8/13/2020 football Edit

The Wolfpacker countdown to NC State football: 30

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

In May, we originally started a countdown to NC State football's season and ACC opener against Louisville, a game that was originally scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3.

In mid-June, the game was moved up a day to Wednesday, Sept. 2 in order to not conflict with the Kentucky Derby which was postponed from the traditional first Saturday in May to Saturday, Sept. 5 over Labor Day weekend.

In late July, the ACC scrapped its original football schedule to create a new 11-game model due to challenges presented from the coronavirus pandemic. A week later, NC State learned the dates of its new schedule which will begin Saturday, Sept. 12 in a road game against Virginia Tech.

Today, Aug. 13 marks 30 days from the Wolfpack's season opener, for now.

Each day, The Wolfpacker will do a countdown to the season with a reflection on the significance of that number to NC State.

NC State Wolfpack football Charley Young — Running back No. 30 Charley Young was an NC State running back from 1971-1973. (NC State Library Archives)

No. 30— Running back Charley Young (1971-73)

Running back Charley Young played for the NC State football team from 1971-1973 in an era in which freshmen could not play for the varsity squad.

A Raleigh native and former standout athlete from Enloe High, Young was one of the first two Black athletes to be recruited by the Wolfpack football program in 1970. Willie Burden, a fellow Enloe High athlete was the other of the history breaking duo.

As a sophomore in 1971 in his first season with the varsity team, Young ran for 385 yards and two touchdowns.

Young went on to become a member of "The Four Stallions," the nickname for NC State's running back group when head coach Lou Holtz arrived in 1972. The group included Young, Burden, Stan Fritts and Roland Hooks.

Under Holtz's split-back veer offense, the group thrived as one of the best backfields in the country. The strong play at the running back position helped lead the Wolfpack to arguably the best two-year stretch in program history.

In 1972, NC State won the Peach Bowl 49-13 over West Virginia and finished the season ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll with an 8-3-1 record. The following season, Young's senior year, the Wolfpack finished the season ranked No. 16 in the AP poll after winning the ACC title and the Liberty Bowl with a 9-3 record.

NC State football The Four Stallions — "The Four Stallions" at NC State in 1972. From left to right, Stan Fritts, Charley Young, Roland Hooks and Willie Burden. (NC State Library Archive)

In three seasons with the Wolfpack, Young had 1,657 rushing yards on 317 carries (5.2 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns.

After his time at NC State, Young was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 1974 NFL Draft.

He went on to play four professional seasons with the Cowboys where he played in 37 games and gained 1,029 all-purpose yards for four touchdowns.