In a perfect world where the college football season goes off on time, Sunday, May 31 marked 95 days till NC State’s season and ACC opener against Louisville, a Thursday night, road game that should be nationally televised, although a formal announcement on the network has yet to be made.

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

Up until about two weeks before national signing day in 2010, almost no one would have anticipated that a little-known defensive lineman from Chamblee (Ga.) High named Art Norman would become one of the most consequential pass rushers in school history.

Norman was a very good high school football player. In his final three years of high school, he had 181 tackles, including 52 for loss and 19 sacks. He also forced seven fumbles and recovered four during that span as well.

But at barely 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, many figured Norman too small to be a major college football defensive lineman. At that point in his recruitment, he was talking to FCS schools like Samford, Elon, Cornell and Coastal Carolina (prior to the their jump to the FBS level).

Former NC State assistant coach Mike Reed recruited that area for NC State, and Norman saw an opportunity present itself when Reed stopped by the high school. He made sure a highlight tape got into Reed’s hands. For his and NC State’s good fortunes, Reed watched it. The rest was history.

After redshirting, Norman donned the No. 95 jersey and was a consistent contributor for four straight seasons. He had at least 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss every year for the Wolfpack, and his 23.5 career sacks is fourth all-time in school history. He is tied for 11th in career tackles for loss with 36.5

His shining moment will probably ever be a 3-sack performance against No. 7 Clemson in his redshirt freshman year, when Norman helped lead the way in a 37-13 shellacking.

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