In front of more than 50,000 screaming fans and the Power Sound of the South blaring the Red and White Song in Carter-Finley Stadium, the NC State football team will take the field for the first time this season Saturday.

All eyes will be on graduate quarterback Ryan Finley and senior running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr. in the backfield, with Finley out to prove he has what it takes to be the top QB taken in the NFL draft and Gallaspy out to prove he can be the Pack’s feature back. The three-headed monster that is NC State’s receiving corps will line up, ready to kick off what should be a historic season for the group.

The pigskin will sit on the grass, ready to be flung around by NC State’s exciting offense, and it won’t be Finley, Gallaspy or any of the receivers that get things started for the Pack. It will be the one person who is guaranteed to touch the ball every single offensive play for the Wolfpack that will snap things to Finley and start the action: graduate center Garrett Bradbury.

“Every play starts with us,” Bradbury said. “We need to be consistent for the team and for the young guys around us.”

Bradbury is entering his second year as the Pack’s starting center, a position that brings with it a substantial leadership role. The center is responsible for calls and communication on the offensive line, a unit that on any team is underappreciated and essential to all success. Add to that the fact that Bradbury is a graduate student who has been around the program for a long time, and a leadership role is something that fits him well.

“There’s a lot of responsibility in terms of calls,” Bradbury said. “You need to have the respect of the guys next to you if you’re going to be telling them the calls and what to do. A little bit of it is natural with the position, but some of it is me needing to put it on myself to be a guy to look up to and lead.”

NC State’s offensive line is one of its strongest units that paved the way for graduated running back Nyheim Hines to rush for over 1,000 yards last season. Despite losing two members of last year’s line to the NFL, this year’s O-line is still one of the best in the ACC.

The unit’s strength has a lot to do with the chemistry between the five guys on the line, something that is an important aspect of offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford’s mentality. The O-line and Ledford cling tight to their “Band of Brothers” mantra, with Bradbury acting as the band’s unquestioned leader.

“Each year we keep growing and growing, and that’s why we call ourselves the Band of Brothers,” Ledford said. “[Bradbury] is looked upon as being a leader anyhow, because he has to be so vocal and get everybody started with his calls. Not only in the run game, but in protection as well. He does a tremendous job of that. He leads by example both on and off the field.”

His leadership isn’t just noted by Ledford, but also by his “brothers” on the line. With two new starters joining the trenches for the Pack, having Bradbury will be crucial for NC State. Redshirt sophomore tackle Justin Witt is moving into a starting role this season, and appreciates Bradbury both on and off the field.

“He’s definitely a great leader. He pushes everyone. He just comes out with great energy every day,” Witt said. “Off the field, he’s one of my closest friends. He pushes everyone the same way that he does on the field.”

Bradbury’s relationship with his fellow offensive linemen is strong, but it isn’t the only tight bond that Bradbury has formed. One of the most important partnerships for any football team is that between the quarterback and his center, and for Bradbury and Finley in their second year together, that relationship is continuing to grow.

“It’s a fresh perspective. It’s grown a lot,” Bradbury said. “We’re roommates now. Best friends. I’m used to just hanging out with the O-line, and hearing his thoughts, his game plan and the things he does for preparation is a lot different than what I’ve been doing. We’re kind of learning from each other, and that’s been great.”

As Bradbury and Finley continue to help each other grow, NC State will continue to benefit from the partnership. When Bradbury snaps the Pack into action Saturday, he will also be snapping his final season of college football into action. His goals for the year are straightforward, and another example of his leadership on and off the field.

“I just want to build upon each game,” Bradbury said. “Build upon last year. Be better in some things. I feel like I’ve worked on that a lot this fall camp, and the better I can be individually, the more I can help younger guys and take a little bit of burden off of them.”