech, a pair of true freshmen made the two-deep out wide, where six players were listed at three positions. Smith was not surprised by the infusion of the two youngsters, who have proven themselves quickly.

"They've brought a lot to the table," he said. "Bra'Lon Cherry came in January, so he learned the offense quicker than the other freshmen. Marquez Valdes-Scantling came in, made plays on the ball and learned the playbook real quick; but we've also got other freshmen. All of our freshmen came in and stepped up this year. JuMichael Ramos did a great job, Johnathan Alston and Pharoah McKever came in a did well.

"As seniors, Quintin and I took control of the group. We sat down and met with them, went over the offense and made sure they were all going to be ready to play this Saturday."

In addition to serving as a leader for the group of pass catchers out wide, Smith was also listed as the starting return man on Monday's depth chart. He has not returned kicks yet in college, but he was the deep man on punts last year and finished with 294 return yards, which was the sixth-highest total on punts in school history.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "Coach put it in my hands to make plays. I'm relying on my team and my team is relying on me.

"Kick returns are about the same [as punt returns]. It's just a different phase of the game, but I've got great guys in front blocking for me. Those guys put it on the line for me to return the ball and I put it on the line for them. We're a family and we're brothers; I love what they do for me and I'm sure they love what I do for them."

The wide out declared at the ACC Kickoff he has lofty goals for his final year of eligibility, and rattled off his check list: All-ACC, the best returner in the league, Conference Player of the Year and All-American. However much he wants those goals, though, Smith has one thing above everything else - the team.

"Those come with team goals," he explained. "You don't win those awards if the team is 4-8."