Coming into this football season the media made a big deal about the loss of three key defensive linemen via the first round of the NFL Draft. But lost in the shuffle were the losses at linebacker.
In 2005, linebackers Stephen Tulloch and Oliver Hoyte anchored the middle of the defense and led the team in tackles with 134 and 79 respectively. And then, like the linemen, they left for the NFL leaving behind an inexperienced group to take over. Senior Reggie Davis moved from running back to linebacker to help fill the hole and redshirt junior LeRue Rumph stepped into a permanent starting role after playing in 11 games in 2005, but the responsibility to lead the linebacking corps fell on the shoulders of its most tenured member, fifth-year senior middle linebacker Pat Lowery.
And according to Rumph, the transition has been a smooth one.
“It wasn’t like we stepped off a lot to Pat from Oliver Hoyte,” Rumph said. “He’s got it. And he’s an inspiring guy and he’s just running with it right now and he’s doing a great job … he helps me every day. Whenever I don’t know something I can always go back and ask him what the play is. He’s our leader on defense.”
Prior to this season though, Lowery had only started three games and averaged only 2.8 tackles-per-game. In 2005 he was No.10 on the team with just 34 tackles.
But after stepping into the role of starting middle linebacker on a permanent basis, Lowery has responded with easily his most productive season thus far.
Through eight games, he leads the team in tackles with 66 and his 7.9 tackles-per-game average ranks fourth in the ACC.
“I’ve been pretty consistent throughout the year as far as doing what the coaches ask me to do and that’s direct our defense,” Lowery said. “And I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job so far.”
Coach Chuck Amato agrees with Lowery’s self-assessment and attributes his ability to step up as a leader to his work ethic. “He studies the game,” Amato said. “He’s made himself into a good player.”
Amato also gives credit to Lowery’s background in another sport for his aptitude on the football field – wrestling. Amato, who wrestled at N.C. State and won two ACC championships, said Lowery’s skills as a wrestler are beneficial to him as a linebacker.
“To be a good wrestler you have to have quick feet, you have to have great balance and you have to have great body control,” Amato said. “And football’s turned into WWF with hand control and using your hands and staying on your feet.”
In high school Lowery was a standout wrestler at Davie County High School in Mocksville, NC. As a sophomore and junior he placed third in the state, but in his senior year Lowery posted an undefeated 38-0 record and won the state title at 215 pounds.
Lowery said his wrestling experience prepared him both physically and mentally to be a good football player at the ACC level. “Practices are tough. But wrestling practices are as tough if not tougher. It prepares you,” the now 6-1, 242 pound senior said. “Wrestling’s an individual sport as much as it is a team. It’s only you out there and you learn it’s on your back. And you understand the concept that even though you’re part of the team, you have individual goals you have to accomplish which help the team. From the mental aspect it just makes you tougher.”
Tough, quick and smart are all characteristics teammates and coaches use to describe Lowery, but unassuming may be the most suitable. Lowery is a NASCAR fan and says he “follows it quite a bit.”
His favorite driver is Matt Kenseth, the current leader in the Nextel Cup standings with just three races remaining in the chase for the Cup. Lowery said he pulls for Kenseth not just because of his success but because of his humble style – a style Lowery admires and practices himself.
“[Kenseth’s] a guy that shows up every Saturday or Sunday and gets the job done and doesn’t say a lot about it,” Lowery said. “I like that kind of style. You don’t have to say a lot about it and you don’t have to be real flashy or anything like that. Just get the job done.”
Through eight games the Wolfpack is hardly sitting in as comfortable a position as Kenseth is in the Nextel Cup Chase. But with four games remaining, State still has a chance to get to a bowl game and salvage the season. As for Lowery’s evaluation on Kenseth’s chances of winning this year’s championship he said, “Hopefully, hopefully he can. That would be nice.”