Despite having one of the youngest teams in the BCS, the NC State football team has benefitted from having a group of talented graduate students on and off the field this season.
Most people come to think of football players as just talented athletes on the field; however, graduate running back Tony Creecy and graduate fullback Tyler Purvis have proved they possess more than just physical talent, but mental ability as well. These two look to expand on their education by staying one more year in hopes of gaining a leg up on their competition and becoming more competitive in their respective fields.
“Football is very important, yes, and that’s what you come here to play,” Purvis said. “But in reality, you’re a student-athlete, so grades come first.”
Fans already know that each of these players brings a different skill set on the field, but the two also bring one off the field. Purvis is currently double-majoring in marketing and economics and is set to graduate in December. With these two impressive degrees, he hopes to get a job that will support him after football and put together a successful career just as he has on the football field.
“After graduation, I will hopefully get a job in the sales field,” Purvis said. “I actually have a few interviews set up already, so hopefully I will do well and things will turn out in my favor.”
To prove how stellar Purvis is in the classroom and in his community, he is currently a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell trophy, given to the student-athlete who has the best combination of community service, on-the-field play and academics. This is a prestigious award considered by many to be the “Academic Heisman” for college football players.
“That’s something I am truly excited about,” Purvis said. “It recently came out that I was a semifinalist for the award, and it has really been quite an honor to be in the category of great students and great players all across the country.”
The finalists for the Campbell trophy will be announced Thursday.
“If I do make the cut to be a finalist, I get to fly to New York and partake in a big ceremony in addition to attending a big dinner and staying in a nice hotel,” Purvis said. “I am truly excited and hoping for the best. We’ll see what happens.”
While serving his team as a reliable running back, Creecy has also proved to be impressive in the classroom, as he has already finished a degree in sports management and is currently enrolled in non-degree courses. With the knowledge he has gained, he plans to do a handful of things after his time at NC State. He hopes to carry the versatility that he brings on the field with him in his professional life.
“I plan to pursue professional football, but after that I plan to be a sports agent,” Creecy said. “I also collect shoes, and I want to open a shoe boutique to provide shoes and a nice place where people can shop.”
Another admirable characteristic of Creecy has been his time management ability. While playing an important role on the Pack offense, he has excelled in the classroom and maintained high aspirations with what he wants to do after his time on the gridiron. At times, Creecy said he finds it tough to balance out all of the things he has on his plate, but he has adjusted well over the years at NC State.
“I have my degree, and I’m doing well in my classes,” Creecy said. “The transition from high school to college was particularly tough because of the significant increase in workload, but I’ve gotten used to it over the years and have done a lot better.”
The pair of scholars looks to continue to prove that they are more than just outstanding talents on the field and hope to make their teammates, coaches and fans proud as they move on to bigger and better things. These two talented athletes know that without the help of Wolfpack nation, they wouldn’t be where they are at now.
“Thank you to all the Wolfpack fans for the great four or five years of my life,” Creecy said. “I am going on to bigger endeavors after this season, but I will always love the Wolfpack fans and always be a member of Wolfpack nation.”
